Autism Continued from page 9 as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and the Wellness Connection, in addition to working with Echoing Hope for one eight-hour session. “This way, they have something in their mental toolkit, to be able to say to a future client or patient, ‘I know how to get you the help you need,’” Vincent said. “These organizations have been incredibly receptive to having our nursing students. These people have found ways of coping with issues in their lives and can offer a phenomenal perspective for the students to be able to take away for their future work.” Stephanie Williams, 28, was one of the first Cochise nursing students to work with Echoing Hope residents. She said she was anxious at first, since her personal experiences with mental health were limited prior to her visit, but she left with a new perspective. During her day at the ranch, she sat with residents and removed seeds from spaghetti squash, painted clay sculptures and worked on creating picture cards to be used with daily schedules. “It's very different than when we go to the hospital and things are very structured,” Williams said. “The atmosphere at the ranch is very relaxed and you just follow the lead of the residents. But there is that push to have them step outside the box and try new things.”
Nursing students Angela Humphries, left, and Sarah Cook build blocks with Rachel at Echoing Hope Ranch.
Williams said when she entered the nursing program, she had her sights set on working in oncology, but after experiencing other aspects of the medical field, she said she wouldn't be surprised if she ends up looking into pursuing a career in mental health.
“Now, I don't feel like an expert, but I know how to recognize autism and I now know that I can give a future patient some information that might help to better care for them,” she said. “We study the book, and we need to know the black and white of it so we can pass our tests, but to put a face to what we're learning and put someone's life and real-time experience to what we're reading in the book, our learning comes full circle, everything connects.” Guerrero said the ranch's primary mission is looking for every available opportunity for residents to experience growth, which means the community is an essential and integral part in achieving that goal. Other student organizations are itching to get involved, too; Cochise College Student Government of Sierra Vista is planning a day trip to the ranch to paint fences. “Students bring an incredible energy, positive attitude and willingness to try anything,” Guerrero said. “The freshness they bring is so delightful, and they usually come up with great results.”
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ONLINE JOB PLATFORM SERVES ALUMNI, EMPLOYERS An online job-search and posting tool is now available to Cochise College alumni and students, as well as local employers. College Central Network is an online platform that connects alumni and students with off-campus jobs. Job seekers can search listings, create a resume, apply for jobs, build a career portfolio, attend career events and more. Employers, locally and beyond, register through EmployerCentral.com, a division of the College Central Network, to be able to post jobs. Managed by the college Human Resources office, the platform provides a real service to Cochise College constituents and underscores the college’s role in workforce development.