Journey to a Successful Destination

DDD and VR Guide UofA Student on His Travels

Jacob is majoring in Computer Science at the UofA.

A road map and a guide are essential tools for a successful journey. Equally important is a safe and comfortable place to stay. For Jacob, his journey is navigated with tools provided by the DES Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) and the DES Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program, which have accompanied him throughout the state.

In 2020, Jacob and his father took a road trip and spent time in Oregon. Then in 2021, he decided to come back to Arizona to be near family in Payson. According to Jacob, “When I got [to Payson], I felt really stuck because I didn’t know what was going to go on. I just had this whole adventure in Oregon and then I made the decision to do this.” In Payson, he started working with DDD Support Coordinator, Amy Espinosa. “She helped a lot with the direction; trying to figure out what I needed,” said Jacob. Amy recommended VR services to further help him navigate his journey into higher education. 

Payson-based Support Coordinator Amy Espinosa and
Jacob at his graduation from Eastern Arizona College

In August of 2023, Jacob moved again; this time to Tucson where he is living in a DDD-contracted adult developmental home, and attending the University of Arizona. Since his move to Tucson, Jacob has been guided by VR Job Coach, Jean Gold, and DDD Support Coordinator, Vanessa Martinez. In addition to helping Jacob with his education, the VR program helped him enroll in Driving 2 Independence (D2I), a program that assists individuals with disabilities in obtaining a driver’s license. D2I also assists with recommendations for vehicle modification. Jacob, who has cerebral palsy, will have his car–a gift from his grandparents–fitted with a hand control to replace the pedals so that he doesn’t need to rely on his feet and legs. Once his car is modified, he can take the driver’s test.  

“It’s been great, especially being here [in Tucson],” said Jacob. Margaret, who owns the home where he lives, has been showing Jacob around the city. “I’ve never been [in Tucson] before and I have Margaret to show me around.” Together, they’ve been exploring the area, including taking the shuttle in Sabino Canyon and visiting the Tucson Art Museum.

While graduating from UofA with a bachelor’s degree and obtaining employment in the computer science field are in his sights, Jacob is enjoying his journey. He advises others to “make sure you keep in communication with your support coordinator, even if they’re new. That way, you lay out everything that’s going on. Make sure you advocate for yourself in saying what you think you need, what you want, and they’ll be there to show you the different avenues and how you can achieve what you want to do.”

“It will be a little bit of a ride - you might go from here to there a couple of times -  but you’ll end up in a good place.”