But it was because of his St. Cloud State professors’ and advisors’ recognition that he had a drive to help others that turned his challenges into opportunities.
“They kind of recognize that you have potential but life gets in the way,” Bannerman said. “They help you take care of the struggles outside the classroom as much as they can.”
Bannerman has just completed his first semester of graduate school and plans to become a rehabilitation and addiction counselor working with the transitional youth population. He won’t finish his program until 2019, but he already has his eye on earning a doctorate.
He credits the attention and encouragement that graduate students receive for his success in the program.
“I think that St. Cloud State does a great job at presenting you with challenges that will help you build character,” Bannerman said. “Professors do not hold back. They present you with the challenge. If you survive it, you become a better version of yourself.”
Bannerman’s original dream was to teach high school so he could help kids.
As an undergraduate, Bannerman took 15-18 credits a semester. He worked but struggled to pay his bills and stay focused on his studies.
— Sam Bannerman, rehabilitation and addiction counseling graduate student
“Some days were really hard,” said Bannerman of Maple Grove. He spent a year at North Hennepin Community College before deciding his life needed a change of environment.
After a year at St. Cloud Technical and Community College to complete his general courses, he moved to St. Cloud State in 2014 as a Spanish major intending to teach.
“I realized that teaching might be a little restrictive. I wasn’t going to be able to help them as much as I wanted to, but I still wanted to work with the same population,” he said.
A challenge became an opportunity.
Bannerman’s advisor, Dr. William Lepkowski, suggested psychology’s counseling program with a focus on relational conflict.
On a stroll through Side Street during his final undergraduate semester, opportunity masked as a challenge appeared again.
He stopped at his former instructor’s table to say hello. Rachel Grace told Bannerman about the rehabilitation and addiction counseling master’s program and suggested he apply. She also offered her help.
UNLEASH PASSION
Grace, Lepkowski and others offered guidance on the application and helped Bannerman prep for the required interview.
When he worried that his learning style might not be right for graduate school, they agreed it would be a challenge. He would have to work less and focus more, Grace and Lepkowski told him.
Then they outlined the tools St. Cloud State could provide to help Bannerman find success – a grant and a paid graduate assistantship to help cover costs while learning.
More important, Bannerman said, is the program’s design.
“In this program the professors actually work along with you. It’s just so hands on,” he said. “You have a lot of support. Faculty is always checking in on you. They make adjustments to help you succeed.”
Working within a cohort is especially helpful for Bannerman.
— Sam Bannerman, rehabilitation and addiction counseling graduate student
“You’re with the same group of people. It’s like a family. You build a relationship with those in class so you don’t feel alone.”
Communication is the vehicle for success.
“The faculty are all in constant communication with another. If one style of learning isn’t working, they talk with each other and by the time you get into their class, the adjustment has already been made,” Bannerman said.
While he credits the contributions of others for much of his own success, he tells students:
“Do it for yourself. You owe it to yourself to get more out of life. Pursue something that you’re passionate about. St. Cloud State University is one of the schools that will provide you with the tools that you need to make your journey easier.”
Bannerman’s immediate challenge will be to help organize “Embracing the Difference: The ABILITY Event” on Feb. 27 in Atwood Ballroom.
The session, which provides several experiential learning stations for those attending, is designed to raise disability awareness and reduce social stigma for people who have disabilities.
