Michael (Mickey) Maunes

Keeping His Eyes on the Stars and His Feet on the Ground

Sheridan College has been a life-changing experience for me since I migrated to Canada with my family from Manila, the Philippines in 2006. After applying to the Social Service Worker program at Sheridan, I made use of the many services at the college, including the Student Advisement Centre, Accessible Learning Services, and Counselling Services, which offered help in light of my disability. (I was diagnosed with mild Autism/ mild Asperger’s syndrome when I was three years old.) While at Sheridan, I worked as a Peer Mentor at Accessible Learning Services at Davis Campus from 2010 until 2012, assisting students with disabilities and providing my department with the guidance to help these students succeed.

After graduating in 2012, I enrolled in the General Arts and Science – University Profile program so that I could prepare for a career in the field of speech therapy or occupational therapy. During that time, I also worked as a Marketing Team Member at the Sheridan Student Union and a Marketing Coordinator for the General Arts & Science Student Committee.

Throughout the duration of my studies, I was involved with several social clubs through the Sheridan Student Union, including the FACE IT Group, when I socialized other schoolmates who have Asperger’s or Autism. For me, Fridays at Sheridan will forever be Double Blue!

Faculty members at Sheridan also made a big impact in my life. Jaime Ginter, Academic Adviser in the General Arts and Science – University Profile, and Jenny Casselman, my adviser at Accessible Learning, gave me the support I needed to help me do well in my studies and prepare for university.

In September 2015, I will venture down the road of my latest education journey: earning a Bachelor’s degree, followed by a Master’s degree. As a proud alumnus of Sheridan, I will be able to tell my story about how I became a successful person despite my disability, and what I have done to achieve goals in my life and inspire others to achieve theirs.

Here are some words of encouragement to my family, my friends, my fellow alumni and others, including incoming and current students: “Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.” – Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919)

Learn more about Sheridan’s Social Service Worker program and General Arts & Science – University Profile program. General Arts & Science – University Profile program.
Learn about Accessible Learning Services at Sheridan.