OOD Works
Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) is a state agency that empowers people with disabilities through employment, disability determinations, and independence. Join Kim Jump as she interviews unique individuals who discovered OOD Works! Have a disability? Want to work? www.OODWorks.com.
OOD Works
Kinshuk’s Passion for Science and Advocacy
Meet Kinshuk Tella, a remarkable college graduate from Miami University who has embraced his passion for science. “I want to be part of something bigger than myself, which is the environmental issues we face, in particular climate change,” Kinshuk explains.
Kinshuk is on track to complete his graduate studies in December 2023 and will receive a Master of Environmental Science degree from Miami University. This summer Kinshuk has been interning in Washington, D.C. where he has focused on national climate and air quality programs.
When he's not busy with academics and working toward his career, Kinshuk has been active in community building, blind advocacy, and student empowerment. Through his advocacy work, Kinshuk has motivated others to embrace their unique strengths while strengthening his own confidence.
Transcripts and MP3 files are available at ood.ohio.gov/podcast.
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Welcome to OOD Works, the podcast, the show about unique individuals and services provided by opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities, the state agency that helps individuals with disabilities find a job and be more independent. Here's your host, kim Jump.
Speaker 2:On this episode of OOD Works. I'm pleased to introduce you to Ken Shook Tella. He's a recent graduate from Miami University, with bachelor degrees in both geology and environmental science. Currently he's a graduate student in the masters of environmental science program at Miami University with a concentration in water resources. He has a deep passion for the natural sciences as well as science-based policy solutions, and this summer Ken Shook is interning in Washington DC where he's focused on national climate and air quality programs, and he's not busy with academics and working toward his career. He has a strong love for community building and student empowerment. He's been very involved in a number of blind advocacy groups and we'll talk more about that as we get into questions. Ken Shook, i just love to welcome you to the podcast.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much for having me Looking forward to our conversation.
Speaker 2:Well, me too, especially because you are a science guy, and I would really enjoy knowing where does this passion come from?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so my love for science and a particular natural sciences started from a very young age. I just remember as a kid. I can recall always wanting to learn about animals and I was always so interested in wildlife. Coming from, growing up in Dayton Ohio, which is a place not very known for wildlife or ecotourism, there wasn't much of that in my local community, but I still go out as a kid and catch insects and create many ecosystems and glass terrariums and things like that, and so I would always find ways to learn about nature and doing so learn about natural sciences from reading books at the library but animals to watching all the documentaries about wildlife on National Geographic and Animal Planet and all of that. And so as I grew up, i wanted to become a wildlife biologist.
Speaker 3:That was like my goal to work directly with animals, but it wasn't until I started to get older, into my teenage years, into high school, I started finding other passions, like music, like performing and doing so as well, like taking harder, more advanced science classes. I got exposed to things like environmental science, earth science, chemistry these more advanced scientific topics, which gave me a better understanding of what's out there professionally, and doing so I really found a passion for the broader natural sciences. I started to appreciate the earth as a system, as opposed to focusing purely on the biosphere, which is where animals are, of course, and us humans. I wanted to learn about the earth and how the different systems interact, and I learned about the broader climate, environmental issues that we all face and impacts everybody and everything, every living organism on this planet. So that's kind of where my passion started from, and so when I came to going into college, i knew exactly what I wanted to do, which was environmental sciences.
Speaker 2:Wow, It's neat to hear how that kind of passion evolved and actually became more broad In your studies of environmental science. What specific areas or topics do you find the most interesting or impactful?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so that's a really interesting question. Honestly, i like a lot of it, and so I've had a hard time in the past few years honing in my interest area professionally especially. That's why I've been trying out so many internships and trying to see what I want to do full time, i guess. More academically speaking, i'm really interested in water issues, water security, water quality issues, and a big part of that is coinciding with my other interest, which is environmental justice. It's into how environmental issues affect different types of people, in particular, marginalized or disadvantaged communities like the disabled community, for example, and so that's a really interesting intersection I'm also really interested in looking into. But for a more career focus, like professionally, my subject matter, expertise, if you will, or background, is more within an air and climate, so I'm also, of course, very interested in climate change as a very relevant topic these days.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, wow, that's really cool about environmental justice. I can't say that I was really familiar with that term even, but that's a really neat area. Of course, climate impacts all of us and that you have been learning more about your areas by trying out things and learning more through internships, so that's excellent, and you're currently doing an internship in Washington DC. Tell us all about that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and doing so, i'll tell you some context as to how I ended up here this summer.
Speaker 2:OK, that'd be great.
Speaker 3:Like you mentioned, i did some internships in the past, in particular in the private sector, for US manufacturing companies. The first one with General Atomics, which is an aerospace military contracted company that produced drones for the military, and any manufacturing operation has, of course, emissions and hazardous waste and waste water outputs, and so every company that manufactures especially needs environmental specialists on site to help with the compliance, to make sure that the company stays legally in compliance with local, state and federal environmental policy, and so that was my first exposure. I was working, interning within this company, learning what environmental compliance was like from the private sector perspective, and then last summer I found myself at Tesla in California doing the same thing, but in particular focusing on air quality at that company, and then so I was learning about what it meant for a company to stay compliant with regulations and stand top of that, reporting regulations to the government, and in particular in California, where both my internships in the past were. California has some of the strictest air quality regulations in the country, and so that was really interesting to learn from that perspective, and so, when it came to this summer, i wanted to try out government, because I've always heard government was a great career path to go down, especially as environmental professionals.
Speaker 3:A big push, like I think, in public education in particular is that, oh, you want to be an environmental scientist, oh, go to the EPA. It makes sense. That's like the final people who put you in. And I was very untraditional in my approach initially, but I was like you know what, let me try this out, let me try it out. So I was fortunate enough to get internship at, not the EPA per se, but at the US Office of Management and Budget under the executive office of the president. So one of the White House offices is where I'm working this summer that oversees the management and budget of the US, and so at this office I work within the environment branch, and the environment branch is their client, is the EPA. So think of it as the Office of Management and Budget and Environment Branch is the middleman between the EPA and the US president. So Interesting.
Speaker 3:Working to manage that portfolio programs And then, within that I was placed under the program examiner who looks or manages the climate and air portfolio for EPA. So getting to really understand current environmental programs pertaining to air and climate is being done right now in the US And so it's kind of like from the private sector last few summers. now I'm able to have a bird's eye view on the other side of the puzzle, the other piece of the puzzle. It's really interesting to have both perspectives now, or to learn about both perspectives.
Speaker 2:That's great. How have you been able to connect with these internships? Does the school help?
Speaker 3:Unfortunately. So my university does not have many connections to environmental professions, so all my internship search was independent. With the past two internships I did go independently this to a traditional application And the story I tell is that last year I applied to 50 internships 50 applications very rigorously. Yeah very committed. I got one offer And it worked out. I was really happy with it, but it takes a lot of hard work. Honestly, it's like putting applications out there, like branding yourself, marketing yourself, linkedin, all that stuff.
Speaker 2:But with this internship, Go get her. Oh my goodness.
Speaker 3:I appreciate that, but a lot of it is. We'll get into it later in the podcast. But it's not just me, it's about the community around me. And so the blindness community in particular. I attribute a lot of my accomplishments to them because without them I would have that energy or motivation or even knowing I could do it. But I'll get into that later.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, that's neat that it's been empowering you even in this regard with internships. That's going to be fascinating to hear more about.
Speaker 3:I mentioned how I independently got the last two internships. The summer is a little bit different in that this summer I got into a program, the internship program for the American Association of People with Disabilities, which is a nonprofit cross disability organization, And they have a program where they connect 20 interns a summer to federal placement sites. So through that organization I was able to get placed at my internship at the office and management budget. So it's a little different. So I'm contracted through them.
Speaker 2:Oh well, great. Hopefully that made it an easier process then for you, Not as much leg work at least.
Speaker 3:Yeah, the hard part was getting into that program with 20 spots right, It was fairly competitive, but it was nice that they had the connections to get me into a really cool placement site that I would not have gotten into otherwise.
Speaker 2:Great. Tell us more about the studies that you have left there at school. as you wrap up the graduate program, do you go back and fall? What will you be focused on?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I finished my undergrad, like you mentioned, in four years, but along with that I was doing a combined master's program with my undergrad. So I was taking some master's courses while I was doing undergrad and double counting some things at the graduate level And so I actually finished all of my master's coursework. So I don't have any more courses to take for a master's. I'm going back to finish my master's program internship report, which is kind of like a thesis in a way, but less technical, and so I basically didn't have the bandwidth or time in the past two years to get this done. So I'm going back for one part, an hour of courses. I'm working remotely, not on campus or anything, but I'm just going back to finish my master's.
Speaker 3:So basically this is a report. That so there's three options here in the program either thesis, the internship report or a practicum. I chose the report. Basically it's you take internship, or two in my case and like you talk about the internship and like a thesis style of formats, not about the internship in particular that you did, but kind of how your internship fits in the broader picture of the industry or sector it's in. So I'm talking about why that works important and why, like environmental professionals, are needed in that space, and so it's very much like a research based paper. In many ways It's a very large undertaking, large project, and so I'm hoping, by dedicating a whole semester to that one thing, i can finish that requirement, defend the report and graduate in December with my master's.
Speaker 2:Awesome, sounds like a solid plan, and best of luck as you wrap that up And spend time focusing on that. Yeah, that's very cool. Do you know at this point, with these different internships that are, you know, very diverse, do you have you nailed down what your ultimate career goal is?
Speaker 3:I wish I did honestly, but I'm very much so exploring. I even questioned my environmental professional route at some points this summer. I'm trying to be more open minded at different careers. I know I want to become an environmental professional. that is like my number one goal, which is a very broad goal. I don't know exactly what and yet I very much like policy. So I'm hoping to look, do more policy, but I want us to start somewhere, work my way from there. I'm also really interested in like disability affairs and is like social equity and justice in general.
Speaker 3:So finding the intersection of those two things would be really cool, potentially. So, yeah, i'm still exploring, but I definitely want to be a part of. I want to be part of something bigger than myself, which is the environmental issues we face, particular climate change. So I'm very passionate about being a part of the solution and not the problem. Awesome, yeah.
Speaker 2:It's more to you than just an education and just a career. It sounds like Yeah.
Speaker 3:Absolutely Yeah.
Speaker 2:Also, i think it's so cool. When I first learned a bit about you, it was very apparent to me that you're a mover and a shaker in the blind community And you've had all kinds of different involvement. You've been on boards, you've held leadership roles. Can you tell us about that?
Speaker 3:Absolutely So. Yeah, i got involved with the National Federation of the Blind through their scholarship programs in 2019 at the state level And, yeah, that program changed my life, like literally changed my life. If you asked me the top two or three defining moments of my life that just changed the course of it, that was one of them.
Speaker 2:Wonderful.
Speaker 3:I genuinely feel like my accomplishments and honestly, in mental health and self-esteem is attributed to that community very empowering. So I got involved through a scholarship program, going in with no expectations. I wanted the scholarship, wanted the money, wanted to paper college. I thought that's it.
Speaker 2:OK, i don't blame you. Yeah, exactly, sure.
Speaker 3:But then I left that convention at the 2019 National Federation of the Blind of Ohio Convention. I left that convention with my mind just blown Because before that convention I didn't have any disabled role models, especially positive disabled role models or blind role models And after that I met so many amazing blind people who were just like me and that were navigating the same challenges And I never realized how alone I was until I got there.
Speaker 3:I never knew I needed that community until I actually was in the community, and so I met great mentors, who are still my mentors today people I learned from great leaders in the organization, people that are doing interesting things, respectable things, everything from entrepreneurship to lawyers, professionals in different spaces And I realized, hey, i can do this. Before I was like what am I doing here?
Speaker 1:Can I do?
Speaker 3:this. This is so much work, but I met these people. I'm like, hey, i can do this.
Speaker 1:And so.
Speaker 3:I got involved and I have since served. I'm finishing out my two-year term at the National Association of Blind Students, which is a national student division of the NFB, as a board member. Actually, my term is done. in this upcoming Sunday It's our annual business meeting in Houston, so I'll be giving my farewell address at that. And then I also currently serve on the board of directors for the National Federation of Blind of Ohio, And within that I also chair our NFB Ohio Scholarship Committee, which is funny.
Speaker 3:I mentioned, because I mentioned how the scholarship program got me into the organization And now I'm able to get back by giving you Full circle.
Speaker 3:Yeah, by helping administer out scholarships. We're actually currently in the selection process for our three winners, so it's really really fun. Great Yeah. So those are the synopsis of what I've done, but a big part of that is, in particular, i'm blind student affairs, so I really think about empowering blind students and helping level the playing field in and out of the classroom for blind students. There are a lot of challenges for blind students that are very unique and niche, and so by providing leadership and community and just like general empathy for people, it really does change lives. It changes my life, and so I want to do the same for other people, and we do that in a variety of ways.
Speaker 2:I'm so happy that you made those connections and got involved And you sharing about how that's really been a game changer for you, with self-esteem and feeling like you're not alone. There is support there and others that can relate to some of the challenges you've experienced.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much.
Speaker 2:Are you also involved in leadership at Miami University?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I honestly wish I was more. I got involved in Miami my first semester. I tried different things out. I was in the marching band, i did some environmental clubs and and a disability organization, of course. But as I got more involved off campus with NFB, it took up a lot of my time. I couldn't do as much as I wanted to on campus And so I basically my involvement on campus at this point had been like very much in disability space. I served on the on the board executive board for the Students with Disabilities Advisory Council, which is a disabled student organization on campus, and I worked very closely with the disability services staff there, yeah, helping build community, cross-disability community at the University, which is really really meaningful to me as well. So that's kind of what I did primarily at Miami. I served as a voice for disabled affairs Great.
Speaker 2:How was it, Ken Shook, that you first got involved with OOD?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I got involved with OOD when I was a senior in high school, going into college. I turned 18 years old at the time and I heard about OOD from my vision teacher in high school, i believe, and you know he said that the next step was to get me registered for a case with services so I can, you know, get assistance with a possibly funding college, getting technology as very support systems to help with like just vocational goals and all that. And so we had our first appointment at OOD and I got signed up and have been a client since And it's been like very, very helpful in many ways to give me a lot of funding opportunities to attend conferences, for example, and like the current laptop I use for school is, you know, from OOD. So I'm very grateful for those resources that have allowed me to succeed.
Speaker 2:Excellent Fallage to careers. that's where OOD actually has a counselor that's dedicated to Miami University students.
Speaker 3:I know, yeah, yeah, i met Wendy a few years ago actually and I actually met with her a few last month, i believe, and I was just saying, you know, farewell to a lot of the staff at Miami after graduation. Yeah, i heard about college to careers. I think it's a wonderful program. I don't know much about it, honestly. I went through the process in my sophomore year for an internship but it didn't work out ultimately with the employer and whatnot. I think it's really hard because, like again, like I'm in the environmental field, which is not super mainstream, and so it wasn't many opportunities for that with an OOD. But I've been recommending it to other students, peers at Miami, like the younger disabled leaders coming up. I mentioned OOD in like college to careers and like got them in contact with Wendy.
Speaker 2:Great, well, i appreciate that. Yeah, thanks for doing that and helping us to spread the word. And you know it makes sense that maybe you haven't heard a lot about it, because really it's. You know, the services Wendy provides as a college to careers counselor with our agency are just like, you know, any of our other vocational rehabilitation services. It's just that she's really designated to Miami students, so you know she gets to serve them full time, which is really cool, and be there on campus too. So yeah, but thank you, we really appreciate the word of mouth You've supported us and, speaking of supporters, i'm curious who your biggest supporters have been along the way. You know you made a nod to some mentors.
Speaker 3:There's so many people that have like really impacted my life for the better and it's so hard sometimes to always reach out to the same people as you build your network and all that And, honestly, i get a lot of credit and a lot of gratitude towards, of course, like my family for supporting me and like letting me chase my dreams, but also, like I mentioned, like the blind community has really I miss some of my best friends in the community People that are like in themselves, have changed my life and like challenged the way I think about my disability and have like empowered me to like pursue my dreams, because they're also pursuing their dreams and we do so together These mentors who have been doing amazing things, changing the world literally, and so I want to learn from them. I also do give a lot of gratitude towards the people that took a chance on me my first employers you know, even my very first job, my first internship.
Speaker 3:I mentioned my first corporate internship at General Atomics. Like those three individuals who took a chance on me during the interview, like you know that one decision they made had opened up so many doors for me, and so I'm really grateful for a lot of people for supporting me. But that's why I also like want to, you know, give back the way I can, like the scholarship program, for example, to like open up doors for other people as well, if I can.
Speaker 2:So cool. You've impressed me so much. Oh, my goodness, besides buckling down and finishing up the internship and crossing the finish line with your master's program, what do you expect is next for you?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so after I? oh, I'm planning to graduate in December, so hopefully I go the course of life. You know, as soon as I graduate in December with my master's, i'll be really comfortable enough to explore different, the next step with my not education but after education. And so I'm going to, i'm planning on attending the Louisiana Center for the Blind in Ruston, louisiana which is an intensive nine month training program for blindness skills, independent living skills.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah. So for me I feel very comfortable in many ways like navigating independently life and doing everything very independent. I want to be independent and I am moving in DC by myself very happily. But for me I realized to succeed the way I want to succeed and not kill myself in the process, to like strain and fatigue and all that I need to invest in like non visual skills, invest more efficiently to non visual skills and learn these things very well to tackle the workforce, to tackle adulthood a lot easier, And so I'm hoping to gain that. Learn, learn blindness, technology, Braille, home management, travel like orientation, mobility through that program. And again like to grateful to OAD for so far as the supporting that endeavor.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, i'm happy you get to do that. Those will be skills that you'll be able to carry forward with you the rest of your life, and just it feels like you're just so well rounded with everything you've been pursuing.
Speaker 3:I appreciate that. It's really interesting that I think oftentimes disabled people especially that are like that, seem to be doing like you know super well, like getting all the good grades and all that, like people oftentimes look at them and don't account for what it took to get there. I feel like for me personally, I have been just barely not drowning.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:I want to be able to flow, not to be paddling myself up to the surface. I'm hoping by investing in these non visual skills I can have a much least free life and live more comfortably. And I have to like strain the same way I've been used to doing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's excellent. Well, this has been absolutely a delight kinship, the fact that you're just so passionate about giving back and how you've just applied yourself so much and sharing your vulnerability there that it's that it's been hard. You know, i'm sure we have so many listeners that can relate to a number of things that that you've shared and have been inspired by the journey that you've been on.
Speaker 3:No, thank you so much for having me in the podcast and speaking with you. I've had some really interesting self reflection, so I really appreciate the opportunity to to share my story and I'm always willing to talk to people and I'm happy to talk to people that want to talk about these things. So, yeah, thank you so much for the platform and for allowing me to share my story with OD in the community.