Reflection Contributed by Zach Wineman
Class of 2000
Since being chosen as a Ford Scholar, I have continued forward on a path for greatness and excellence.
It was at my first summer Ford Scholars conference that Bart Howard, the director of Scholarship Programs, got up and shared a story about Kenneth Ford. In the story, someone saw Mr. Ford stop on several occasions to pick up trash or help others when no one else was watching and when there was no reasonable expectation that he would be acknowledged for it. It was his example that elevated me to a new level of personal integrity and a desire to make a powerful difference for the people I come in contact with.
That journey has continued over the past 14 years and continues to this day. Thanks to the support that The Ford Family Foundation gave me, I created the career of my dreams as a sign language interpreter. I have a high request rate from the people I serve; mentor fellow interpreters; give workshops to raise the bar for interpreters; and volunteer on local and national councils for interpreters.
The Ford Family Foundation was also a foundation for me to look to when building strong relationships. After all, it’s all about relationships, right? As a result of my goal to create powerful, deep relationships with people, I created a relationship with the woman of my dreams, and we were married nearly a year ago. In the spirit of making the biggest difference possible for people, we just launched our own life-coaching business called JAZOU. We are excited to see where it will take us, and mostly where it can help take others.
Thank you to the Ford Family and The Ford Family Foundation!
