James Samples has been taking classes part time at West Virginia Wesleyan College since he graduated high school in 2004, and after being a part-time student for ten years he is graduating this year.
Samples will be graduating with a Business Management degree this spring after taking two classes each semester, and working part time at Ntelos Wireless, a regional cell phone provider.
“It’s kind of cool because going part time to school, and working part time allowed me to already start my career,” said Samples. “I’ve taken a different path than the conventional student because I started both at the same time instead of finishing one and going to the other.”
Samples’ career path is not the only difference he has faced during his time at WVWC. At the age of 18 months, Samples said he began falling often. He was later diagnosed with Juvenile Progressive Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). By fourth grade Samples began using a wheelchair. When he was in high school Samples’ counselor, Sara Stankus pushed him to go to college, and he became a student at Wesleyan.
“Starting out at Wesleyan was a really exciting experience, but it was also scary because I didn’t know where to go, and at that time I was in a manual chair,” said Samples.
Being a freshman in college can be confusing and scary to anyone, and added struggles take strength to overcome.
“I have three things I focus on to be successful. One of them is always outgrowing your problems, two, always live below your means, and number three is always find a way to advance yourself,” said Samples.
Samples described his three biggest accomplishments at Wesleyan as, finding a way to be independent, making all kinds of friends on campus and in the community, and his job which gives him a chance to contribute to society.
If you see James on campus, stop and introduce yourself. He is a friendly guy with a great insight on life.