Velocity - Magazine - Page 11
SHOWALTER GIVES BACK
By Damon Bennett
Grant Showalter meets with students in the adult education program at Southeast
Community College as a tutor. He also helps students in the UPWARD program
navigate the Professional Truck Driver Training program. It’s a big deal because not
long ago he was an UPWARD student himself.
“I meet with them about once a week,” Showalter
if there was a way to volunteer his time to students.
said. “When I have time, I also try to put a lot into this
She helped him get involved, and before long he was
program because it’s a big deal for me.”
working for the college.
He was first incarcerated in his early 20s, and after
“I look at my incarceration not as a downgrade,”
returning to prison multiple times, he decided to try
Showalter said. “I look at it as an upgrade because I
something new.
had to be at the lowest of the low to get to where I’m
He was in the first professional truck driver training
class offered by the UPWARD program while he
was incarcerated, but later decided he wanted to do
something different—give back.
“I thought it was probably a different career
opportunity for me,” Showalter said about the CDL
program. “But then, something in my heart just said
that I really wanted to give back. In my journey,
being incarcerated, I really wanted to take a look at
myself as a person and help others that have been in
my situation.”
at. I just want to share with others there are ways
to be successful, and sometimes it takes numerous
conversations, numerous incarcerations to get where
you’re at.”
As part of the UPWARD staff he gets to make a
difference in the same way people like Doty made a
difference in his life. Students get someone they can
trust who has been in their shoes, and he gets a chance
to prove why the program works.
“The staff really care about who they work with,”
Showalter said. “This program helped me grow as a
Showalter started as a part-time tutor at SCC in
2024, and moved into a full-time position in 2025. He
approached program director Amy Doty and asked
person and see that no matter what you’ve gone
through, there’s possibility. I think I’ve opened doors
for myself because being transparent about what I’ve
done in my past and being able to share that with
current students is a great feeling.”
“
This program has helped me
grow as a person and see that no
matter what you’ve gone through,
there’s possibility.
”
The Students
Served
June 2026
9
