“I was raised in a world where I was told everything about me was wrong. That’s why I never thought I could do higher education,” said South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) student Caleb Schaefer. “And now here I am with a 3.9 GPA. Soon, I’ll be transferring to earn my bachelor's and, eventually, my master’s. This whole journey has been about resilience.”
For Caleb, college felt unimaginable. As a child with undiagnosed ADHD, he was labeled a “problem kid,” held back in kindergarten, and placed in remedial reading and writing classes. At 17, he earned a full-ride scholarship for cheerleading, but a severe AC joint separation in his right shoulder derailed those plans.
“It was almost like I did it on purpose,” he admitted. “I was terrified about going to college. One day, I was being really stupid and injured myself in a snowboarding accident. With the injury, I couldn’t go, and I was almost relieved.” After rehabilitation, Caleb went to basic training instead.
Following his military service, Caleb built a career in healthcare that spanned nearly a decade. He taught manual therapy for rehabilitative services, kinesiology, and massage theory and practice. Over the years, Caleb’s work helped deepen his understanding of how physical injuries, mental health, and social context intersect to shape quality of life.
“Because of my career in healthcare, I realized that if a person isn’t being addressed in a biological, psychological, social, and spiritual way, we can’t fully understand the impact of their situation and what’s going on with them,” he said. “Being in that field opened my eyes to addressing all aspects of a person.”
Those insights ultimately led him back to school with a new goal: psychology and social work. “I worked across the street from SPSCC at People Injury Network Northwest for many years and would stare at the campus,” Caleb laughed. “Sometimes, I’d come over and take a walk on my breaks. When the VA said they’d pay for me to go back to school, I knew exactly where I wanted to go.”
Caleb officially began his education at SPSCC in 2025 and found a sense of belonging he didn’t expect. “There’s so much support here,” he said. “I’ve felt the community in community college, and that’s what I really love.”
He’s actively involved in the IGNITE program, serves as the president of the Veterans Club, and works in the VALOR Center. “The first time I walked into the VALOR Center, I instantly felt like I was welcomed,” he said. “And I knew I wanted to be a part of that. I want to help other people to have a place they can consider home.”
In addition to his classwork, Caleb has been doing trauma-integration work for nearly 20 years and teaches internationally, online, on how to support veterans through trauma-informed approaches. “If you’re going to do this kind of work, you have to want to do it. That’s why I want to teach because I want to spread that passion or help people find that passion within themselves.”
That desire to teach is part of Caleb’s long-term vision. He has already been accepted to the University of Washington Tacoma and is working on his application to the School of Social Work and Criminal Justice. After completing his master’s degree and working in the field, Caleb hopes to return to SPSCC as an instructor, teaching psychology, social work, or intercultural communications.
Two decades after leaving the Army and once terrified of higher education, Caleb is thriving academically and preparing for a future centered on service, equity, and care. His journey is proof that growth is possible at any stage of life and that resilience, when supported, can transform not just individuals but entire communities.
Caleb was selected as one of two students from SPSCC who will be recognized at the All-Washington (All-WA) Academic Team Ceremony on April 23, 2026. The ceremony honors individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to success in the classroom and in the communities in which they live. For more information on the ceremony, visit the college’s All-WA webpage.