Shonda Russell, MPA has worked at Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana for nearly seven years. During her tenure, she has made contributions to both our mission and education divisions, including as an employment specialist at TalentSource and life coach at The Excel Center. 

Byron Pillow Jr., 23, was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. As a teenager who struggled with multiple learning disabilities, school wasn't a priority for Pillow, despite having support from his family. 

Born in Mexico, Imelda Lopez lived far away from her local high school, and due to transportation barriers, she never attended. She moved to the United States as a teenager, was married at the age of 16, had her first child at 17, and then four more after that. To help support her family, she always worked. She was employed at a factory for 10 years, but the work became too taxing as she grew older. 

Imagine being denied a basic education unless you pledge allegiance to political beliefs that you do not ascribe to. This is what Rizan Hajji Mohamed faced when he was forced to flee his home country of Syria. 

Nicole Castro learned to be independent at a very young age. As a child, her parents faced severe legal trouble. In an effort to remain undiscovered, they pulled Nicole out of school at just seven years old. At 16, after years of instability and moving from place to place to avoid the authorities, Nicole decided to strike out on her own. While her peers were planning for prom and school sporting events, she was preparing to start a new life. Soon after, she met and married her now-husband, and they started a family together.

It’s not every day that you meet someone who can say they are still in love with their career after more than two-and-a-half decades. Then again, it’s not every day that you meet someone like Felicia Harrison.

At 19 years old, I am proud to say that I am on the way to achieving my dreams of becoming an elementary school teacher. While trying to balance school and work responsibilities, I was so excited to learn about The Excel Center, a free high school for adults owned and operated by Goodwill. Their supportive environment, accelerated courses, and flexible schedule empowered me to make progress toward my goals.

Recognizing that nearly a half million working-age Hoosiers lack a high school diploma, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana opened The Excel Center in 2010. The Excel Center is a tuition-free public high school for adults offering an Indiana Core 40 high school diploma. In addition, graduates are able to earn college credits and industry-recognized certifications — all at no cost.

Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana would like to recognize Susan Sheets for her many years of service to education in the Shelbyville community. Described by students and staff as “hard working, tenacious, thoughtful, caring, and motivating,” Susan recently retired after the 2021 - 22 school year.