Build: A Planning Tool for Life and Career Success
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2025
Pages: 140
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2025
Pages: 156
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The Build Curriculum was created at Four Mounds for young adults with barriers to employment. It blends hands-on skill with personal growth, helping students build confidence, accountability, and resilience that lead to long-term success.
Build is more than curriculum. It is a replicable workforce tool that employers, mentors, and training organizations can use to strengthen employee growth and retention. By pairing Build with committed mentor staff or supportive supervisors, and a short amount of time invested during each work week, organizations can help employees develop the soft skills and work ethic needed to thrive.
Employers consistently report that younger workers struggle with communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, and a Harris Poll found that 82% of managers have difficulty with soft skills in Gen Z hires. Yet 63% of employees say they are more likely to stay with an organization that invests in their learning and development. Build addresses both concerns by equipping employees with the necessary skills and providing organizations with a pathway to improved retention, stronger buy-in, and long-term success.
Build helps workforce trainers, employers, or other organizations invest in people while empowering them to grow, succeed, and reach their full potential.
Olivia Aspiras, Ph.D.
Olivia Aspiras is a public health researcher whose work applies social psychology to health and well-being. Her research examines the psychological processes that influence health behaviors and supports the development of effective health communication strategies and brief interventions to improve health and treatment outcomes. She is especially passionate about promoting equity across underserved and vulnerable populations. Olivia’s contributions to Build: A Planning Tool for Life and Career Success reflect her commitment to using research and applied practice to build healthier, stronger communities for all. Her perspective brings valuable insight into the role of psychological and social factors in supporting personal growth and long-term success.
Rebecca Bodish, Ed.D.
Rebecca Bodish is an educator, curriculum designer, and advocate for learning that truly matters. She holds a Doctorate in Education with an emphasis in Special Education and has spent more than 20 years teaching students from kindergarten through the post-graduate level. For the past six years, she has focused on workforce development, walking alongside young adults with barriers to employment as they discover their strengths, build skills, and prepare for meaningful careers. A believer in all things hands-on and relevant, Rebecca created Build: A Planning Tool for Life and Career Success out of a deep commitment to meeting students where they are and equipping them with the tools they need to thrive, both in work and in life.
Tim Boffeli, Ph.D.
Tim Boffeli is a retired Associate Professor of Psychology and former department chair at Clarke University, as well as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with extensive experience in community mental health. He holds an MA in Applied Psychology from Loras College and a PhD in Educational Psychology from Capella University. With a genuine passion for helping others make their lives work better, Tim draws on his expertise in human behavior, motivation, and learning to guide growth in both individuals and communities. Beyond his academic and counseling work, he is highly skilled in woodworking, masonry, and other trades, hands-on experience that enriches Build: A Planning Tool for Life and Career Success and its emphasis on practical, real-world workforce readiness.
Erin Geyer, MSW
Erin Geyer is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who earned her Master of Social Work degree from Clarke University in 2022. She specializes in supporting individuals with barriers to mental health services, with a focus on neurodiversity and strengthening family relationships. During her social work internship at Four Mounds, Erin assisted in curriculum design and helped develop the Transitional Employment Pathway (TEP) program for young adults with barriers to employment. Her person-centered, strengths-based perspective continues to guide her work and enrich her contributions to Build: A Planning Tool for Life and Career Success. Erin is deeply committed to helping individuals see their own strengths and build pathways to meaningful, self-sustaining futures.
The Build Curriculum was created at Four Mounds for young adults with barriers to employment. It blends hands-on skill with personal growth, helping students build confidence, accountability, and resilience that lead to long-term success.
Build is more than curriculum. It is a replicable workforce tool that employers, mentors, and training organizations can use to strengthen employee growth and retention. By pairing Build with committed mentor staff or supportive supervisors, and a short amount of time invested during each work week, organizations can help employees develop the soft skills and work ethic needed to thrive.
Employers consistently report that younger workers struggle with communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, and a Harris Poll found that 82% of managers have difficulty with soft skills in Gen Z hires. Yet 63% of employees say they are more likely to stay with an organization that invests in their learning and development. Build addresses both concerns by equipping employees with the necessary skills and providing organizations with a pathway to improved retention, stronger buy-in, and long-term success.
Build helps workforce trainers, employers, or other organizations invest in people while empowering them to grow, succeed, and reach their full potential.
Olivia Aspiras, Ph.D.
Olivia Aspiras is a public health researcher whose work applies social psychology to health and well-being. Her research examines the psychological processes that influence health behaviors and supports the development of effective health communication strategies and brief interventions to improve health and treatment outcomes. She is especially passionate about promoting equity across underserved and vulnerable populations. Olivia’s contributions to Build: A Planning Tool for Life and Career Success reflect her commitment to using research and applied practice to build healthier, stronger communities for all. Her perspective brings valuable insight into the role of psychological and social factors in supporting personal growth and long-term success.
Rebecca Bodish, Ed.D.
Rebecca Bodish is an educator, curriculum designer, and advocate for learning that truly matters. She holds a Doctorate in Education with an emphasis in Special Education and has spent more than 20 years teaching students from kindergarten through the post-graduate level. For the past six years, she has focused on workforce development, walking alongside young adults with barriers to employment as they discover their strengths, build skills, and prepare for meaningful careers. A believer in all things hands-on and relevant, Rebecca created Build: A Planning Tool for Life and Career Success out of a deep commitment to meeting students where they are and equipping them with the tools they need to thrive, both in work and in life.
Tim Boffeli, Ph.D.
Tim Boffeli is a retired Associate Professor of Psychology and former department chair at Clarke University, as well as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with extensive experience in community mental health. He holds an MA in Applied Psychology from Loras College and a PhD in Educational Psychology from Capella University. With a genuine passion for helping others make their lives work better, Tim draws on his expertise in human behavior, motivation, and learning to guide growth in both individuals and communities. Beyond his academic and counseling work, he is highly skilled in woodworking, masonry, and other trades, hands-on experience that enriches Build: A Planning Tool for Life and Career Success and its emphasis on practical, real-world workforce readiness.
Erin Geyer, MSW
Erin Geyer is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who earned her Master of Social Work degree from Clarke University in 2022. She specializes in supporting individuals with barriers to mental health services, with a focus on neurodiversity and strengthening family relationships. During her social work internship at Four Mounds, Erin assisted in curriculum design and helped develop the Transitional Employment Pathway (TEP) program for young adults with barriers to employment. Her person-centered, strengths-based perspective continues to guide her work and enrich her contributions to Build: A Planning Tool for Life and Career Success. Erin is deeply committed to helping individuals see their own strengths and build pathways to meaningful, self-sustaining futures.