Ädelbrook employee, Roni Odediran, accepts his rising star scholarship award from TANGO.
When Roni arrived in the United States from Nigeria in 2018, he knew little about behavioral health, autism or the work that would one day define is career. He was looking for stability, a place to work, and a way to build a life in a new country.
At Ädelbrook, he found all three.
Roni began at the organization as a part-time direct support professional in residential care. What started as an entry level job became a path forward shaped by mentors, steady encouragement, and a workplace he now describes as a second home. Ädelbrook gave him the chance to not only keep working but to keep advancing, said Roni. He moved from per diem to full time and eventually into supervision where he now oversees multiple residential homes.
This year, that journey earned him recognition from The Alliance for Nonprofit Growth and Opportunity, or TANGO, who recognised him as a rising star and awarded him with a scholarship to continue his educational pursuits. The honor, Roni said, came as a complete surprise.
“I had no idea,” Roni said of the nomination. “I was shocked and surprised.”
The scholarship was announced as part of TANGO’s Celebrate Nonprofits Night at the Hartford Yard Goats, an annual event to recognize nonprofit workers and support professional development across the sector. TANGO says its rising star scholarships are awarded to people who have demonstrated a pattern of success and a passion for the work they do.
For Roni, the recognition carried both a personal and professional weight.
Professionally, it reminded him that he must keep improving, quoting Luke 12:48, saying, “to whom much is given, of him shall much be required.”
Personally, the award meant something deeper because of his background and the value his family places on education. He said the honor also reflects the example he wants to set for others in his community.
“It gives me the opportunity to rise above the norms. There are many Nigerians who have done great things in this country but, nonetheless, I wouldn't expect that I'd be one of them or given the opportunity to rise above where I am,” Roni reflected.
To Roni, the award serves as a reminder that he has an obligation to keep going.
Currently enrolled in an online program at Western Connecticut State University, Roni is working towards becoming a board-certified behavioural analyst (BCBA). A goal he said his wife encouraged him to pursue, even applying on his behalf and only telling him after he was accepted.
At Ädelbrook, he said, the structure and culture helped make that dream possible. The organization supported his growth not only through the encouragement but through stability, training, and a workplace environment that allowed him to learn on the job.
For Roni, the loyalty goes both ways, “I feel loyalty is the key to everything."
The organization has shown that loyalty in practical ways, including support for the staff, competitive compensation, and access to tools and materials needed to do the work. In turn he said that support motivates him to invest himself fully in the job and the people around him.
The work quickly became meaningful for Roni, even in the learning curve was steep. Along the way he was guided by colleagues and leaders who took time to teach him the job and model the kind of professional behaviour he now tries to pass on to others. He credited fellow colleagues and mentors for helping him "learn the ropes" and said others, including new Vice President for Education Allyssa Mullins, continued shaping his development with feedback and support.
“They gave me advice,” he said, “At times it was more like a big brother than a boss.”
He described Ädelbrook as more than a workplace.
“The kids,” Roni said, remain the strongest reason he stays. He recalled one early moment on the job when a child, who was lactose intolerant, tried to drink a yogurt because he was fascinated by liquid. In Roni's efforts, the yogurt ended up all over Roni's face and clothes.
“That was the first time when I felt like, I need to be in this field more,” remembered Roni.
An incident that tested his composure also confirmed for him that he was in the right line of work.
When asked about advice he would give to himself a few years ago, Roni said, “Work as though you are doing your regular duty. Don't expect accolades.”
Still, the accolades came.
Roni hopes to keep building his career at Ädelbrook, where he sees room to grow and where leadership has supported his work with resources, feedback, and tuition reimbursement opportunities. He said the organization's culture rewards loyalty and initiative but also expects employees to take ownership of their own advancement.
“It gives me much more zeal to want to continue what I'm doing,” said Roni.
According to Roni, the job has taught him patience, empathy, and the importance of staying calm in difficult situations, more than anything he said it has reinforced a simple belief; “show up, do the work, and keep your focus on the people who need you.”
For him, the rising star award is not just a milestone, it reflects a journey that began with uncertainty and has been shaped every step of the way, by Ädelbrook.
To learn more about how you can advance your career at Ädelbrook, visit www.adelbrook.org/careers
