Inclusive Employment Shines at South Carolina Hotel

Downtown Clemson's Shepherd Hotel stands out not just for its hospitality, but for its unique approach to staffing. What makes this hotel special isn't just its service – it's the people behind it.

The hotel maintains a workforce where approximately 30% of staff members have an intellectual disability. These employees earn competitive wages between $13 and $18 per hour with tips, significantly above minimum wage. This is particularly notable given that nationally, only 16% of individuals with intellectual disabilities are employed, according to ThinkWork data.

For Rick Hayduk, the hotel's co-founder and father of two children with Down syndrome, this mission is personal. "If we do our job right, someone leaves here inspired," he explains.

The hotel's success stems from its partnership with ClemsonLIFE, a nearby university program. Students, including Hayduk's daughter Jamison, gain more than just college credits – they develop crucial independent living and working skills.

Program director Erica Walters notes that students learn essential life skills from time management to financial literacy. The program boasts an impressive employment rate for its graduates, and plans are already in motion to replicate this model with two new hotels in South Carolina next year.

One standout success story is Alex Eveland, a ClemsonLIFE graduate now serving at the Shepherd Hotel. Despite early medical predictions limiting his prospects, Alex is pursuing hospitality certification and dreams of restaurant ownership.

As Alex puts it, "I have no time to have a bad day in life, because I want to tell people, people could do anything in life."

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