May 8, 2026

Outstanding grad: Trever Kazyak grateful to ‘create a legacy’ through Ferris State’s Ready for Life Academy

Most college graduates won’t forget the growing pains of being an incoming freshman at a university where you don’t have a community already established. Trever Kazyak was once one of those 18-year-old freshmen experiencing the same reality.

However, he couldn’t be more grateful for what Ferris State University had in store for him through the Ready for Life Academy program. Kazyak took a leap of faith to leave home four years ago, which is in the metro Detroit area, and venturing to Big Rapids.

He recalls the anxious feeling of being in an unfamiliar town where he was forced to leave his comfort zone to make his college experience worthwhile.

“I remember one day looking in the mirror and saying to myself, ‘When I was 18, I didn’t have any friends, didn’t have anyone here and was lonely. I was nervous, but I had to put myself out there and make friends,” he said.

Unbeknownst to Kazyak, he’d eventually become one of the most popular figures on campus who seemingly always has a smile on his face. Overtime, Ferris State became one of the more special places for him, as Kazyak was able to create a countless number of friendships and memories to pair with them.

Ferris State’s Ready for Life program prepares students with intellectual disabilities and autism for independence and job skills.

Each student begins the program by building a student-centered learning plan to develop realistic learning objectives and identify areas of natural talent to be further developed.  

Based on the student’s interests and abilities the program offers opportunities for the student to earn college credit. The courses are intentionally selected for the Ready for Life students to attend. The curriculum focuses on transition skills to help students gain independence and job skills.

Kazyak mentioned that Ready for Life prepared him for the future in multiple ways over the past four years while achieving goals he set for himself, including getting jobs as a dining attendant at The Rock Café and a set up assistant for the David Eisler Center. He also became Student Ambassador for the Ready for Life Academy.

“Ready for Life is an amazing place and helped me feel amazing. It gave me great experience and opportunities to improve myself through all my courses. It also helped me to be more confident and focused on what I want to do,” he said.

One of the many things he is proud of while being a Bulldog is joining several Registered Student Organizations. This includes the St. Paul Catholic Newman Center, Dawg Pound, and Entertainment Unlimited – where he also serves on the executive board.

Kazyak knows the hardest part of graduating from Ferris State will be saying goodbye to all his friends and teachers that helped him get to the finish line, but he admitted that he’s looking forward to something very important to him.

“I tell my parents I’ll miss everyone here, but I really miss my family. I can’t stop thinking about them and my community back home,” Kazyak said.

Before crossing the graduation stage, he had a piece of advice for any incoming freshman or current Bulldogs struggling to find confidence.

“I would say don't be nervous to be involved because it can create powerful friendships that nobody can take away from you. Go out there and go have fun, because opportunities are always available, and you can literally make history that helps the world.”

“I am creating a legacy through the Ready for Life Academy, through my RSOs, and Ferris. I wanted to do it and get myself out of there more often. This program means a lot,” he said.