An intermediary school teacher told Joseph Kunkle and his parents that he would not be able to pass the California high school exit examinations, and as a result he would never earn a high school diploma.
Kunkle says the teacher made an analogy as to what he would be able to achieve in life by saying his share of the proverbial pie would be but a sliver.
Her evaluation would serve as a driving force for Kunkle to complete intermediary school, high school, an associate’s degree from East Los Angeles College (ELAC), and soon his Bachelor of Arts in Child Development from Cal State LA.
Kunkle will attend the Commencement ceremony for the Rongxiang Xu College of Health and Human Services at the Shrine Auditorium on Tuesday, May 20. In the fall, he will return to Cal State LA to pursue a Master of Arts in Child Development.
The teacher’s negative evaluation also gave Kunkle clarity toward a career choice.
“My heart was shattered,” said Kunkle, 30, who at the time aspired to enter St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo to become a diocesan priest. “I said to my mother and father, I want to work with children with special needs. No teacher should ever say that to a child.”
Kunkle, a Monterey Park resident, was himself a student with special needs. As a kindergartner, he was diagnosed with mild intellectual disability. He had trouble focusing during class and was uncomfortable interacting with his classmates, preferring instead to spend time with adults.
But he persevered, and is now quick to credit numerous teachers and other influential mentors whom Kunkle said showed patience in guiding him through his academic challenges, starting in grade school all the way to Cal State LA.
“Mr. Kunkle is an excellent student success story,” said Jessica Dennis, chair and professor of the Department of Child and Family Studies. “He managed to successfully complete elementary, middle school, and high school despite encountering teachers and administrators who doubted his abilities. He struggled with mainstream exams yet finished his high school education while earning awards for his perseverance. He then went on to higher education and has done extremely well, proving that he can far exceed what others think he is capable of accomplishing.”
Kunkle also had the full support of his family—mother Elga, father Warren, and younger brothers Edward, 27, and William, 25.
Before he passed away in December 2020, Warren made Joseph promise him he would complete his undergraduate and graduate studies.
“My father said, Joseph will work to his grit,” Kunkle said. “He will work harder than anybody, and I have no doubt Joseph will pass. He will push things to the limit, and he will earn it. We’re not going to give him limitations.”
Elga logs her sons’ academic progress on two sheets of paper tacked to her kitchen wall. Edward completed his Master of Arts in Communication Studies at Cal State LA, and William is currently attending the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. Joseph’s section will soon be updated when he receives his diploma from Cal State LA.
“We always told him your job is to study, to do your homework, to raise your hand and ask questions when you do not understand,” Elga said. “You don’t have to worry about anything else. The most important thing is to focus on school. It is a gift that you are giving yourself for your future.”
Kunkle also relied on his faith, drawing inspiration from St. Thomas Aquinas and
St. Joseph of Cupertino, who themselves had learning challenges, and St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless cases. “God chooses the weakest individual and makes him His strongest ally through faith, prudence, and temperance,” said Kunkle.
The schoolwork did not come easily. Kunkle failed the California High School Exit Exam multiple times, but he gritted through the process, as his father said he would. Fueled by coffee, Kunkle would stay up until the wee hours studying for the exams. On his sixth try, he passed the math section of the test by 12 points. On the seventh and final allowable attempt, he overcame the English section by a single point.
Kunkle would carry over those study habits during his time at ELAC and Cal State LA. He spent countless sleepless nights making sure to complete all his assignments and that he was prepared for his tests.
He also made progress with his social skills by immersing himself in his community. He became a Boy Scout and later earned the rank of Eagle Scout, swam, played water polo, participated in three-on-three basketball with the Special Olympics, attended school dances, joined flash mobs, and stayed active with his parish, Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Knights of Columbus. Kunkle also served as a special education instructional assistant for the Montebello Unified School District and taught catechism classes at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Monterey Park.
Kunkle is graduating with a 3.42 GPA. After his graduate studies, he has set career goals of becoming a teacher and starting a nonprofit that would advocate for children with special needs and their families. He wants to help them navigate through the same difficult challenges he and his family faced.
“I want to make sure they’re getting the proper support,” Kunkle said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a medical disability, or a learning disability, or if they’re visually impaired, or they’re hard of hearing. I want to make sure they’re getting as much adequate love.”
And Kunkle adds he is ready for his pie.
“I’m not eating a sliver; I’m having a half or a whole pie,” he said.
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California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 26,000 students and has more than 250,000 distinguished alumni.
Cal State LA is home to the critically-acclaimed Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center, Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility, Billie Jean King Sports Complex and the TV, Film and Media Center. For more information, visit www.CalStateLA.edu.
