As program manager at Corvallis’ Jackson Street Youth Services, Shimomaeda uses his psychology and sociology degrees to manage a transitional housing program for young adults
Kevin Shimomaeda
By Jessica Florescu, CLA Student Writer - April 16, 2025
After graduating from OSU with a double major in sociology and psychology, Kevin Shimomaeda, ‘17, is using his expertise to serve the Corvallis community as a program for Jackson Street Youth Services, a non-profit organization that provides basic need services, including transitional housing for young adults.
“We use a holistic approach based on a hierarchy of needs, because basic needs are not enough to foster long-term success,” explained Shimomaeda.
Shimomaeda’s sister introduced him to psychology, which prompted him to attend the School of Psychological Science at the College of Liberal Arts (CLA), but after taking a handful of sociology-focused baccalaureate core classes, Shimomaeda added sociology to his academic resume.
“Psychology helped me better understand people’s behaviors,” said Shimomaeda. “But it was sociology that provided me with a broader perspective of societal issues; specifically how the system was failing young adults.”
A particularly impactful experience while a student was in Dr. Michelle Inderbitzin’s Juvenile Delinquency (SOC 440/540) course. Shimomaeda and his peers had the opportunity to visit a juvenile detention facility and speak with youth detained there. It was in Dr. Inderbitzin’s class when things began to change for Shimomaeda and he could see a career forming in front of him.
“It was eye-opening to learn about the real life experiences from those currently incarcerated,” said Shimomaeda. “Our conversations captured my curiosity as to why these teenagers were deciding to commit crimes. For many of them, I saw their detention as the outcome of poor circumstances, entirely preventable, and a societal failure.”
After graduating, Shimomaeda went straight to work for Jackson Street Youth Services in Corvallis. His first role was serving residents directly as a Youth Advocate/Case Worker. Now as the Next Steps Program Manager, Shimomaeda manages Jackson’s transitional living program for young people, many of whom are formerly incarcerated or living in at-risk environments at home.
Although Shimomaeda expressed that entering into his position with Jackson Street Youth Services was a hard learning curve for him at first, he values the unique perspective that he was able to bring to the organization based on his education at CLA. After witnessing the high prevalence of homelessness that exists throughout Oregon, Shimomaeda described that he feels empowered by knowing how to start helping those communities.
One common circumstance that Shimomaeda encounters is young adults who enter the program with adaptive response behaviors that they developed from childhood trauma. Many individuals do not know what it is like to have their own personal space, and the services offered through Jackson help teach new coping mechanisms as healthier options.
Shimomaeda shared, “As staff members, we have to humble ourselves to accept that we don’t know everything, and that is how we can meet people where they are at in life. This work is hard, because we aren’t going to have full closure in some respects, but we can still show these young adults how much we care about them and their wellbeing.”
Oregon has one of the largest unsheltered populations in the country, including approximately 4,000 Y.E.H. (youth experiencing homelessness). Jackson is only one of five programs in the state that have a transitional living program, which not only provides a private living space for youth, but also employment resources, training, and mental health services to help build a stable foundation.
“Sustainable living requires us to be honest about our mental health needs, and for many young adults moving into their own space for the first time, it’s an absolute necessity,” said Shimomaeda. “Building habits proactively can help mental health issues become more manageable, before the problems escalate into intense hardships.”
Concerningly, a portion of Jackson’s transitional housing are previously unhoused OSU students, who had to choose between paying tuition or living in their car. Through an Oregon Department of Human Services grant, Jackson is also able to help with tuition assistance for students.
“It is much more than just providing a roof over your head, we want to offer any available opportunities for young people that can help them succeed in life. It is up to each individual to decide if they want to use the resources, but it is our responsibility to offer that support. Often we will witness someone’s worst day, but we also can be a part of their best days as well,” Shimomaeda expressed.