Students and staff at Beacon College will hold a viewing party on Monday night, March 28, to cheer on a 2020 graduate who is competing on ABC television’s “American Idol.”
Sam Finelli, who graduated with a business management degree, is on the autism spectrum. He was able to shed his performance anxiety through karaoke performances on campus.
Finelli’s audition on the March 13 episode drew a standing ovation from judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie and has received nearly 2 million YouTube views — making Finelli a sentimental fan favorite. View the performance at https://fb.watch/bYdPRtH6Dq/
The party will be held from 7:45 to 10 p.m. at the Student Center, 118 E. Main St., in Leesburg.
Founded in 1989, Beacon College was the first college in the country accredited to award bachelor’s degrees exclusively to students with learning disabilities, ADHD, and other learning differences. Students are able to experience community living within easy reach of the resources they need to flourish academically, professionally, and socially. To learn more, visit www.beaconcollege.edu.
