Brehm students hear from successful businessman who overcame dyslexia

Nathan Stooke, CEO of Wisper ISP, Inc., a wireless Internet company, in Belleville, IL, recently visited Brehm Preparatory School, where he spoke to students about his life, work and struggles with dyslexia.

Nathan was raised in O’Fallon, IL.

“Because of my dyslexia, I really struggled in school. I hated doing homework,” Nathan said. “In elementary school, I used to throw fits about doing my homework. It would take me four times longer to do my homework than it would most other

students because it was such a struggle. Then, I realized that whether I had a bad attitude with dyslexia or a good attitude with dyslexia, I still had dyslexia, so why not have a good attitude about it.

“Once I accepted my dyslexia, it still took me twice as long as others to do homework, but I had a better attitude about it, and attitude is everything.”

Nathan’s mother was key in helping him adjust his study habits to accommodate his dyslexia.

“In high school, my mom would record herself reading my books, so I could listen to them anytime, over and over again, especially driving to and from swim practice for two hours a day,” Nathan said. “In high school, I learned that dyslexia is a gift; it gave me the drive to prove myself.”

Nathan graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA, and came to Southern Illinois University, to study computer science and compete on the university’s swim team. Nathan was also a member of the U.S. Swim Team, ranked third in the world in 1997 for his 25km (15.5 miles) race abilities.

While attending SIU, Nathan joined SIU’s Achieve Program

– a comprehensive program of academic support for students with learning disabilities and/or attention deficits. Through that program, Nathan said he really honed his skills at turning his dyslexia into an advantage.

“Because of my dyslexia, I was able to take untimed tests. So, while other students were given an hour or two to take an exam, I could take as long as I needed to fully understand each question, because I read slower,” Nathan said. “I would take my time, and read each question repeatedly until I felt comfortable with answering the question. I once took 14 hours to complete a Calculus 2 exam, which I got one of the highest grades that anyone had ever received.”

Other ways Nathan has turned his dyslexia into an advantage are:

• He got to know his teachers better. “Since I told them toward the beginning of each class that I had dyslexia, and worked with them throughout the semester to help me understand the materials better, I became well acquainted with my teachers,” Nathan said. “And, those relationships have helped me along the way.”
• He built a large support system. “I had the support of my family, friends, teachers and more. They all knew how much I struggled, but they also saw how I worked really hard and never gave up,” Nathan said. “Without their support, I couldn’t be where I am today.”
• He learned determination and perseverance. “Nothing is as hard to deal with as my dyslexia,” he said. “So, I know I can overcome anything.”

After graduating with a 3.95 GPA in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science with a minor in mathematics, Nathan went on to pursue a master’s in business administration from SIU, where he graduated with a 4.0 in 2000.

“With my dyslexia, I discovered that while I struggled with reading, I excelled with technology. While working on my bachelor’s at SIU, I sold computers out of my dorm room, and I was successful at it, calling my company ‘Stookeware,’" he said. “Then, I ventured into database design and programming, and from that I developed recruiting software for the U.S. Coast Guard.”

In 2003, Nathan started Wisper ISP, Inc., in his garage. Wisper now employs 21, has more than 118 broadcast points and serves about 3,200 customers who live or work near the St. Louis and Illinois metro-east area. Wisper offers Internet services, network solutions, custom connections, Web services and more.

“I love what I do, and I wouldn’t be where I am without dyslexia. It drove me to succeed,” he said. “When people told me I wouldn’t get a 4.0 in high school, I did. When they said I wouldn’t graduate from graduate school with a master’s in business administration, I did, and with a 4.0 GPA. When they said my small startup business couldn’t compete with the ‘big guys,’ we did and continue to do so.”