Hero Story

I am nominating my grandmother, Mary Jane Moffitt who has truly been critical throughout the process of serving in my new position as a college completion coach through AmeriCorps. I started my new role in the middle of the pandemic (December 2020), working remotely and with a 2 month old baby. Being a single mom in the midst of a global pandemic with no safe daycare in my area, I had no idea how I was going to pull this off. Lo and behold, my sweet grandmother stepped up to help caretake for my son during the week. I spent almost every day at her house working while she looked after my baby. Initially, it was stressful on all of us, but we preserved and because of that, I have been able to support a cohort of 150 underrepresented students at Ferris State University. During my time of service, I have been given the opportunity to help students pass their classes, get acquainted with the campus and its departments, walk students through various issues (financial aid appeals, class registration, finding resources, etc.), and take on the role of holistic wrap-around support. I would not have been able to do any of this without my grandmother and her dedication, love, and encouragement. She has been the main reason I've been able to take on this position and help students in need. I am so lucky to have not only spent so much time in her presence this last year, but I am beyond lucky to call her my grandma.