Jamie Young

A recent post I saw by  MCC foundation was read: “Everyone deserves a chance to dream.”

In this instance, I felt spoken to personally.

Investing in myself, particularly this late in life, has been a fruitful, yet brutal endeavor. As life progressed, and my responsibilities grew exponentially, so grew the barriers between me and higher education. After having joined the work force full-time in 2009 by necessity, I gained fulfilling and meaningful employment as a demolition operative and machine operator. By 21 I was living alone and responsible for a plethora of bills, appointments, deadlines, and laundry. Oh, the laundry!

My ambitions of a higher education were dwindling, and I had resigned myself to the fact that I’d never get the education I knew I was for me.  When my circumstances changed and I was able to pursue an education, I enrolled full-time at Manchester and was blown away the campus. I, being something of a librophile, was awestruck by the library and its facilities.

Much of my time on campus is spent between my home, the library, and the academic support center. Where the library holds texts and resources to help students succeed, the academic support center holds tools to help us apply the knowledge into good work. These on campus amenities have been pivotal in my success as a student.

I’m aware that MCC foundations also helps make student success possible. Thanks to the scholarship support I’ve received from the Foundation, I am able to graduate on time and within my fiscal budget.