MERCY MUSES as she begins year 3

Mercy, a student from St. Clare Centre for Girls, is beginning her junior year at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia.  The vice-President and accounting department chair at CHC continue to be impressed by this unique young woman.   

But Mercy did have some time off where she spent a week in Avalon, New Jersey with Sue Ozar’s sister, Theresa and a second week with a friend of Board Member, Sue Montgomery.

Now it’s back to school where Mercy will be taking 18 credits.  When visiting with Bud and Sue Ozar, Mercy commented, “I think I have grown a great deal of the past two years.  Below are Mercy’s reflections about her experiences this past summer.

"Sometimes it feels like just the other day and at other times it’s like 5 years since I left home in Kenya for my “other home far away from home,” Chestnut Hill College (CHC).  Even though I cannot believe that it’s my Junior Year, I have had great experiences so far and I can’t wait to see what junior year has in store for me.

In the United States, students are fortunate to get jobs on campus, known as work-study. So I feel happy that I work in our library during the school year. I work in the cataloging department, working on loan requests (which includes articles and books) from faculty, students and other colleges, which have an agreement with CHC. Most of the times, the articles are on the web so I download and send directly, while at other times I have to photocopy and scan them.

However, this past summer I also had a different experience. With the help of Sr. Kathryn (Vice president of Special Admissions), I got a job at the Controller’s office but I still had to work in the library because they needed my help. I also took an art class (introduction to drawing techniques) in the first session of summer classes. It was an awesome experience and I loved the class. It was fascinating to see how every human eye sees things differently. The professor would set the same item, like a boot, but at the end of class we all created things that looked different.

I worked for 16 hours in the Controller’s Office and for 10 hours in the library each week. My experience in the Controller’s Office was incredible. I got an opportunity to put knowledge from my accounting classes into practice. I had three bosses who are wonderful. Sometimes they would send me to other financial offices like Student Financial Aid and Payrolls to help.

Purity, (my friend and another St. Clare Centre for Girls student who is studying in the U.S.) visited for a month this summer. The first two weeks of her visit, we stayed in the school apartments since I had to work and then we spent one week in Avalon, New Jersey with Madam Sue’s sister. We went to a couple of concerts, spent some time at the beach and took walks on the beach in the evenings. It was nice to take a break and just relax.

The other part of our vacation was split between my host parents. We got to tour the historic attractions in Philadelphia like the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Love Park. Purity also spent three days with me after school resumed and attended accounting classes with me. We had an awesome time together and it was really great having her around. It was the longest time we have been together since we left home.

This semester, the Controller’s Office offered me a job (student employment). It is a little bit different from work-study since I can use it to build my resume.  I will still be working in the library as a work-study student. Since I have a tight school schedule, which includes six courses of 18 academic credits, I will be working for only 8 hours this semester balanced between the Controller’s Office and Library. This semester I am taking Taxes, Cost Accounting, Advanced Accounting Theory 1, Management Information Systems, Operation Management and Elementary Spanish 1. So far, I am enjoying all my classes. I will also be a Search Leader, something I look forward to doing. I will also be involved in the Campus Ministry service missions, Global Student’s association club and Business club.

I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in shaping and building my future so far; Father Riwa, my CHC family, my host parents and most of all FOKO members who have sacrificed a lot not only for me but also for the St. Clare Family. Thank you all for your unwavering support. Stay Blessed!"