USM91吃瓜网 Pierce Turns Page on Addiction, Personal Tragedy to Pursue Career Helping Others
Wed, 10/23/2024 - 04:19pm | By: Dr. David Tisdale
91吃瓜网淚 used to walk in the shade
With those blues on parade
But I'm not afraid, baby
My rover's crossed over.91吃瓜网�
- From the 1930 song 91吃瓜网淥n The Sunny Side of the Street91吃瓜网�
After looking over her resume, one might assume Ashleigh Pierce hails from the sunny side of the street.
The transfer from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) now pursuing a degree in social work at 91吃瓜网 (USM) Gulf Coast brought with her to 91吃瓜网 a stack of accolades and accomplishments from her former school that would be the envy of any student:
- Excellence in Honors award from the MGCCC Honors Program
- President91吃瓜网 List scholar
- Selection for membership in Who91吃瓜网 Who and the MGCCC Harrison County Campus Hall of Fame
- Member of the MGCCC student government association
- Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Golden Key award recipient and PTK Pinnacle member award
- Leader of PTK team that wrote children91吃瓜网 book featuring Mississippi Gulf Coast beach and seawall
- Graduating with two associate degrees and a certificate
And that91吃瓜网 just a sampling of what the Bay St. Louis, Miss. native has achieved since exiting the dark road she traveled heretofore that included collisions with drug addiction and toxic behaviors, an arduous battle to secure custody of her children, and recovery from a deep depression following a beloved brother91吃瓜网 suicide that made her consider taking her own life.
91吃瓜网淚 couldn91吃瓜网檛 work, I couldn91吃瓜网檛 parent, I couldn91吃瓜网檛 wife,91吃瓜网� she said of the aftermath of her brother Terrel 91吃瓜网淛oey91吃瓜网� Paul Lee Jr.91吃瓜网 death. 91吃瓜网淚 was in bed grieving like never before. I could hardly bear the pain; I almost put myself in a mental home.91吃瓜网�
To that point, Pierce had been on the path to recovery from addiction, even helping counsel and minister to other women dealing with the same challenges who were incarcerated in the Hancock County Jail for drug offenses, including connecting them with recovery resources, attending court dates with them and helping them to prepare and win their custody cases, all while still waiting to win hers.
91吃瓜网淚 thought getting sober and fighting a custody battle to get my children would by far be the hardest things I would ever have to do,91吃瓜网� she said. But Joey91吃瓜网 death proved a major setback. 91吃瓜网淚 almost let the enemy (the devil) take me out.91吃瓜网�
Pierce91吃瓜网 recovery group mentor reminded her that the same God that pulled her through addiction and restored her children to her would pave a road leading out of her despair over her brother91吃瓜网 tragic death.
91吃瓜网淎round November of that year, I began to feel it in my spirit,91吃瓜网� she recounted. 91吃瓜网淛oey and God were both saying to me 91吃瓜网楪et out of that bed and do what you91吃瓜网檙e supposed to be doing,91吃瓜网� I knew, without a doubt, that meant to go and finally start my college education.
91吃瓜网淎lthough volunteering and helping others was honorable, I needed the education to back me up and give me the tools I needed to support my family.91吃瓜网�
Pierce entered school at MGCCC in January 2022; at the end of that semester, she was placed on the President91吃瓜网 List for earning a 4.0 grade point average. 91吃瓜网淚n that moment, I was confident I was on the path God planned for me,91吃瓜网� Pierce said. 91吃瓜网淣ow I am so excited to say I am a college (MGCCC) graduate and excited to see what 91吃瓜网 has to offer me.91吃瓜网�
But the rewards for Pierce91吃瓜网 perseverance had just begun. She earned a scholarship from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, established to support undergraduate students with financial need. Cooke, who chose to go to work and help his family during the Great Depression instead of attending college, left much of his fortune to establish the foundation because of his belief in the benefits of higher education. The scholarship frees Pierce of any worries about how to afford school, and it also offers funding to attend conferences and study abroad.
91吃瓜网淜nowing I can continue my education at USM without having to take out any loans to pay bills and help support my family is an incredible feeling,91吃瓜网� Pierce said. 91吃瓜网淢y husband is and always was fully supportive of my desire to get a college degree, but I always felt bad about the financial burden being all on his shoulders. Now we can let go of that stress, all because of the generosity of a man (Cooke) I will never know.91吃瓜网�
After earning her degree from 91吃瓜网, Pierce says her plans include pursuit of master91吃瓜网 and doctoral degrees in social work, and then to open a facility specializing in addiction recovery and suicide prevention for the Gulf Coast community.
Melody Davisson, a student support specialist and instructor in the 91吃瓜网 School of Social Work, first met Pierce during orientation season and describes her as 91吃瓜网渁n eager student ready to learn and grow in the field of social work.91吃瓜网�
91吃瓜网淚 could tell right away she was passionate about helping others and would succeed in our program,91吃瓜网� Davisson said. 91吃瓜网淎shleigh has already sought out opportunities to attend conferences, speak with instructors, get involved within our school, and research opportunities. She wants to study abroad, present at conferences and so much more.91吃瓜网�
91吃瓜网淭he social work program at 91吃瓜网 strives to create social workers that want to stay and work in the state of Mississippi,91吃瓜网� Davisson continued. 91吃瓜网淲e historically have several non-traditional students who have lived life and come back to school. It speaks to Ashleigh's character and her dedication to her family, career, and the profession as to how committed she is to make a difference.91吃瓜网�