Salem State sophomore Michelle Lesperance describes Promise Year as “like a free trial for college”. Through the program, she earned free college credits while receiving the support she needed to successfully transition into higher education. Now, Michelle is thriving on and off campus, managing her classwork and multiple jobs while giving back to her community.
A person of diverse interests, Michelle loved physics as a student at Lynn English and considered majors in psychology, communications and accounting before deciding on marketing. Now, she juggles her classes with working with K-5 grade students, a second job as a barista, an internship raising money for breast cancer research and her involvement in SSU Intervarsity and church choir. Michelle also blends her professional and personal interest creating makeup videos for social media.
Reflecting on her Promise Year and her initial hesitation, she says, “it’s definitely worth a shot! There are so many resources as part of the program, don’t knock it until you try it.” Having a built-in community of peers she knew from Lynn English helped her to thrive. With a couple of courses consisting entirely of Promise Year students, “there was no fear that I wouldn’t make friends,” she noted. Even after the program, she still sees fellow Promise Year students on campus.
In addition to having a peer group, the mentorship and guidance Michelle received was invaluable, from talking through academic options to support writing effective emails to professors. “It was kind of like starting college with a safety net…even now, I know that if I need help it’s only a text away.” What began as a way to try out college life without an excessive financial burden has helped Michelle transform into a thriving, valued member of the Salem State community.