“Persistence pays off, and it is never too late to pursue passion and purpose.” 

Michele Curry is earning her Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan. Michele’s career aspirations were inspired by her mother, a gifted behavioral and psychiatric care nurse who worked with young adults and patients struggling with substance abuse issues. Her mother’s strength and compassion left an indelible mark on Michele, and instilled in her a passion for addressing mental health and issues of justice, racism, oppression, and poverty. Michele earned a master’s degree in psychology from the University of the Rockies in 2013 and initially intended to return to school to earn her counseling credentials. However, in 2014, Michele’s mother was diagnosed with cancer, and Michele became her full-time caregiver. After her mother died in 2015, Michele processed her grief as she continued to work full-time in ministry. 

Michele joined U-M’s Dean of Students Office in 2018, where she currently serves as the Campus Climate Response/Expect Respect Program Coordinator and as a non-clinical critical incident and student support case manager. Her role allows her to directly support diverse groups of students facing complex challenges that impact their educations, with a particular focus on underrepresented populations at U-M. After a decade-long hiatus from her own educational journey, Michele has shown remarkable persistence in pursuing her MSW from U-M. Michele aspires to use her degree to serve young adults and adolescents holistically, especially those in marginalized communities, and to address the connections among physical, mental, and behavioral health. In the long term, Michele envisions consulting with organizations and industries globally to provide mental health and well-being support. About her journey, Michele writes, “Persistence pays off, and it is never too late to pursue passion and purpose.” 

CEW+ commends Michele’s purpose and names her the AAUW – Ann Arbor Branch: Used Booksale Scholar.