Stability and support: Education alum journey from TRIO FESP to camp leadership
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Going to school always provided Grace Eishen (B.S.'23, early childhood education), with stability growing up. Similarly, she is a constancy for the hundreds of campers at Sherman Lake YMCA Outdoor Center that arrive each day.
"Sherman Lake is special because it not only helps the kids to grow and learn who they are as a person; it helps the counselors and the staff to learn that as well," explains Eishen.
A six-year journey, started from a simple Google search for "summer camps jobs" during her senior year in high school, Eishen has flourished at Sherman Lake from the support and confidence built as a student in the TRIO Future Educator Support Program (FESP). A part of Western Michigan University's College of Education and Human Development, the program supports student transitions to higher-education.
"I showed up a little bit lost when I arrived to Western," admits Eishen. "TRIO FESP helped me to keep track of my assignments, helped me to list out everything, make sure I was turning in things on time, and make sure I was acing my classes."
TRIO FESP is a government-funded initiative designed to support education majors who are income-eligible, first-generation college students, or students with disabilities. Through a variety of activities, services, and opportunities on campus and in the community, TRIO FESP provides information and resources to enhance student academic performance and cultivate financial literacy, career development, leadership development, and awareness of campus services and programming.
"There's strong mentorship in the program, and there's a lot of people in that office that are ready to help you," says Eishen. "Because of them, I started to become a tutor and mentor to help others in the program and at Sherman Lake."
As the day camp director, a role overseeing the daily operations of activities for campers ranging from kindergarten to middle school, Eishen is also responsible for over 20 counselors. Starting as a counselor herself six years ago, she brings personal experience to the position and in her leadership-style.
"The counselors see me more as a a role model rather than a boss because if I see they need help, instead of telling them what to do, I'll get on their level and help them so they learn how to do it correctly," says Eishen.
With the summer in full swing, Eishen is a living example of how mentorship and support can define an educator's journey. To those looking to enter the teaching profession, her message is clear: seek out support networks like TRIO FESP, embrace the necessity of flexibility, and never overlook the transformative experience of a summer spent at camp.
Update: Eishen is now a fifth grade teacher at Gull Lake Community Schools.
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