SN 1-8-2022

The Sun and News, Saturday, January 8, 2022/ Page 7

TK grad’s degree marks family milestone
Ferris State University
News Service
The way forward from
Thornapple Kellogg High
School did not present many
absolutes for Middleville
native Veronica Mascorro.
Her progression as a child in
a family with no college
graduates to becoming a
campus leader at Ferris State
University is the product of
searching for and recogniz-
ing opportunities on the road
north to Big Rapids.
“As I went through high
school, I had no definite
plans regarding my educa-
tional path,” Mascorro said.
“I did see the value of begin-
ning my college learning
through Ferris’ dual enroll-
ment agreement with ‘T-K,’
and I was impressed that
they would show interest in
and invest in me.”
As she approached gradu-
ation from Thornapple
Kellogg, in 2018, she did a
broad search and applied to
several colleges and univer-
sities, which brought her
another step closer to the
Ferris campus.
“Ferris was the leader, in
terms of showing their com-
mitment to me, as a potential
student,” Mascorro said.
“Their assistance package
was the best offer I received,
and knowing the dual enroll-
ment credits I had earned had
full value there helped me to
make the choice and become
a Bulldog.”
Another opportunity
accepted was participation in
the Promesa Summer
Success program before
arrival at Ferris for the 2018-
19 academic year.
“I would make the drive to
Ferris-Grand Rapids four
days a week, for classwork
that added onto my college
credits, before arriving in
Big Rapids,” Mascorro said.
“There were weekly field
trips to learn about our region
and community. I enjoyed
those and the chance to con-
nect with others in the
Promesa program. It helped
me come to Ferris with great-
er confidence and experi-
ence.”
As a result, she arrived in
Big Rapids with a leg up her
first year, having the ability
to make a bold choice in
terms of her intentions for
her course of study.
“We did not have a school
paper or any publications to
get involved with at TK,”
Mascorro said. “In a way, my
choice of journalism/techni-
cal communication was
somewhat random, but in
that summer before starting
at Ferris, I was encouraged
by a Promesa mentor to
apply for that program and to
seek a position with the
Torch. I joined the student
newspaper as a lifestyle
reporter, moved on to cover
campus news, and later
served in roles addressing
web presentation and social
media promotion of the
paper.”

Mascorro’s involvement

with the Promesa program

continued as she became a

Promesa Scholar for her

freshman year and continued

that role in the 2019-20 aca-

demic year. She also found

her way into the Sigma

Lambda Gamma multicultur-

al sorority. Joining the Chi

Epsilon chapter was a cata-

lyst for involvement and

advocacy, where she demon-

strated a knack for taking

action and accepting a hectic

schedule.

“I was glad to have taken

every opportunity that came

my way,” Mascorro said. “I

don’t see service on organiz-

ing committees for events

like Latinx Heritage Month

as being an obstacle to my

success. Participating in

community service is, I

believe, part of providing my

fellow students with a valu-

able campus experience. It

takes time to staff an infor-

mation table, and it got crazy

sometimes on Wednesdays

when I had as many as six

virtual meetings over the

course of the day. I believe I

thrive in making that kind of

contribution. It certainly

keeps me active and going

forward.”

Her work has received due

notice, as Mascorro was

named a Rising Star during

the Center for Leadership,

Activities and Career

Services’ 2019 Torchbearer

Awards ceremony. She also

had a one-year term as presi-

dent of the Hispanic Student

Organization and became a

member of the National

Society of Collegiate

Scholars.

“I have been so blessed

with opportunities to grow

and learn in my time at

Ferris,” Mascorro said. “I

feel it is important that I also

give back to others.”

Obstacles actually pre-

sented opportunities to bring

her closer to a bachelor of

science degree from the FSU

College of Arts, Sciences and

Education.

“Early in 2020, I was

working with the Hispanic

Center of West Central

Michigan, actively seeking a

summer internship,”

Mascorro said. “The contacts

and interviews had me think-

ing a local television station

was my destination, but the

COVID-19 pandemic put an

end to that. My contact at the

chamber persevered, and I

applied for and received a

national fellowship with the

Association of Latino

Professionals for America as

part of their inaugural

cohort.”

The fellowship aligned her

with Ally Financial, the

Detroit-based lender estab-

lished more than a century

ago as General Motors

Acceptance Corporation.

“The fellowship program

and my virtual interactions

with Ally’s marketing depart-

ment were very valuable

experiences,” she said. “I

made good connections with

Ally, which led to their offer

of a 2021 internship, which I

began in May.”

Her efforts for Ally were

virtual as a public relations

intern.

“It still served as a great

experience,” she said. “My

highlights included having a

significant role in the rede-

sign of their newsroom web-

site while growing the num-

ber of ethnic contacts on the

corporate media list. I also

had great latitude to accept

opportunities for profession-

al development. With my

internship being virtual, I

had a level of involvement

across Ally’s corporate struc-

ture that provided a much

broader experience than if I

had simply been serving in

the Detroit office.”

Although pleased to be

offered a position with Ally,

Mascorro chose another

path following her gradua-

tion.

“I have decided to contin-

ue my learning in graduate

school,” she said. “I am cur-

rently reviewing options and

applying to various schools.

My priority on my education

can continue, through this

decision.”

Her years of experience

with the Torch have her feel-

ing confident about what her

future could present profes-

sionally.

“Being part of the news-

paper’s staff and administra-

tion has been a most collab-

orative experience in learn-

ing, both in helping me to

determine my course and to

learn where I can build my

skills and improve as a writ-

er,” Mascorro said.

“Assistant Professor Garrett

Stack is the adviser to the

Torch. I learned so much

from him, both as an instruc-

tor and through my role with

the paper. Since his first

class, he has shown me so

much about writing, which

inspired me to immerse

myself in this field and

determine how I can

improve as I approach my

career goals.”

Another aspect of the

learning process for

Mascorro and her peers on

the Torch was to navigate

their production, despite the

difficulties the COVID-

pandemic presented.

“It proved to be an obsta-

cle before the Fall 2020

semester, as we had to pause

our schedule with the sudden

shift away from campus and

our normal production rou-

tines, when the pandemic

was becoming dominant,”

she said. “While that put us

in a most difficult place to

start the year, we rallied as a

group and essentially rebuilt

and rebranded the publica-

tion, with a new format and a

reliance on a deep and well-

versed staff. Each of our

writers and staff members

contributed to support and

produce a quality publication

for the campus and the uni-

versity.”

Mascorro said one of the

first steps in the transition

from being a college student

to embarking on her life after

Ferris came with the final

virtual staff meeting for the

Torch, which included their

announcements of awards

and honors.

“Working at the Torch

played such a big role in who

I am today,” she said. “It

allowed me to make many

contacts on campus with stu-

dents and others, who

brought me into several dif-

ferent service and learning

opportunities. I made great

progress as a writer and have

many articles in my portfolio

that give me a sense of pride.

That work continued into the

fall semester when I contrib-

uted a story on Latinx

Heritage month. I concluded

my official roles with the

newspaper as the social

media manager, with the

close of Spring semester.”

As the first in her family to

graduate from college, the

time leading up to com-

mencement was a chance for

all the Mascorros to consider

the moment and celebrate.

“My education has been a

point of emphasis and pride

for my entire family,” she

said. “I have an older broth-

er, Kevin, who is working

while he continues toward

his Construction

Management degree from

Ferris, a 17-year old brother

who is in high school, who

sees Ferris as his first choice

while weighing his options,

and my eight-year-old sister

is really focused on coming

to study at ‘the one with the

Bulldog.’ She’s talking about

five different programs and

career paths, including

becoming a veterinarian.”

The Mascorro family

looks at her graduation as

an accomplishment they all

can enjoy, while she had a

bit of reflection to go along

with her anticipation of the

event.

“COVID-19 has trans-

formed my story in a variety

of ways, the biggest impact

being in university life,”

Mascorro said. “Things were

so different when we came

back to campus, but I feel

this semester was the chapter

I needed to complete my

undergraduate career.”

616-891-

Locally owned business.

High Efficiency

FURNACE

& AIR

$

150

OFF

* Must present this coupon.

Expires 1-15-

FRONTIER

HEATING & COOLING

210 East Main Street, Caledonia

“The company built

by referrals”

Winter's Coming... Beat the Rush!

HIRING

Service Techs

and

Installers

Business Services

BUYING ALL HARD-

WOODS: Walnut, White

Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for

pricing. Will buy single Wal-

nut trees. Insured, liability &

workman’s comp. Fetterley

Logging, (269)818-7793.

WATERPROOFING, EPOXY

PRESSURE INJECTION.

concretestopleak.com 269-

758-3312.

MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI-

CATION and repair, custom

trailers, buckets, bale spears,

etc. Call 269-804-7506.

CONSTRUCTION: ADDI-

TIONS, REMODELING,

Roofing, Siding, Pole Barns

& Decks. Licensed builder 25

years. Tom Beard, 269-838-

5937.

Pets

GOLDEN RETRIEVER

PUPPIES- AKC registered.

Very Cute. 1st shots and de-

wormed, ready to go! $600.00,

517-726-0706.

FOR SALE- PUREBRED

Mountain Cur Puppies. Great

colors, 1st shots & wormed,

$350.00. 517-852-4881.

FOR SALE- PUREBRED Bor-

der Collie Puppies. Friendly &

playful. 1st shots & wormed,

$450.00. 269-223-9194.

Former Hispanic Student Organization President Veronica Mascorro recently

graduated from Ferris State University with a bachelor of science degree in jour-

nalism and technical communication. (Photo provided by Ferris State University

News Service)