The Road That Led to Grand Valley
Genesis Hollie, Class of 2026
When Genesis Hollie, Class of 2026, thinks back to the road that first led her to Grand Valley, she remembers how long and daunting it seemed. Driving in from Lansing, the stretch of Lake Michigan Drive felt endless – and symbolic. “It was scary,” she said. “But it also felt like the start of a new life.”
Hollie’s journey to campus wasn’t straightforward. After graduating high school, she started esthetician school while working as a bank teller and later at Panera. When her foster parents told her she could no longer live with them, she faced housing insecurity. “Technically I was homeless for about a week,” she said. “I had to figure out where to go next.”
That week turned into a turning point. With help from an aunt and encouragement from a close friend, Hollie made the decision to pursue her degree at Grand Valley. “We knew Grand Valley had a really good business school,” she said. “It felt like the right choice.”
Mentorship that Matters
Even with determination, starting college was hard. The loss of her biological mother during freshman year made the transition even more difficult. That’s when Grand Valley’s Fostering Laker Success program became essential.
Hollie connected with Brandy Thompson, Fostering Laker Success Grant Coordinator and Independent Living Skills Coach. Thompson checked in weekly and later monthly as Hollie grew more independent. “She was always texting or emailing me, making sure I was keeping up, checking that I had food to eat, making sure I was going to tutoring, helping me set goals for the year,” Hollie said. “She’s basically like a second parent. If you don’t have parents, she’s like a parent to you.”
Thompson’s care made a deep impression. “Maybe this is significant for foster kids, but it’s like the minute that somebody cares – why not try harder?” Hollie said. “When you see somebody putting all this effort into you, it makes you want to get it together.”
That support, paired with scholarship assistance, kept her moving forward. “I don’t think I would have even finished college without it,” she said. “I probably would have dropped out sophomore year, maybe even freshman year. It really helped me wake back up and lock back in.”
Looking Ahead
Now a senior studying business management, Hollie dreams of a career in mortgage lending and investment banking. She knows the road won’t be easy – but the lessons she’s learned at Grand Valley have prepared her well. “I think my high school self would be proud of me,” she reflected. “She’d want me to keep fighting, but she’d see how far I’ve come.”
Hollie also understands the difference donor support makes. “There are people on this campus who want to go to college, but they see the balance at the beginning of the semester and it’s so discouraging,” she said. “Scholarships are so beneficial because it makes people want to push. There are people who want to see you make it, and that matters.”
For Hollie, it’s more than hypothetical. “I know if I actually conquer everything I want to, I’ll come back and be one of those donors,” she said. “Because I know what it’s like to be broke, with no hope, and on your own. It would be beneficial to give that back.”
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In the fall of 2024, we put a call out to donors to give to the Fostering Laker Success Fund. The overwhelming support meant additional dollars were able to be allocated to help even more students in situations like Hollie’s. Your gifts – no matter the size – add up to a collective impact that is transforming students’ lives.