A life transformed: Mallory Meidl

Hi, I’m Mallory. I was born and raised in western Minnesota and have struggled with many aspects in my young life. After starting college in Minnesota, I decided my life needed a change and transferred to Valencia College in Orlando, Florida. While in Florida I left one abusive relationship and entered into another. After being physically and mentally abused I soon was left with little.

In mid-2009 I found out that I was pregnant. My son’s father was put in jail three months before my son was born for violating probation and was released three days before my son’s birth. Five weeks later my son and I were back in Minnesota due to both of us being sick and living in poor conditions.

I spent the next two and a half years putting myself and my life back together after years of emotional and physical abuse. I graduated in May 2012 from Minnesota State Community and Technical College with an Associate’s Degree.

My decision to attend St. Cloud State was ultimately swayed by St. Cloud State’s push for students to be involved, to network, the career services offered, the on-campus child care and the help I received through financial aid. I had no idea how I was going to make going to St. Cloud State work or afford it but my financial aid adviser directed me towards scholarships that she thought would fit me.

With this assistance, I changed my plan of working full time and attending school part time. I figured between the scholarships, student loans and working 20 hours a week at the bank I would still be able to manage.

At the fall 2013 Mary Beth Wedum Scholarship Banquet I met a great number of people that began to change my life. I met the family members of Mary Beth, who had also been a single parent when she attended college. It was such a humbling experience knowing that there were people that truly cared about each recipient’s story and committed to helping them better their lives.

In June of last year I started participating in St. Cloud State Student Parent Support Center events. As a full-time student, I volunteered with TriCAP’s tax preparation program and had an internship through the athletics department on campus. I excelled at my second time around in intermediate accounting. I was one of eight individuals to receive an “A” last semester.

I would not be where I am or who I am today without my son. I knew from the start that he deserved more than I could give him and that I wanted to be healthier and stronger for him.

All of my successes, learning and growth would not have been possible without the scholarships I received and the opportunities that came along with them.

My time at St. Cloud State has pushed me and makes me strive to do better, to be a better person, to lead a better life, to better others’ lives by giving back, to strive for more and to become more passionate about what I am doing and where I am going.