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By Jerri Whitner, Student Contributor

maranda-article“Don’t take anything for granted,” is a motto Maranda Rowe, an Alice Lloyd College (ALC) junior and pre-nursing student, draws inspiration from. Maranda’s life motto has allowed her to shine brightly as a hardworking and dedicated student, excelling in all her college endeavors.

Maranda is from Wayne, West Virginia and in the spring of 2014 she graduated from the top of her class at Wayne High School. She had previous experience with ALC from sunny days spent cheering for her step-brother, an ALC baseball alumnus, Neil Dillon. By attending ALC baseball games, Maranda fell in love with the small campus, beautiful mountain scenery, and the kind people. As she began to research more about ALC, the college’s Christian values really stood out to her and was a deciding factor in her decision to attend ALC.

Being a first generation college student, Maranda knows that only through hard work can she achieve her dreams of being a registered nurse. Maranda’s inspiration to work hard and follow her dream has come from her Mamaw Louise. When Maranda was young she would stay with her Mamaw Louise while her parents were working. During the days spent with her mamaw, Maranda learned the value of hard work by helping her wash laundry with an old wringer washer and hang clothes out to dry. Her time spent doing everyday tasks the old-fashioned way taught Maranda to “appreciate the little things in life and to respect everything I have.” As Maranda’s mamaw grew older she learned how to take care of her which inspired Maranda to become a nurse and help others.

Once Maranda graduates from ALC she plans to return to her hometown hospital, St. Mary’s Medical Center, where she hopes to work with the cardiac unit. Maranda says of her profession, “I want to work with patients who need uplifting and make them feel better. I want them to be a light in my life, as well as I in theirs.” Maranda’s caring and generous spirit will take her far in her chosen field because it has already taken her far at her various ALC work study positons.

Alice Lloyd College is one out of seven work colleges in the nation, requiring all students to work on campus. The Student Work Program helps pay for tuition as well as prepare the students for the work force after college. Maranda Rowe has excelled in her various positions with the ALC Student Work Program. She is a second-year work supervisor for the janitorial staff in the Jerry C. Davis Student Center, and she has been awarded twice for her service in this area. At the end of Maranda’s freshman year she won the Student Worker Award for her initiative and supportive nature with her fellow workers. After earning the title of Work Supervisor her second year, Maranda’s high standards for the building she serves and her dedication to those standards earned her the Student Worker of the Year at the annual ALC Work Awards ceremony. For most students, being a janitor isn’t their preferred job, but Maranda always encourages them by saying, “Everybody has a role to play, and just because you’re a janitor doesn’t mean anything bad. Being a janitor is just as important as any other job.”

Maranda’s strong work ethic has allowed her to achieve many awards at ALC, but she gives all the credit to the school. “I love the fact that I go to a school where so many people care about our areas education,” Maranda says of the faculty, staff, and donors who give their time and effort to the college. Without everyone’s contribution, ALC wouldn’t be able to function and hardworking students like Maranda Rowe wouldn’t be able to further their education and achieve their life goals.