After spending years as a paralegal in south Mississippi, Michelle Wescovich graduated from MUW in 2007 with a BS in paralegal studies. While at the W, Michelle was a part of the Ina E. Gordy Honors College, and she participated in other activities such as D'Belles, Bench and Gavel, Spanish Club, and Phi Theta Kappa. Though her original goal was to go on to law school, Michelle decided to return to the paralegal profession after graduation. But due to a debilitating accident two years ago, Michelle was forced to leave the workplace, and she became a stay-at-home mom to son Jarod, 16, currently a sophomore in high school. Now she is pursuing a new goal: obtaining her Master's degree. Michelle is currently enrolled at San Jose State University in the online Master's of Library and Information Science program.
Being a SAHM was never a part of her plans, but it has turned out to be a blessing for Michelle and her son. "Being at home allows me to watch my son grow in school and his social life," she says. "Jarod participates in JROTC, and I am able to volunteer my time to chaperone field trips and attend all of his meets and events." In fact, Michelle has become something of a "second mom" to many of the JROTC students at Jarod's school, and her house is always filled with the raucous sounds of boisterous teenagers.
When asked what she enjoys the most about being a SAHM, Michelle replies, "I like having the time to take care of my family and make sure that they're comfortable. I've always enjoyed doing that, but now I'm not half as stressed as I used to be in trying to keep up with everything." Still, her graduate studies and volunteering at Jarod's school keep her constantly busy. "Some days I still don't have enough time to do everything I want to do!"
Michelle, a longtime single mother, recently became engaged to Charles ("Charlie") Daugherty, a team leader at Chevron. The two, who have known each other since high school, reconnected last summer. Their wedding will take place at the Grand Magnolia Bed and Breakfast in Pascagoula in February 2011, where Jarod will walk his mother down the aisle and serve as a groomsman.
Michelle, Charlie, and Jarod have also recently welcomed a couple of rambunctious new additions to their family: two Chihuahua puppies, Spike and Gracie.
To W students who may consider forgoing the workplace in favor of home life, Michelle says, "If that is your choice, I wholeheartedly encourage you to do it! It's very rewarding to be able to watch your child go through all of the milestones and to see their progress firsthand. I never realized how much I missed when I worked full-time." She credits her time at MUW for providing her with the opportunity to pursue her dreams while staying at home with Jarod. "I always thought I would go to law school, but being at the W showed me there were so many different paths my future could take. I can be at home with my son and still succeed in my graduate classes. I don't have to choose one or the other--I can have both!"
In the meantime, Michelle encourages her son, who is beginning his college search, to consider the W for all it has to offer. "Jarod, who stayed with my mother during my two years at the W so he wouldn't have to leave his friends or his school, came to visit me on campus often, and he really enjoyed spending time there. I think the W can offer him many of the same benefits it offered me: the chance to build leadership skills, a safe educational environment, and a personalized relationship with the faculty. It's on his list of schools, so perhaps one day we'll have a Wescovich legacy at the W!"
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