March 28, 2024

As a Mount Marty College freshman, Audry Miiller, a native of Vermillion, had no idea how her MMC experience would uniquely prepare her for her future as a teacher.

“I did take the price of going to a private school into consideration,” she says. “However, Mount Marty provided me with an awesome scholarship package which made the cost very competitive with public schools.”

MMC provided Miller something that can be harder to find at a public university — opportunities to grow through service. She experienced this first-hand when she got involved with the Writing for Re-Entry Program which helps prison inmates examine their choices by penning their personal narratives. Audry transcribed their stories, and it changed her perspective on the world.

“Before this, I thought most guys in jail were criminals without an ounce of sorrow for what they did, but some made one terrible mistake that ruined their lives.”

Audry believes this knowledge will prove useful down the road.

“Almost one in three working Americans has a criminal record,” she says. “So chances are I’ll have a student with a loved one in prison. This experience will help me be more understanding of those situations.”

(Photo is of Audry Miiller, courtesy, Mount Marty College, Yankton)