Once she toured the Aquinas campus, senior Margaret Helmer ‘15 fell in love with the beauty of campus and knew AQ was her first and only college choice. A communication major with a minor in community leadership, Helmer transferred to Aquinas from Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) in 2013.

While at GRCC, Helmer said she never felt like she fit in Grand Rapids until she stepped foot on Aquinas’ campus. Not only did she love the landscape and related to the atmosphere, but she remembers everyone she encountered on her tour being very kind and genuine.

Aquinas’ connection to community and service spoke to Helmer. Every day, she is moved by the heart of Aquinas’ students and faculty. The values Aquinas holds align with Helmer’s personal values and she is continuously inspired by the involvement in service both on and off campus. An active member of her community, to Helmer service is an act of kindness, no matter how big or small.

Helmer volunteers her time with the Ionia County Intermediate School District (ICISD), where she has been an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteer In Service To America) for the past three years. She also serves as a board member for the Ionia County Community Foundation. In honor of her service work, Helmer was nominated for the 2014-2015 Michigan Campus Compact Outstanding Student Service Heart & Soul Award.

Now in her fourth year as a VISTA member, Helmer works with Strengthening Children & Families in Ionia and Montcalm counties. The goal of this program is to improve education and behavioral outcomes for economically disadvantaged K-12 students in Ionia and Montcalm counties through collective impact and utilizing promising and best practices.

Over the past few years, Helmer’s work has focused on devolving, planning, and implementing youth programs dealing with youth leadership and development, some college access, and working on basic needs such as hunger. Recently, her role has evolved and she is now primarily focusing on grant writing and fundraising to support these programs.

“True service is the wanting to improve the lives of others for just that reason,” said Helmer. “Philanthropy is important to me because it is a way I can make a positive difference in the community that I call home, a community that has given so much to me growing up. The way I completed my non-mandatory service hours each semester is by staying involved and giving back in a variety of ways.”

Helmer feels Aquinas has helped challenge her to become the best version of herself, and has pushed her outside of her comfort zone. The result has been growth, not only within herself, but within her schoolwork, relationships, and community.

Because of this, Helmer has faith that no matter where she ends up after graduation, she will continue to push herself to be involved in community and service, in a similar way to what she was taught at Aquinas. “Because of Aquinas, I can visualize where I want to carve my path,” Helmer said. “AQ has helped me develop and see the person I want to become and what I want to do.”

Helmer is filled with gratitude for Aquinas’ scholarship programs. Through her hard work, she earned scholarships from Aquinas in addition to her transfer, financial aid, and AmeriCorps VISTA educational awards. The financial support given by the College is crucial for Helmer, and she cannot thank Aquinas and the student scholarship tuition donors enough.