When the house they were renting in Detroit was sold out from under them by their landlord, Lady-Marqui Sholar and her husband only had the time and means to pack up their clothes and infant daughter and camp out in a Walmart parking lot. Giving their furniture to a neighbor and waiting for her husband’s payday so they could afford a hotel, Sholar, pregnant with the couple’s second child, began formulating a plan for a better future.
“I tried to go back to school during this time but I could not because we could not afford it,” relates Sholar, who lived in a car with her family on and off for six months that year. “Then, finally, my husband and I both got jobs at Fiat Chrysler.”
Sholar’s first attempt at returning to school when she was financially able was discouraging. She didn’t feel a connection with the college she had chosen and its academic resources were sparse. Then a friend recommended Macomb.
“When I came to Macomb, I was welcomed with open arms and friendly people,” says Sholar, who graduated in May with an Associate of General Studies Degree and has transferred to Colorado Technical University, where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in General Business Administration online. “I am so thankful I transferred to Macomb, where they nurtured me and gave me an opportunity to grow.”
Sholar’s two daughters, Ava-Joi and Avia Faithe, are now 9 and 8, respectively. Her husband of 11 years, JaJuan Sholar, continues to work on the line at Fiat Chrysler while pursuing a master’s degree in Computer Information Systems. Sholar, however, is in line to start a new and better job. She credits her success in college for paving the way to it and other opportunities.
“Professor (Holly) Beatty and (Edward) Rice offered so much support, challenging me to think outside of the box in their classes and in real-world scenarios,” relates Sholar. “I didn’t realize it then, but they were setting me up for every academic milestone I wanted to achieve while on my educational journey.”
Sholar, who reads law books and researches past criminal cases in her spare time, now intends to apply to law school after she completes her bachelor’s degree. A first-generation college student, her goal is to become a lawyer and, ultimately, a Detroit Circuit Court judge. Again, she credits Macomb for guiding her through the transition from what was to what could be.
“My experience as a student at Macomb has been awesome. The Registrar’s staff answered my questions about my transfer credits and Erin Fortuna (counselor) took me under her wing,” says Sholar. “The professors gave me hope and help. I am so thankful for all of them.”