Molly Rowe
The Last Mile
South Bend, IN USA
"Just keep doing the next right thing."
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Molly's work combines: Non-Profit Organizations, Technology, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
While in prison, I was told I should apply for The Last Mile, a 12-month intensive web development program. I didn't think I was smart enough for it. I asked my mom for advice and she encouraged me to apply. I was accepted into the program and grew very close to the small cohort of women who were also accepted. There were many times when we'd doubt our abilities. We just leaned on support from each other and the instructor. It's that support and encouragement from others that got me through.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Business Administration and Management, General
Indiana University South Bend
Certification
Computer Software Engineering
The Last Mile
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
I grew up in Elkhart, Indiana.
2.
I was an only child to a single mother but we lived next door to my grandmother, whom I was very close to.
3.
When my grandmother passed away, I took it very hard and got heavily into drugs.
4.
I was caught for my first felony at age 38 and then was caught for more and more—I ended up spending three years in Indiana Women’s Prison.
5.
While in prison, I completed programs with Recovery While Incarcerated and The Last Mile.
6.
I felt such a sense of belonging from The Last Mile that I immediately reconnected with them and got involved in their community after being released.
7.
A few months after my release, I was hired as a returned citizen advocate at The Last Mile.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
I can't do this. I'm not smart enough. I'll never complete this program.
How I responded:
While in prison, I was told I should apply for The Last Mile, a 12-month intensive web development program. I didn't think I was smart enough for it. I asked my mom for advice and she encouraged me to apply. I was accepted into the program and grew very close to the small cohort of women who were also accepted. There were many times when we'd doubt our abilities. We just leaned on support from each other and the instructor. It's that support and encouragement from others that got me through.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I was very close to my grandmother. When she passed away, I took it very hard and got heavily into drugs. That lifestyle eventually led to incarceration.