Michelle Middleton

I attribute my success to my son. I raised him as a single parent, and everything I do is ultimately for him and for my future grandchildren. He has been a major source of motivation throughout my life and career.

I want my future grandchildren to be able to look back and say, “This is my grandma. This is what she did. This is what she stood for.” I want to leave behind a legacy that encourages them to trust themselves, believe in themselves, and understand that they can create meaningful opportunities for themselves and others.

My own college experience has strongly influenced the way I approach my career and my work in the nonprofit sector. During college, I experienced firsthand what it was like to pursue an education without having access to the resources I needed. That experience stayed with me and ultimately inspired me to establish my nonprofit.

Today, with the rising cost of higher education, many children and young adults face similar challenges and struggle to meet their basic needs while pursuing their studies. I want my organization to serve as a bridge between the resources students currently have and the resources they need, so they can focus on their education and future rather than worrying about necessities such as food, housing, and other essential support.

My advice to young women is to be true to yourself—true to who you are, what you genuinely want, and who you truly want to become. Do not allow society to dictate who you should be or what your life should look like.

Be comfortable with who you are internally and allow that authenticity to guide your decisions. Most importantly, know that you are enough. Your value does not have to be defined by other people's expectations.

One of the biggest transitions in my career has been moving from corporate America toward dedicating myself fully to nonprofit work. This transition represents an opportunity to take the knowledge and experience I gained throughout my corporate career and apply it toward creating opportunities for young people.

Another important opportunity is connecting young people with the resources they need to succeed. Through my nonprofit work, I am focused on building relationships and expanding access to educational resources, scholarships, higher education, entrepreneurship, and skilled-trades opportunities, particularly for students in rural North Carolina.

Expanding these connections and networks is especially important because many young people may not have direct access to the resources, exposure, or professional relationships that can help them understand what opportunities are available to them.

The values that are most important to me are loyalty, honesty, commitment to oneself, believing in yourself, authenticity, support, and perseverance.

I believe in remaining loyal and committed, particularly to yourself and to the purpose you have chosen to pursue. I also believe that you have to trust yourself and maintain the confidence to continue moving forward even when circumstances are difficult.

Authenticity is equally important to me. I want young people, particularly young women, to understand that they do not have to become someone else to be successful. They should be comfortable being themselves, believe in their abilities, and persevere as they work toward their goals.