Amy Mutz had a very bad year in 2012. She and her husband had decided to retire and close their sign shop in Haubstadt, IN, when three close family members all died during that year. It was a devastating blow, one that rocked her to her core – yet revealed in her a desire to help people. She went to a local Hospice organization and wanted to volunteer. As she worked there, she realized that this was not something she should be doing without a degree.

Amy had always had a strong fear of school. She didn’t read until she was a freshman in high school, suffering from dyslexia; and had a similar problem with math. So, walking into college to be tested was daunting. However, her desire to help people was greater – and she did it. As she pursued her desire to earn a degree in Human Services, it also awakened a desire to get a bachelor’s degree in Hospice social work and potentially a doctorate. She did everything she could to be successful in college, including logging nearly 80 hours in the math lab to make it thru her homework. She will graduate with a 3.98 GPA and is in Phi Theta Kappa.

In addition to her story of overcoming obstacles like dyslexia and the math equivalent of that to go back to college in her mid-50s — she is realizing her dream of going on to get her bachelor’s and is now enrolled at USI for next fall. She also has won a couple really amazing awards.

She was named All Academic USA Team…which put her in the running for the New Century Scholars Program, sponsored by the Coca-Cola Foundation. She was one of only 1,900 in the nation to win this award. New Century Scholars are the highest scoring students in each state where Phi Theta Kappa is represented (national honor society, of which she is a member). She just got this award earlier this month. She received a $2,000 scholarship and certificate.