Scholarship Support Provides Living Example for Boise State’s Hadley
The road to earning her accountancy degree from Boise State University has been a long journey for Jacque Hadley. She began attending classes in 2004, but other life journeys took her away from completing her higher education goals. Today, the single mother says finishing her degree is a top priority to create a better life for her daughter and to be an example to her child that a tenacious drive and help from others can have life-changing results.
Hadley is the C. Mike Merz Scholarship Endowment recipient in the College of Business and Economics for students studying accountancy. Merz is a Boise State emeritus professor of accountancy who established the scholarship in 1999.
“Receiving this scholarship helps me in countless ways,” Hadley said. “As an independent student, I am building student loan debt that far surpasses my classmates. And as a single mother, I am making ends meet with food stamps and the Idaho Child Care Program. Receiving this scholarship takes some weight off my shoulders as I finish this last semester and graduate.”
It was through her work as a bookkeeper that she found her career path.
“I knew instantly that my passion was accounting,” she said. “After I graduate in December, I would like to stay in the private sector instead of working in public accounting.”
The path to earning her degree hasn’t been easy, but Hadley has been earnestly committed to reaching her academic goals. She has carried a class load of a minimum of 12 credits each semester, with no summer breaks, all while working and raising her child.
With a bright future in business, she plans to reside in the Boise area to raise her daughter and one day give back to help others.
“I hope to inspire my daughter to always strive for greatness by remaining diligent in tough times,” Hadley said. “I look forward to finding a career that allows me also to foster hope and joy for others. Boise is a wonderful place to live, and I look forward to giving back to my community and teaching my daughter the value of giving.”