Dear Jenny,
I couldn’t think of a better way to honor Michelle than with this scholarship. As someone who fully paid for her own college education, I can attest that any little bit of funding helps for a student. I’m glad my note was able to show Michelle’s friends and family how much of an impact she had on my career and education. I am lucky to have been her true first “scholarship” recipient!
Heather Heitman
Posted September 8, 2011
With Heather Heitman’s permission (I removed company names) I would like to include the below note as well as a testimonial on rememberingmichelle.org. This note serves as an inspiration for WHY we decided to honor Michelle with the scholarship. Heather was fortunate as she didn’t just get the scholarship in name, but the opportunity to learn directly from Michelle. I view her as the “first” recipient who just GRADUATED!
Hi Jenny,
I was Michelle’s intern. We worked closely together for two years, in which time I got to know her very well. She spoke of you on numerous occasions, so as I was thinking of Michelle, I thought I would reach out to you. I know you were best friends, and I was not able to make it to the funeral due to circumstances beyond my control, so I never got to express this in person to her loved ones.
Michelle had a big impact on me in terms of my career. I started working with her in January 2008, not long after she married Jon. I was a junior in college and I knew nothing about tax. Michelle really took me under her wing, taught me and mentored me. She didn’t have to do any of that, but she did. I learned a lot from her and respected her. She even went to bat for me on more than one occasion to try to get me a full-time position in her group, actually. When she first got sick, I was one of the few at work who knew. We were able to talk as more than co-workers, but also as friends. She gave me advice personally and professionally, and I tried to do the same when I could. Her and I are a lot alike actually. I really looked up to her.
I left mid-December last year to pursue my masters, which was right before she found out the cancer came back. She wanted me to work with her again after I finished school. That was the last time I saw her, but we did speak on the phone once or twice after that and texted. I knew it was more important for her to focus on her family at that point, but I never really got to tell her just how much I appreciated her and how much she influenced me. I actually sent her a card the Friday before she passed away, but I don’t think she got it in time.
I know we were not close outside of work, but after spending day after day working together in close capacity, I really got to know her. So I guess I just wanted to say that she had an impact on me. She influenced my career. I know my career and life would be different if Michelle hadn’t been my supervisor. I was lucky to have her to learn from.
I recently got a full-time job offer in public accounting and she would have been one of the first people I would have told. I think of her often as I’m accomplishing all of these career goals we had discussed. So when I saw her pop up on my Facebook tonight to “reconnect,” it made me miss her again. I hope you know how much she appreciated you, as it was obvious to me just in the way she spoke of her life.
I hope this wasn’t an inappropriate message to send since we don’t know each other, but I just wanted those close to her to hear of how she positively influenced at least one person’s life. I will continue to keep her family and friends in my prayers.
Thanks for listening,
Heather Heitman