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As a student, Jerry Reynolds, B.A. 2002, learned how to manage a crisis firsthand. Jerry was the tour guide coordinator in undergraduate admissions during the fall of his senior year — the same year as the 9/11 terror attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. Five years later, this CUA alum would put these same skills to use responding to and managing a community development program after Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast.
A native of the Detroit area, Jerry came to CUA with ambitions of making a difference. Through his internships as a social work student, Jerry knew what it was like to challenge social problems and have hope. After graduating from CUA in 2002, Jerry enrolled in a social work master's program at the University of Michigan, where he interned with the Archdiocese of Detroit. After graduation, he moved to Mobile, Ala., where he facilitated student-led social justice and service efforts at Spring Hill College. When Hurricane Katrina came, he knew he had to do more.
Jerry took a position with the Enterprise Corporation of the Delta (ECD), a community development financial institution responsible for assisting thousands of families on the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina. As a program officer, he helped business owners, community organizations and individuals by implementing loan programs. When the state of Mississippi released its federal grant program, Jerry took on a new leadership challenge. He was promoted to financial counseling supervisor, as ECD seized the opportunity to assist thousands. To date, he and his team have been part of a $300 million-effort that puts funds into homeowners' hands so they have the means to rebuild. As financial counseling supervisor in Jackson County, Miss., Jerry leads a team of financial counselors who provide low income grant recipients with the tools for successful recovery. These services include helping families navigate financial obstacles (such as job loss and poor credit), the construction process, referrals to nonprofit partners and volunteer groups, as well as helping them avoid foreclosure. He has lived out his faith responding to community challenges and empowering both his staff and clients to never give up, even in the face of disaster.
Who will be the next featured alum?
It could be you!
Click here to submit a profile for consideration. Each entry must contain a brief biography and a high-quality digital portrait. You can even nominate yourself! Alums selected for an Alumni Spotlight will be profiled in future issue of The Cardinal Alumni Association e-Newsletter, and will be notified in advance of the article's publication. |
