From Survival to Thriving: Finding Your People at Le Moyne
When Keya Myers first came to Le Moyne in 2015, she wasn’t thinking about degrees, promotions, or long-term plans.
She just needed a job.
“I was in survival mode,” she says. “Work. Take care of my kids. Repeat.”
Today, she’s a staff member in the Grace Center, a sociology major with just seven classes left until graduation, and a homeowner building a future she once only imagined.
It didn’t happen because of a perfect plan.
It happened because she kept going.
It’s about finding your people, and believing you’re capable of more.
Starting Where You Are
Keya began her Le Moyne journey working in the cafeteria. What she remembers most isn’t the tasks.
It’s the conversations.
I loved being face-to-face with students. I feel like everybody needs an adopted auntie. A lot of these students are away from home. It’s nice to have someone here they can lean on.”
In those everyday interactions, something shifted.
As she recalls hearing once: “Something happens when you get up here. Once you find your people, it’s like a community you could dream of.”
She found hers.
Choosing More: One Class at a Time
Keya had already earned her associate degree. Going back to school while working full-time and raising children felt overwhelming.
So she made a simple decision:
One class at a time.
“Slow and steady wins the race,” she says.
Now, she’s just seven classes away from earning her bachelor’s degree in sociology.
Why sociology?
“I wanted to understand people — why they do what they do and how their environments shape them.”
But her biggest motivation lives at home.
“I can’t expect my kids to value education if they don’t see me doing it.”
From Surviving to Thriving
For years, Keya says she was just getting through the day.
Then she began asking herself deeper questions:
Why am I carrying this stress home?
Why does this bother me?
Is this really about me?
That shift changed everything.
The moment I realized I didn’t have to attach myself to every emotion, it got easier. A lot of things aren’t personal.”
She calls it becoming intentional.
Instead of surviving, she started thriving.
For the Student Who Wonders If They Belong
Keya knows what it feels like to start over.
She moved away from the environment she grew up in because she wanted something different for her children. She’s balanced work, parenting, and coursework. She’s navigated doubt and leaned on faith.
Her advice to students, especially those who feel uncertain about their path?
“You can do anything you put your mind to. You just have to do the work.”
And when faith feels small?
“I just ask for a mustard seed.”
Finding Your People
Keya believes one of the hardest things on a college campus is finding your people.
But once you do?
“It’s some amazing people here.”
Take a Deeper Dive
Inspired by Keya's Story?
Keya’s story reminds us that there’s no single timeline for success. Some students arrive knowing exactly where they’re headed. Others grow into it.
At Le Moyne, growth happens in classrooms, offices, dining halls, and quiet conversations.
And sometimes, it starts with simply showing up.
