Micareer Resource Hub

10/12/2026

MiCAREER Educator Spotlight!

🌟 MEET AMANDA Fruchey! 🌟
📚 Literacy Coach/Reading Interventionist
Ovid-Elsie Area Schools
🎓 MiCAREER Candidate | Reading Specialist Certification | Central Michigan University

When asked what she values about rural education, Mandy shared:

💬 “I value working in a rural district because it provides the opportunity to develop strong, meaningful relationships with students and their families. Being part of a close-knit community allows me to better understand and support the individuals and families I serve."

💬 "I take great pride in contributing to its growth and well-being and in serving the community that I am personally a part of."

🌱 We’re proud to support educators like Mandy who are investing in their students, their schools, and their rural communities!

-Elsie Area Schools

10/08/2026

In case you wondered, the fall scenery on our trip to Marquette was gorgeous!

A special thanks to the upper peninsula superintendents for their hospitality and thoughtful conversation as we wrapped up our listening tour!

10/08/2026

REMINDER-
Applications due 10/30
Be the first winner from Michigan!

GRANT OPPORTUNITY:
$2500 to support a Place-Based Project in your classroom.
Listen to our interview with Taylor McCabe-Junke from the Rural Schools Collaborative for the details on this grant. (It also include a $500 honorarium for the teacher applicant if you are awarded the grant!
If you want to talk through an idea, the MiCAREER staff and mentors are here to support you!
**The Rural Schools Collaborative builds sustainable rural communities through a keen focus on place, teachers, and philanthropy.
Make sure to apply at https://ruralschoolscollaborative.org/pro.../grants-in-place
or [email protected]

The Rural Schools Collaborative builds sustainable rural communities through a keen focus on place, teachers, and philanthropy.

10/06/2026

🚗🍂 **UP, here we come!** 🍂🚗

Kathryn & I are hitting the road and heading north to the **MASA Conference in Marquette!** 💙

We’re excited for the chance to connect with our partners at NMU, catch up with the many Upper Peninsula superintendents we’ve had the privilege of working with over the past couple of years, and introduce MiCAREER to those who may be hearing about us for the first time!

This trip is also a chance to wrap up our summer work of **elevating rural voices** and continuing the conversation about how we can bring greater equity and opportunity to teachers and learners in rural districts across Michigan. 🌲📚🍎

And, if you know me, you know I’m **VERY excited about one other thing… FALL COLORS!** 🍁🍂😍

Northern Michigan friends — **what are we going to see north of Mt. Pleasant?!** Are we too early for the really good stuff, or are we about to hit peak color? Tell me where we should keep our eyes peeled for the best views! 👀🍁

**Road trip + MiCAREER + the UP + fall colors = a pretty great work week!** ❤️💛

10/01/2026

MiCAREER Educator Spotlight!
🌟 MEET Maiya Merrick! 🌟
📚 4th Grade Teacher | Delton Kellogg Public Schools
🎓 MiCAREER Candidate | Central Michigan University

Seeking Special Education Cognitive Impairments certification

Maiya said:
💬 “What I love about MiCareer is it is giving me an opportunity to continue to grow as an educator while bringing that knowledge back to my rural school community. The scholarship is not only an investment in my education, it is an investment in my students and our school community. "

🌱 We’re proud to support educators like Maiya who are investing in their students, their schools, and their rural communities!

09/28/2026

MiCAREER Educator Spotlight!
🌟 MEET Samantha Wright! 🌟
📚 GSRP Lead Teacher | Lakeview, Michigan
🎓 MiCAREER Candidate | Central Michigan University
Samantha said:
💬 “One of the things I love about working in a rural district like Lakeview is the sense of community. There is a feeling that people know one another, support one another, and genuinely care about the students and families we serve. I appreciate that I am able to build meaningful relationships with my students, their families, and other staff members. In a rural district, the school really feels like part of the community, and I am proud to be a part of that."

🌱 We’re proud to support educators like Samantha who are investing in their students, their schools, and their rural communities!

09/24/2026

MiCAREER Educator Spotlight!

🌟 MEET Jerry Dailey! 🌟

📚 High School Special Education Teacher | Grant Public Schools
🎓 MiCAREER Candidate | Central Michigan University

When asked what he values about his time with MiCAREER, Jerry shared:

💬 The highlight of my time with MiCAREER was getting the support I needed to go back to college for my master's degree, directly bettering myself as an educator for my students. What makes working in a rural district so great is the close community—as a high school special education teacher, I get to walk alongside these young adults during their most critical transition years. Earning my master's allows me to design personalized pathways for each student, ensuring they step out of high school confident and fully prepared for post-secondary education, employment, and adult life.

🌱 We’re proud to support educators like Jerry who are investing in their students, their schools, and their rural communities!

09/21/2026

MiCAREER Educator Spotlight!

🌟 MEET AMANDA WESSELS! 🌟

📚 4th Grade Teacher | Bad Axe, Michigan
🎓 MiCAREER Candidate | Eastern Michigan University

Amanda loves teaching in her rural community of Bad Axe—and she’s working toward her administrator credentials through MiCAREER while taking courses through Eastern Michigan University. 💙💚

When asked what she values about rural education, Amanda shared:

💬 “Rural education is rooted in strong community connections and relationships. MiCAREER has provided me with a valuable network of rural educators, along with resources and tools that strengthen and support my learning.”

She also appreciates the opportunity to learn from educators who understand the unique experiences of rural schools:

💬 “Through these connections, I am able to learn innovative techniques from others who understand the unique opportunities and challenges of rural education and bring those ideas back to my own school community.”

🌱 We’re proud to support educators like Amanda who are investing in their students, their schools, and their rural communities!

09/15/2026

Check out the new certifications page on our website!
It's a work in progress, but we are excited to share the new visual representation of our offerings.
(more changes to come)
-CMU
-EMU
-MSU
-NMU
-SVSU
-LSSU
-FSU
-U of M-Dearborn

Certification Directory Explore Online Certification Options Search and filter available certification pathways by certification area, university partner, or pathway type. This certification directory requires JavaScript to load the interactive data. Please use the downloadable certification list in...

09/09/2026

GRANT OPPORTUNITY:
$2500 to support a Place-Based Project in your classroom.

Listen to our interview with Taylor McCabe-Junke from the Rural Schools Collaborative for the details on this grant. (It also include a $500 honorarium for the teacher applicant if you are awarded the grant!

If you want to talk through an idea, the MiCAREER staff and mentors are here to support you!

**The Rural Schools Collaborative builds sustainable rural communities through a keen focus on place, teachers, and philanthropy.

Make sure to apply at https://ruralschoolscollaborative.org/programs/grants-in-place
or [email protected]