“It’s not about the accolades that you earn. It’s about inspiring those around you to do better. It’s your job to uplift people.” Link alum, Jeremiah McElroy ’08, recently updated us on what he’s been doing since graduating Link. Jeremiah attended Immaculate Conception High School before going on to get his ABA (Associates of Business Administration) from Essex County College. Currently, Jeremiah is working towards getting his bachelor’s degree in Accounting in the coming years. He noted that Link not only prepared him for high school, but also for college. When attending Immaculate Conception High School, he noticed that “all of the students who came from Link were placed in the top math classes.” The skills that Jeremiah learned at Link, carried through to the college level.
Outside of academics, Jeremiah continues to live Link’s Core Values each day. Specifically, he has found a passion for serving his community. Jeremiah, a Newark resident, has begun to serve the homeless population around Lincoln Park. He stated that “there are always people asking for food and money. I was tired of seeing the same issues with little to no change. I wanted to do more than just give the change that I had in my pocket; I wanted to do something bigger that would have a lasting impact.” This is how Jeremiah got the idea to hand out breakfast platters to those experiencing hardships. The first time he set out to serve the community in this way, he fed over 60 people. As friends and neighbors learned of his service, they began to gather donations to support his efforts. The second time Jeremiah served breakfast, he fed over 100 individuals. He said that his goal is to continue to grow and help more people in his community.
“I was surprised that Link wanted to reconnect with me. I wasn’t in the top of my class and I got in trouble a lot; but, I did something small and made a lot of people, including myself, proud.” Jeremiah is and continues to be a great role model for our current students and alumni.
