Real Stories - Reyna and Morcine

Big Sister Morcine helped Reyna turn dreams of college into reality.

As a freshman, Reyna talked of going to college to become a physician’s assistant. Despite solid grades, she faced the challenges of being a first generation college-bound student. Her mom contacted Big Brothers Big Sisters so Reyna could get the guidance and direction she needed.

Morcine was exasperated with the tragic lives of so many inner-city Milwaukee girls. She wanted to keep one more girl from slipping through the cracks, and she chose Big Brothers Big Sisters to make a difference.

Morcine and Reyna’s lives intersected in January 2007. From the start of their match, Morcine was dedicated to helping Reyna unlock her academic potential and get to college.

“I was saying I wanted to go to college but not doing anything about it,” Reyna said. “Morcine helped me focus on grades and pushed me to do better. She motivated me to get out and find opportunities.”

The two visited college campuses and investigated financial aid options. With Morcine’s encouragement, Reyna enrolled in a week-long health education seminar at Mount Mary College, her first experience away from home. Later Reyna pursued an opportunity at the Medical College of Wisconsin and also participated in a two-month healthcare volunteer program in Paraguay. With each experience, her dream of college and a medical career became more real.

This fall, Reyna will attend Howard University in Washington, D.C., with plans to become a doctor. She credits Big Sister Morcine with helping her get there and wants to pay it forward by becoming a mentor later in life.

“Reyna is like a diamond being polished and refined,” Morcine said. “She always had the raw capabilities; she just needed someone to help her develop them.”