Jalisa Egues '21

When Jalisa Egues ’21 was in primary school, she never dreamed she would ever attend a school like Our Lady of Mercy – the opportunity seemed too far out of reach. Even though she had all the makings of a Mercy Girl, Jalisa felt Mercy was for “other girls, not me.” But in 2014, something serendipitous happened… she met Mercy alumna Maddie Quercia ’10. As a volunteer at Cameron Ministries, Maddie bonded with many of the children in its afterschool program. She saw the potential in Jalisa and focused her energies to fuel Jalisa’s dream of becoming a Mercy Girl.

Because of Maddie’s initial push – and the continued support of her family and teachers, her church, Cameron Ministries, and generous Mercy scholarship donors – Jalisa is thriving at Mercy. The girl who once only saw Mercy through its web site now sits atop its honor roll, is a fierce competitor in sports, and commits her free time to helping others. With true compassion in her heart, Jalisa routinely donates her clothes and possessions to others in need. She volunteers at Cameron Ministries, and is making plans for a ministry trip to Nicaragua.

Jalisa now has a new dream…and it’s a big, bold, beautiful dream. Jalisa is going to be the first person in her family to graduate from a private high school (she’s on track to earn a summa cum laude diploma), attend an Ivy League college, and enter a career she loves. But most importantly, Jalisa is committed to giving a Mercy education to as many girls as she can. It’s clear to Jalisa and her family that she is not the same person she was before attending Mercy. She thanks God every day for her blessings… and for her friend Maddie.