From Ministry to Mentorship: ShaRhonda’s Path in Early Childhood Education
Published October 14, 2025 as a part of the Career Exploration Tool: Stories from the Field series. This series of stories brings to life the many pathways members of Michigan’s early care and education field have taken to achieve their goals, nurture their interests, and achieve success.
For ShaRhonda, the seeds of a meaningful career in early childhood education were planted in her church’s Children’s Ministry. After years of volunteering, she discovered a love for working with young children—igniting a passion that would evolve into a deeply impactful profession.
Though she initially imagined a path working directly with children, ShaRhonda’s career has taken shape through a broader lens: supporting and counseling the early educators who shape young lives every day. She began her journey in nonprofit organizations, designing educational programs for children and families. That experience sparked a deeper interest in the systems that support educators—and led her to her current role as a Program Specialist at the Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children (MIAEYC).
Today, her work focuses on guiding early childhood professionals through higher education opportunities, including the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® scholarship program. She finds joy in helping new educators get started and feels a deep sense of purpose when she sees their excitement upon receiving support to pursue their goals.
While caseload management can be challenging, it’s also one of the most rewarding aspects of her job—because behind every file is a future teacher, a child’s caregiver, a community leader. ShaRhonda knows that by supporting educators, she is helping to shape the quality of care children receive and strengthening families along the way.
This work has expanded her sense of empathy and patience. It’s also taught her to be highly adaptable—adjusting her routines and mindset to best meet the needs of those she supports. Through professional development opportunities, conferences, and certification programs, she continues to grow in her knowledge of both early childhood education and higher education systems.
ShaRhonda brings a strong academic foundation to her role, with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s in Early Childhood Education, along with multiple related certifications. Her background allows her to connect meaningfully with the educators she supports, and to understand the realities of both teaching and navigating professional pathways.
To someone just starting out, she offers heartfelt advice: “Give yourself grace. It’s okay not to have everything figured out right away. Find a mentor—someone who can offer guidance, advice, and encouragement.”
ShaRhonda believes this field is incredibly versatile, offering countless ways to make an impact—from teaching in the classroom to providing behind-the-scenes support. Her wish is that more people understood how truly rewarding the work is. “I have the privilege of helping educators grow into more knowledgeable teachers,” she says, “which means better care for children and stronger support for families.”
Whether in a classroom, a nonprofit, or now a state-level organization, ShaRhonda has carried one thing with her through every role: a deep commitment to lifting others up. And in doing so, she’s become a quiet force for change in early childhood education—one educator, one scholarship, one conversation at a time.