Indiana University Northwest student Chauntilly McCrowley is able to follow her dreams of becoming a social worker thanks, in large part, to a once-complete stranger who shares her love of helping children, and wants to see the single mom of six succeed.

“I was blessed to meet someone who wants to support my dream,” McCrowley said. “She will never be a stranger to me. She is now my family.”

She is referring to Glorietta Dixon, the generous donor, IU alumna, and special education teacher who created a scholarship that McCrowley received to defray the cost of her education. Something that is extraordinarily impactful for a mother supporting the needs of her four children, and two foster children, while trying to pay her college tuition.

McCrowley and Dixon were recently introduced and the pair shared an instant connection. They both cheerfully give of themselves to see someone else thrive. One spent her career helping children and the other is working toward such a career.

“I believe that I have something very special to offer the youth of today,” says McCrowley, who currently works in the social service field as a mentor to children with behavioral problems and developmental disabilities.

Thanks to Dixon’s generosity, McCrowley will be able to maximize her positive influence on children when she receives her bachelor of social work degree, and hopefully not long after that, her master’s degree.

Dixon credits the giving spirit of her late husband as the impetus for creating an endowed scholarship, the Alpha and Glorietta Dixon Scholarship. Through the scholarship, Alpha’s support of the Boys and Girls Club can live on as preference is given each year to an applicant involved with the John W. Anderson Boys and Girls Club in Gary.

“I wanted to do all I could after he passed away to continue to help others,” Dixon said. “I knew I didn’t have much money but I do work so I use that money to help donate to the scholarship.”

McCrowley is grateful that Dixon made this choice, even with her own limited resources.

“To be able to sit next to that person who says, ‘hey, I don’t have a lot, but what I do have, I would like to give to you.’ That means a lot to me,” McCrowley said. “She could have done a lot of different things with her money, but she chose to help a student and that student happened to be me. I am very thankful and blessed for that.”

“It may not be a great deal of money,” Dixon continued, “but if it will help anybody to be encouraged enough to say ‘somebody out there who doesn’t even know me cares’’ maybe that will give them the inspiration to keep trying and stay in school. For many of us, the only way we get through college is by doing little by little. So every little bit helps. I figure it’s not much, but it might encourage somebody.”

McCrowley scoffs at her scholarship being described as “not much.” To her, it means the world, and that’s a lot. 

“It gives me the motivation to keep fighting.  To be able to say ‘Wow, somebody thought of me.’ It keeps me going.”

McCrowley looks forward to her turn to pay it forward.

“I can’t wait until I can bless somebody in the same way that I have been blessed,” she said.