Chanel Hargrave-Murry

Tell us about the career path that led you to your current job.

After I left ICC, I did not start my career off right away, I was trying to navigate my way out of the situation I was in at the time. Thanks to Ms. Arnitra and her then Husband Douglas Shaw, I was saved from being homeless. From there, I enrolled in online classes and continued my journey of receiving my PhD within the next 10 years.

How did ICC shape your future or help you attain your professional goals?

I chose this path because my heart has always been with helping and assisting the community. When I first moved to Peoria, I was a single mother of two and was not in the best of positions. If it wasn’t for the support of some of the staff at ICC, I could have easily become homeless. I want to be able to be a bridge for families like this and to be able to work as a Director at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Peoria, I have that space to operate in that way. Besides being able to create fun experiences for the children who attend, I also have access to helping the families of our members as well as families in the community.

How did ICC shape your future or help you attain your professional goals?

ICC helped shape my future by having staffed some of the most amazing mentors and teachers who have assisted me on my way.

What advice would you give current students at ICC to succeed?

My most current advice would be to never look at your situation that you may be in now as one that is set in stone. There is no obstacle too large and or hard that you cannot overcome. Ask for help and then use that help to get you to the next stage of your life, and never forget to pay it forward afterwards.