Mia Taskey has returned to JMF from a teaching experience in Spain. As an Assistant to Programs, she is excited to be back “home” at JMF.
One of the most popular questions at the Joseph Maley Foundation is, “How did you come to JMF?” We all have different paths getting here, so I will start there.
I first heard about this wonderful place from Board Member Kate Johnston (yes, I am calling you out if you are reading this, Kate!). Kate was my Spanish professor at Franklin College and approached me about possibly pursuing an internship with JMF. We reached out to Executive Director Vivian Maley about the opportunity, and I first experienced the beauty that is JMF in January 2016. On that first day, I was so nervous I was practically shaking because I didn’t quite know what to expect. Little did I know I would be working in one of the most loving, accepting places with some of the best people I would ever meet.
After interning in January, I couldn’t quite pull myself away from JMF, and I interned again after graduating from Franklin College in May 2016. I worked on curriculum for schools, helped with JMFitness, and translated certain documents into Spanish, among other things.
My life took an exciting turn in August 2016 when I left JMF to teach English in Madrid, Spain. I had so many people send me love and support before I left and while I was away–friends, family, JMF staff and supporters! I could not have done it without them, and I am forever grateful to each of them for seeing me off on my big adventure.
I enjoyed teaching abroad; I taught English and science to 2nd-graders. It was a life-changing, mind-opening experience to say the least. I had the option to stay for another year, but the whole time I was away I couldn’t get JMF out of my head. Half of my heart wanted to stay in Spain, but the other half was telling me to go home and back to JMF. I didn’t know when I first stepped through those doors as an intern just how much JMF would positively affect my life. Vivian and I kept in touch while I was away and we discussed the option of coming back to work full time, and here I am.
I am so happy to be back and so excited to officially be working here. I started the first week of August, and the first time I walked in I was greeted with hugs and smiles…it really felt like I was coming back home.
My current role at JMF is working as Assistant to programs such as Junior Board and HOPE. I have learned a lot over the past month and look forward to what this year holds. I would say that my goal for this year is to learn as much as possible about the Foundation and to really get to know the people we serve. I can be a bit of an introvert, so I’m looking forward to being in situations where I meet more people and learn about their own paths to JMF. There’s really no other place like this one, and I feel so lucky to be a part of the family!
Post written by:
Mia Taskey
Assistant to Programs