Moore Momentum: How a Student Turned a Setback into a Success

Nina Moore had spent her life caring for others. The mother of 10 and longtime health care worker was the person family, friends, and even strangers turned to when they needed help navigating life’s challenges. But in 2024, Nina found herself in a situation she never imagined—homeless, sleeping in her car while trying to stay enrolled at Montgomery College. 

After nearly 30 years in the medical field, Nina lost her job while balancing coursework and caring for her granddaughter with special needs. Around the same time, her family’s home was condemned after a sewage backup destroyed much of what they owned. Within weeks, their savings were gone. Her daughters split up to stay with friends, and Nina began sleeping in her car, often parking in well-lit lots at Montgomery College so she could access Wi-Fi and complete assignments late into the night. 

“I was ready to quit,” Nina said, overwhelmed by the weight of housing instability, financial strain, and the demands of school. At her lowest point, she sought help from the place she was struggling to stay enrolled—Montgomery College. 

Through her TRiO counselor and campus support staff, Nina connected with Katharine Campos, then a social resources program coordinator at the Rockville Campus’s Student Wellness Center, who helped coordinate emergency assistance through the Montgomery College Foundation. The Foundation paid for a hotel stay, provided food support, and later contributed $1,000 toward a security deposit. Just as important, Moore said, was the dignity she experienced throughout the process. 

“It wasn’t just the help—it was how they treated me,” she said. “They treated me with respect, with privacy. That meant everything.” 

That sense of dignity and support reflects a relationship Nina has built with Montgomery College over more than two decades. Since first enrolling in 2003, she has received multiple professional certifications while raising her family, including certified phlebotomy technician, certified nursing assistant, certified clinical medical assistant, and certified medical administrative assistant.  

She also earned several scholarships, including the Transitional Living Scholarship provided by Elizabeth Paull and Kathryn Paull Brown, which gives funds to students facing housing insecurity who have dependent children in the household; the Robert I. Schattner Foundation Scholarship, which prepares students for employment by providing funds for a workforce-oriented course as well as a career navigator; and the Sciences, Math, and Engineering Endowment, which helped support her long-term educational journey. 

Despite ongoing financial strain, Nina remained focused on her education. She earned her state certification as a community health worker and built a strong academic record, making the Dean’s List while navigating homelessness. With guidance from faculty and advisors, she adjusted her academic path to pursue a degree in general studies. 

Now preparing to graduate in May, Nina is looking ahead. She plans to transfer to a four-year institution and eventually launch a nonprofit focused on helping families stabilize their lives through housing, education, and health resources. 

“Montgomery College didn’t just help me stay in school,” she said. “They helped me keep going when I had nothing left. I finish what I start—and now, I’m finishing this.”