06/07/2008
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Staff photo by Joe Phelan
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Staff photo by Joe Phelanfrom the Kennebec Journal
BRACING FOR CUTS
Bull killed in Chelsea field; night hunting suspected
HALLOWELL Shea takes on role as interim manager
Vigil set for crash victim
WEST GARDINER CHARITY IN A SHOE BOX
Hartland man dies battling fire; 'no replacing him'
Brewers to make decision on Rogers
WINTER PRACTICES UNDER WAY
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Kennebec Journal
from the Morning Sentinel
Officials to brainstorm on energy
License probe leads to indictment
Fireman collapses at fire, dies later
Waterville, Winslow back school plan revision
SKOWHEGAN Pit stop reopens in spot next door
ADOPTION LAW TO TAKE EFFECT
Brewers must make decision on Rogers
Switching gears for new season
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Morning Sentinel
And before she embarks on her next life adventure in Manhattan, Kan., Mercy Palamuleni, 22, will offer some departing advice to Kents Hill School seniors as they graduate in a ceremony at the school today.
"I'll be just encouraging the students to have hope and to start working on their dreams," Palamuleni said. "Most of the time you don't produce your masterpiece at the last hour."
A native of Malawi, Palamuleni never expected she would have the opportunity to be educated in the United States. She is the youngest of nine children and her mother, Palamuleni said, was reluctant to let her travel across the world.
But as a student at the Lilongwe Girls School in Malawi's capital, Palamuleni met Thomas Holland and Josette Huntress Holland when they spent a year teaching in the African nation.
"She kept asking questions and she was the only one," Huntress Holland said of Palamuleni. "Already, she was an outstanding student."
The former Kents Hill School staff members soon began pressing to send Palamuleni to Kents Hill. Her boarding school principal agreed Palamuleni should not pass up the opportunity, and Kents Hill staff members made arrangements so she could enroll at the 230-student private school.
"I was excited," Palamuleni said of the pending adventure.
Huntress Holland said Palamuleni asked her before she came to Maine "if snow hurt."
She arrived at Kents Hill her sophomore year, graduated in 2004 and earned a bachelor's degree in economics and mathematics from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., this spring.
In the fall, Palamuleni will move to Manhattan, Kan., to pursue a Ph.D. in economics at Kansas State University.
When she arrived at Kents Hill, Palamuleni said, she was overwhelmed by choices.
The student who was rarely allowed to step off her Lilongwe boarding school's campus could walk into a store and be mesmerized by the range of products. She could choose which classes to take with the help of an adviser. She could choose which sport to play; she settled on field hockey.
At Wake Forest, Palamuleni found she could take a range of classes before having to select a major.
"Even with the freedom, it comes with the burden of having so many choices to choose from," she said. "It was very difficult to make up my mind with so many choices."
Palamuleni was also accustomed to kneeling when speaking to elders.
She was surprised to learn making eye contact in conversation was encouraged.
"She was kind of quiet in the beginning," said Carol Heath, who coached Palamuleni on the field hockey team. "Quickly she came into her own."
Kents Hill teachers Jeff and Karen Munson became Palamuleni's legal guardians. Jeff Munson, who also taught Palamuleni in a physics class, noted her persistence as a student.
"She just kept at it and kept at it and kept at it," he said. "Nothing ever got her down. She worked harder than I've seen just about anybody work."
When it came time to think about college, Palamuleni said she felt welcomed at Wake Forest, and she was eager to explore a different region of the United States.
In addition, Huntress Holland and her husband had recently moved to Raleigh, N.C., located less than two hours away.
"Mercy's become a part of our family," said Huntress Holland, who was Kents Hill's dean of students.
As she prepares to move to Kansas, Palamuleni said, she will know no close friends.
"I feel like I need to grow up a little," she said.
After earning her Ph.D., Palamuleni said, she plans to return home to Malawi.
After all, she promised her parents she would return.
"I feel like my expertise, they are needed more in my country, where there aren't a lot of economists," she said. "I want to give back."
At first, the budding economist said she will teach. Later, she plans to enter politics.
"I want to be a voice for women," she said.
Matthew Stone -- 623-3811, Ext. 435
mstone@centralmaine.com
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