MFA Student to Address Fellow Graduates at Queens Commencement

A native of Charlotte, Pamela Pompey MFA ’23 has a graduation story that ironically begins with her dropping out of high school when she was 17 years old. After an open and honest discussion with her mother, they came to a joint decision that would allow her to leave school to pursue other opportunities.

However, there was one condition that was non-negotiable, “My mother made me promise that one day, I’d continue my education and graduate,” said Pompey.

She found a job at the Charlotte Observer and in 1997 joined Grassroots Leadership, a nationally recognized civil and human rights organization working for social justice in communities of color.

She thrived at Grassroots and was encouraged to use her experiences and expertise to help the next generation of young people. She became an instructor and facilitator, mentoring youth of color. She worked there for over 10 years.

In the midst of working full time and mentoring, Pam and her wife raised a family of their own. Yet the unresolved promise to her mother was always in the back of her mind. At 40 years old, she fulfilled that promise by earning her GED.

At age 50 while working full time at Wells Fargo, she enrolled at Queens and took night classes in psychology.

“Queens was the place for me because they provided a space that nourished adult learners,” said Pam. “Their flexible schedules allowed me to have that college experience that I missed as a young adult, while working and raising a family.”

In 2020, she was accepted into the Queens Master of Fine Arts in creative writing program. The program would provide a life-changing opportunity to travel to Argentina with her wife and 14-year-old grandson.

“It was my first time leaving the country, but I was with faculty that I trusted and I’m so proud I did it,” she said. “It was invigorating to be in a new environment, and it inspired me to change my life in ways that I never expected.”

In January 2023, she completed her studies and earned her MFA. The next month would see another important milestone, her mother’s 90th birthday. With the help of her family – she’s one of six children – and Queens staff, Pompey organized a birthday celebration fit for a queen, at Queens.

“It was special to have my friends and family celebrate my mom in a place that was so important in shaping my life,” she said.

Pompey will deliver the invocation at Queens’ 164th commencement ceremony, an honor she holds close to her heart.

She is currently writing a pilot while simultaneously penning a memoir of her life. In addition to writing, she is also pursuing another passion, teaching. “One of my goals is to return to Queens as a professor someday,” she said. Until then, she has accepted a part-time faculty position in the English department at a local community college.

When asked what advice she’d give to the next generation, Pompey said, “Never underestimate the power of education. Focus on your dreams, and pick a school that helps you develop and nurture that dream.”