Frederic: MCC was the best experience – hands down
Sara Jurney Frederic's journey from Meridian Community College to her current position as director of development for Mississippi State University's College of Arts and Sciences is a testament to her determination, perseverance, and commitment to public service.
Born and reared in Amory, Frederic grew up in her grandparent's restaurant, Tony's Café, in Aberdeen. "At the age of 11, I knew I wanted to be in some type of public service role because I love interacting with people from all walks of life, and I learned at a young age we are all different, but the greatest gift is meeting everyone where they are and embracing those differences to promote positive change," she said.
When it came time for her to choose a college, Frederic came to MCC in 2004; she was awarded a full scholarship to play for the Lady Eagles Soccer team. But she didn't just excel on the field. She was president of the College's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international academic honor society, and a sophomore homecoming maid. Before graduating with her associate degree in Broadcast Communications in May 2006, Frederic was presented with the Outstanding Broadcasting Award in her sophomore year.
Attending MCC was the best decision she's made, Frederic said. "It led me to where I am today. It is where I made a whole new group of lifelong friends and met my husband. When I reflect on my college years and get asked which years I would do over again, it was my time at MCC – hands down.”
Frederic earned a bachelor of arts in communication, an MBA, and a master's degree in sports administration, all from Mississippi State. "When I graduated with my bachelor's degree in 2008, the housing market crashed, which led me to earn two master's degrees before taking a position at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi." There, she worked for five years, starting in the customer service area for a little under a year, then promoted to the communication specialist role for provider networks and winding up as a strategic projects and communication project manager.
Changing gears directed Frederic on a different career journey. “Sometimes that different path leads to even more opportunities and still links back to your initial goals," she said, adding, “Sometimes those crossroads take you down a new path of opportunities that make you more confident, compassionate, and empathetic to make you even stronger throughout your career."
In August 2016, Frederic returned to Starkville and began her current position at MSU. “I'm blessed to say that I have the opportunity to work with another incredible team," she noted in her job securing gifts to continue the growth of the College of Arts and Sciences. "Every single gift, from the largest to the smallest, means that someone took time out of their day to give to a stranger – whether it was a student or faculty member – someone gave to promote academic excellence expecting nothing in return," she said.
Frederic also notes that if it weren't for MCC, she and her husband's paths would not have crossed. "Stephen is a native of Hurley – on the coast, and I was from Amory, up north," she said. The two met at MCC, where he was a member of the Eagles Soccer team. They both transferred to MSU to continue their academic studies. "We lived down the road from one another, then a couple of years later, we started dating," she said. They married in 2012.
The couple have two daughters, Ollie Christine, 9, and Ella Cambre, 3.
Frederic described herself as a Christian, wife, mother, friend, and advocate for those in need: "I try to be a voice for the voiceless, and I am a hopeless optimist," she said.
Frederic added, "My favorite word is ‘why.' I love strategizing and collaborating with our team and learning new things so that I'm constantly growing and evolving as a development officer and trying to help make a positive change for my family and friends."
To learn more about MCC alums, visit meridiancc.edu/alumni.