When her elementary teacher took her to Niagara Falls, she was hooked. In addition, that same teacher inspired her to become a reporter. After graduating from WMU in 1993, she became a reporter. Her career as a reporter at the Akron Beacon Journal, Kalamazoo Gazette, and Battle Creek Enquirer, led to her receiving awards from the Michigan Press Association, Associated Press of Michigan, and Gannett New Service. In addition, she is an author and publisher.
Her love for history led her to discover 1927 WMU graduate Merze Tate, who also was the first African American graduate of Oxford University. After the discovery of Tate, Sonya started a travel club for girls based on a travel club Tate founded as a teacher in Indianapolis, Ind. Sonya took that concept of travel, and her love for writing, to create a unique learning experience for girls through the Merze Tate Travel Club in 2008.
Those in her program have traveled the world, and others have experienced things they never could have imagined. Today, the organization is an official non-profit, the Merze Tate Explorers. Sonya is on a mission to give girls the experiences of travel and career exploration that gave her the spark she needed to live out her own dreams.
Photo Caption: Girls of the Merze Tate Travel Club with several volunteers. Sonya is pictured in the front and center of the group.
The story was submitted by Sonya Bernard-Hollins. To share your own story or story idea, please visit MyWMU.com/MyStory.