Do It Scared
In Avery Murphy’s home, education is prized. His mom is a teacher, and many relatives are professors or hold PhD's.
It was natural, then, that after high school, Avery enrolled in college. After all, that’s what everyone said to do. Back then, he thought nursing would be his path. But turns out, nursing didn’t fit. So he left.
Leaving school didn’t sit well with Avery. It made him feel out of sync with his family. He knew that leaving school was not because of a lack of intellect. Afterall, he was an extremely curious person.
As a kid, he’d pry open gadgets to see how they worked. One such experiment stands out. He was in middle school, and he got fascinated with his mom’s cell phone charger. He thought to himself, “How does this thing work? What’s inside it?”
So he pried it open.
“I didn’t know much about electricity, stuck my finger in there and gave myself a bit of a shock. My mom was like, ‘Oh my goodness, what are you doing?’ But she understood my curiosity. I guess I needed a better understanding,” he laughs now.
But his curiosity didn’t stop there.
As an adult, he found himself working various lackluster warehouse jobs, and it was on the warehouse floor that something caught his eye.
He kept drifting toward the engineering bay where techs were keeping the robots used for picking, sorting and transporting goods running. He found himself asking questions, watching builds and repairs, and realized something.
He loved hands-on problem-solving.
Could this be his calling?
Maybe.
The thought snapped into focus on one particular occasion. He had called in sick on a new morning shift as an order picker. The next day, the hoops to return were high, and he found himself out of a job.
Newly engaged to be married and shaken, he sat with his fiance and said what had been building for years.
He wanted stability
meaningful work
and a path he could be proud of.
So he turned to his mentor for advice.
That’s when he discovered Detroit Reconnect, a program that covers tuition for adults like Avery seeking credentials to find a better job.
And just like that, the world of mechatronics was about to open to him!
Three years after finding Detroit Reconnect, Avery is set to complete his mechatronics certification from Wayne County Community College in December.
This time around, college clicked.
Why?
Because it is exciting to him. You can see it in his eyes.
He is quick to point out that, “The Mechatronics program at Wayne County Community College is a launchpad toward robotics, controls, even electrician work.”
Aside from the course content, what else has he enjoyed about the program?
It’s the atmosphere and the sense of community. Things like
smaller classes,
approachable faculty,
and a sense of shared purpose and struggle among other adult learners.
When he recently applied for graduation, staff poured out to clap and cheer; it caught him by surprise.
The finish line is close, and his confidence has changed shape: “I think more highly of myself now. I never thought I’d be able to say I’m a college grad.”
He talks about work differently, too. He’s seeking roles that are concrete, future-proof, and purposeful, so he can support the family he and his wife are building and give his parents something to brag about.
“I get overwhelmed,” he admits, “when I do, I ask, ‘what can I knock off today?’” His wife’s mantra, Do It Scared, has become his operating system.
Avery's advice for anyone considering going back to school as an adult to build something better is clear.
“Start. Even if you’re scared. Take one day at a time. Find people who believe in you like a mentor, a spouse, classmates, a navigator. Let their belief steady you when the test, the work, or life itself feels like too much.”
It’s clear that his purpose grows with every step closer to graduation.
“I don’t need a Nobel Prize. I just want to contribute, and feel connected to what I build.”
Avery is one of fifty adult learners featured in Beyond the Degree: Stories of Adult Learner Comebacks and What They Teach Us. Read his complete story in his own words, in the forthcoming book from the Center for Academic Innovation. Coming soon.