How Manor College’s SAFE Fund Helped Kimone Graduate

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Kimone Morris-Grey ‘22, ‘25 (Willow Grove) graduates with her Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Management.

Kimone Morris-Grey calls her native Jamaica “a servant country” with a “nurturing spirit.” People in the country focus on helping people in need and giving back to the community. This is the  spirit she carried with her when she immigrated to the United States in 2018. 

In 2020, while she was studying for her Associate’s Degree at Manor College, Manor’s community of caring donors stepped up for her. Morris-Grey worked as a Newborn Care Specialist but needed surgery and had to stop working. She wasn’t sure how she’d be able to afford the bills and continue going to college. 

Morris-Grey applied for help through Manor College’s SAFE Fund, a grant designed to help students by removing barriers to education while facing emergency hardships. Morris-Grey received the grant, allowing her to continue her education, eventually completing her Associate’s Degree in Healthcare Administration in 2022.

“This is how people at Manor are all the time,” Morris-Grey said. “When they say ‘we’re here to serve,’ it’s not just for show.” 

As a newborn care specialist, Morris-Grey spends odd hours helping families care for their infant children. She’s gone on weeks-long trips with families and does night calls, offering everything from lactation services to just being an extra set of hands. 

“When the baby is crying nonstop and you don’t know what to do, everyone is flustered,” Morris-Grey said. “I’m there to bring a sense of normalcy and calmness during that first week or first few months.” 

While Morris-Grey loves the job, the hours aren’t conducive to everyday life. Most days, she leaves her home in Montgomery County at 9 p.m. and returns at 7 the next morning. She and her husband are ships passing in the night, seeing each other only in an hour-and-a-half window.  

This month, Morris-Grey earns her Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Management. She plans on using the degree to normalize her life. 

“I want to have a family of my own one day and, if I do, I wouldn’t want to leave for work at night,” Morris-Grey said. “I want to step away from the hands-on work but still be able to feed my family comfortably. Maybe even have a business of my own.” 

Morris-Grey credits Manor College with giving her the pathway to make that transition happen while understanding the needs of a working student. 

“I know students want to attend a bigger school, but it’s about making smarter choices, finding a place that fits your holistic approach and that wants better for you, not just academically, but empowering you for real life,” Morris-Grey said. “You can see the hard work of their care. They walk the walk and talk the talk. That’s why I chose Manor – because they care.”

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