Manor College Graduate Inspired to Help Others Heal

Olivia Morton (St. Hubert’s Catholic High School, Philadelphia) graduates from Manor College with her Associate’s Degree in Psychology.

The quiet isolation from sitting on the couch in a dark room pushed 16-year-old Olivia Morton to the breaking point. Two months earlier, Morton was sexually assaulted by her boyfriend.

Morton took time to heal, spending much of her time in a funk that altered everything from her mental state to her relationships with everyone. It wasn’t until she began working with her high school counselor that she began to find a path out of the darkness.

Over time, the counselor helped her see a larger vision of life – graduating high school and going to college.

“This isn’t the end,” Morton would tell herself. “I can’t pause life forever.”

But the most important thing the counselor did was to simply listen, Morton said.

“She didn’t ask me what happened, she just said, ‘I’m not here to judge you. Whatever happens in this room stays between the two of us,’” Morton said. “That stuck with me. Two weeks later, I ended up telling her everything.”

Now a senior at Manor College, Morton sees how her counselor’s ability to listen shaped her life. Morton graduates in May with her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with the goal of becoming a counselor.

“I want to be the person who would just listen for others and advocate for them the same way that she did for me,” Morton said.

Morton came out of her shell at Manor, and slowly began to recover and trust others around her. Jennifer Buechel, the Program Director of Psychology at Manor College, saw this growth first hand.

“In her first year, she consistently chose a seat in the very last row and would position herself behind her computer seemingly in an attempt to avoid attracting attention,” Buechel said. “Now, when I check in with her, she responds openly and without hesitation, which shows an amazing amount of personal growth and confidence in expressing herself.”

Morton left her shell so much that she became involved across campus as a multi-sport athlete and a Presidential Ambassador. Having a community behind her helped.

“When I got to Manor, I was really blown away with how kind everyone was,” Morton said. “Tamara Ellerbe was the first person I became friendly with, and she brought me out of my shell. I’m a stronger person now than I was before I met her.”

As she prepares to graduate, Morton believes it’s that community she’ll miss most.

“I’m going to miss the energy of everyone on campus,” Morton said. “There’s a family aspect to Manor. I’d walk in and people I’ve never seen before are smiling, wishing you ‘Good morning’ and saying ‘Have a good day.’ It just made my day.”