At the Mirror News, we regard it as a responsibility of the highest caliber to not just keep the students of Henry Ford Community College up-to-date regarding the happenings on campus, but to also highlight some of the amazing things achieved by people affiliated with the school. One such person is Regina Foster, a warm and charming woman who recently received an associate degree in business from HFCC, and who continues to take classes here as part of a “3-and-1” program. The program allows resourceful students to spend three years at HFCC before transferring to a four-year university for the final year of a bachelor's degree (more on that next issue!).

Mrs. Foster is a wife, mother, entrepreneur, community activist, college student, and eternal optimist. Her list of achievements displays an overwhelming diversity: she has spearheaded the founding of both a committee in her Detroit neighborhood and an event-planning company, all while maintaining grades that led to an associate degree –with honors—this past May. The work she has done in her local community has seen grants awarded to the elderly and disabled to maintain their homes, as well as an internship with the Detroit mayor's office that spanned two summers.

Foster tries to make a difference wherever she goes, in whatever way she can, and has brought that attitude with her to the HFCC campus. She works with two of the school's organizations, the Ice Carving Club and Students of the Business World, and serves both as a public relations officer. When she sought, and won, a co-op position two years ago, the school placed her with Chef Teeple in the hospitality department. The appointment went so well that Teeple has kept her on—and even utilized the experience she gained from her community involvement to aid in drafting special legislation regarding HFCC’s Fifty-One O One Restaurant.

Any listing of her impressive undertakings pales in comparison to the woman herself, however. She is a warm, charming and, most importantly, humble woman who takes little notice of how amazing she is. At the same time, rather than calling any attention to her own efforts and their considerable worth, she deflects praise to those who have helped and mentored her along the way.

Foster gives a review of Chef Teeple that is nothing less than glowing, and ticks off a list of the professors who have been most influential to her, specifically naming “Seneske, Deska, and Childress,” when it is mentioned that she graduated with honors.

Regina will continue her studies, and hopes to ultimately find a fulfilling job that will allow her to be of service to people. It's hard to believe she would ever settle for anything less than helping people and, with such a radiant and resourceful personality, it is in everyone’s best interest that she doesn't.

(On a personal note, meeting and speaking with Regina was a gift from the higher-ups, and I'd like to thank her for brightening a gloomy autumn day. We all wish you the best of luck and, please, don't ever stop flashing that smile.)