Compassion for those in crisis

What drives one person to lead a positive and prosocial life and another person to lead a life of crime? It’s a question that has always fascinated Michele Squires ’02.

“I’ve always been interested in psychology and behavioral sciences,” Michele said. “What is it that influences people to go one direction versus another? I’ve always been fascinated with the answer to that question.”

Michele has continued to pursue that topic since graduating in 2002 with a degree in Criminal Justice from Mount Mercy University. In doing so, Michele has been enabled to follow a career path doing work that she finds most fulfilling—helping people feel more comfortable, heard, and understood. She currently serves as Chief Clinical Officer at an addiction treatment center in Memphis, Tennessee, and is the 2024 recipient of Mount Mercy’s Misericordiae Award as an alumni leader.

“I’ve always felt really drawn to people in crisis,” she said, “and really enjoy the role of helping people to find a solution.”

A native of California, Michele came to Cedar Rapids when her husband received a local job offer. An introductory criminal justice class at Kirkwood Community College piqued her interest in criminal justice, and a professor pointed her in the direction of the criminal justice program at Mount Mercy.

At 40 years old, she was not a traditional college student. As she dove deeper into her area of study, she soon found herself drawn more toward the rehabilitation and treatment side of her Criminal Justice degree.

“I was more fascinated with that side of the fence once I understood it more and saw that it could influence the direction of people’s lives” Michele said.

Looking back at her time at Mount Mercy, Michele appreciated the wisdom and support of the entire criminal justice department at the time, especially Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Deb Brydon, who encouraged her to pursue a master’s degree.

“I certainly felt more prepared after my education at Mount Mercy,” Michele said. “I really appreciate that.”

Since graduation, Michele has split time working for both nonprofit and for-profit organizations, helping individuals who have found themselves in less-than-ideal situations. Her first job was as a Halfway House Counselor for Heart of Iowa in Cedar Rapids, where she helped reunite families that were affected by addiction. At the same time, she earned a master’s degree (remotely) in criminal justice from the University of Cincinnati.

The job was a perfect fit, but when her husband was offered a new position, she moved with her family to Memphis, Tennessee — an area with one of the highest crime rates in the nation. The new city and different crime landscape gave her an opportunity to really plug into solution-based work and dive deeper into the root cause of these societal issues. Her work in Memphis has

included work as a Treatment Supervisor at a community corrections program; diverting individuals out of incarceration, Program Director at a large regional behavioral health hospital, Adjunct Professor at Memphis Theological Seminary where she developed an addiction-focused counseling curriculum, Clinical Director at a women’s addiction treatment center, and Executive Director of Chemical Dependency for a multi-hospital healthcare organization.

Since 2019 she has served as Chief Clinical Officer at First Step Recovery Centers, which provides free treatment for individuals with addiction and co-occurring disorders. Michele not only oversees clinical services, but she helps train and develop new counselors.

Reflecting on her work with people experiencing addiction and co-occurring disorders, Michele said “Meeting people in their pain and walking beside them is really the closest thing that I believe I have felt to God’s grace. Walking beside someone who is experiencing some of the most difficult moments of their life has been such an honor.”

“I’ve gained a lot of knowledge in my field... but there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t learn something new from the clients I serve. They really teach me about resiliency and hope, and I think that’s because I remain teachable. No matter how much you think you know, remain teachable.” — Michele Squires '02

Michele has been honored for her work and accomplishments in her chosen field. The year she graduated from Mount Mercy in 2002, she received the Mount Mercy Criminal Justice Award for Community Corrections. In addition, she won the Professional of the Year Award for the Tennessee Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (TAADAC) in 2015 and the Professional of the Year Award for the West Tennessee Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (West TAADAC) in 2020.

Looking back at her career, Michele urges today’s students to remain open and teachable throughout their lives.

“I’ve gained a lot of knowledge in my field, book knowledge and knowledge actually providing direct care to clients, but there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t learn something new from the clients I serve,” she said. “They really teach me about resiliency and hope, and I think that’s because I remain teachable. No matter how much you think you know, remain teachable.”

It’s an approach that has served her well through an accomplished career, and Michele appreciates Mount Mercy for laying the foundation for her success.

“Mount Mercy has really changed the whole trajectory of my life,” she said. “Personally, professionally, spiritually—all directions at once. I had no idea that it was going to do that, so I’m really grateful.”