06/02/2026
Back in March, Jeff was pulling into the Crosstown Concourse garage looking for a parking spot when he noticed a young woman walking out wearing a Serve901 t-shirt from a design we haven't used in years.
He stopped to say hello.
As it turned out, she was leaving and he was able to claim her parking spot. But before she drove off, they got to talking.
She shared that she had come to Memphis with Illinois State a few years ago. Then came the surprise: she's now an MTR Resident serving students in Memphis classrooms. And the first time she heard about Memphis Teacher Residency was at a Serve901 info session during her trip.
We had no idea.
Moments like this remind us why we do what we do. Every year, students come to Memphis to engage, serve, and learn. Most return home after a few days. But every now and then, someone discovers a calling, a city, and a community they can't quite shake.
Years later, they're still here—investing their lives in Memphis.
Sometimes all it takes is a chance encounter in a parking garage to be reminded that the story doesn't end when the trip is over.