During her 40-year tenure at First State, Bernice M. Edwards has held a lot of positions. Her first, though, was as a neighborhood youth worker, helping individuals who dropped out of high school and wanted to earn their GED. First State is one of Delaware’s leading anti-poverty human service organizations, and this program is just one of a lengthy list of services offered.
Edwards is responsible for overseeing them all as executive director, but she’s used to juggling a lot. When she was 38, she decided to go back to college while also working full time and raising two kids with her husband. “I feel successful when I am doing something that I enjoy,” she says. “It’s more about creating partnerships and reaching people so I know I have built a life I’m proud to live.”
