When you hear Kevin Moody talk about Kids’ Chance scholarships, you might think you were listening to a seasoned financial advisor. “Kids’ Chance scholarships realize a high return on investment,” he says. “A family tragedy doesn’t take away a student’s potential. Kids’ Chance makes it possible for students like me to accomplish great things.”
One of the first Kids’ Chance of Massachusetts scholarship recipients, Kevin is a 2024 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science. He earned Dean’s List honors every semester and graduated with a 3.7 GPA, all while serving as the student manager of the men’s lacrosse team, heading up graphic design for a student-run company and working part-time in sports media.
Kevin’s college education was barely underway when he lost his father to a workplace accident.“I was almost to the end my freshman year – just about a week away from finals– when I learned that my dad died,” he recalls, noting that it was April 2021, when the world was still coping with the pandemic crisis. “He had been repairing HVAC equipment when he fell, about 20 feet, from an air handler.”
Kids’ Chance supported the last two years of Kevin’s undergraduate education, helping to launch a highly promising career. He is nearly one year into a two-year leadership development program at aerospace and defense giant RTX. “The program is great for giving you exposure to different industries and jobs, so that you can learn where you fit in,” he explains. “A lot of the assignments are very high-level, involving managing people and projects.”
In addition, Kevin is pursuing a master’s degree in electrical engineering at the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Scott Graduate School at Penn State. He feels in many ways that he is following in his dad’s footsteps. “Dad liked fixing things,” Kevin continues. “He worked in facilities maintenance at several sites in and aroundBoston, including Grace Chapel, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, andCenter Plaza. I like fixing things too, but in a different way. I like to be the guy who comes up with solutions.”
The oldest of three, Kevin is leading the way for his siblings. They are also Kids’ Chance scholars. “My brother is at USC, majoring in information science,” he says. “He is in the U.S. Navy ROTC and will commission in as an officer when he graduates. My sister is in her first year at Baylor University in Texas. She is considering a degree in nursing.”
Along with the demands of career and graduate study, Kevin has signed on to become a Kids’Chance National Student Ambassador. It is a big commitment, but one that he welcomes. “I want to spread knowledge about Kids’ Chance, not just from the lens of helping students who have had bad events in their lives,” he points out. “My story shows how successful we can be, despite that. I especially want to show donors that a gift to Kids’ Chance isn’t charity; it’s an investment in something much bigger.”
Someday,Kevin hopes he can be a major donor to Kids’ Chance, but for now he is happy to contribute his time and his story. “Even though I am just starting out, I can be a champion for Kids’ Chance.”
