MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — A group of fall 2024 graduates from Middle Tennessee State University’s College of Education were given nearly two dozen books for their first classrooms to honor the memory of a late alumna.

Cassidy Cares: Bookmarked from Heaven is a family project started four years ago in memory of Cassidy Adair Ganey, who died three weeks after graduating summa cum laude from the program in May 2018. The 25-year-old had secured a position as a kindergarten teacher and her 5-year-old daughter, Piper Ganey, would be joining her in the fall.

“In the midst of their grief, Cassidy’s family, particularly her mother Shirley Vaughn and daughter Piper, sought a meaningful way to honor her memory,” said Shannon Harmon, associate professor in the Department of Elementary and Special Education who works within the K-5 Elementary Education Residency 1 Program.

Harmon said she and Vaughn discussed the best way to create something that would not only memorialize Ganey, but also actively support and inspire other educators as well as be tangible to Piper in a way that she could participate.

“Shortly after our tragic loss, our family needed to find purpose to our pain,” Vaughn told the 26 elementary education graduates who gathered for a presentation by Ganey’s family a few days before fall commencement. “It is through this project that we can give purpose to our loss and create beauty from ashes.”

During the presentation, Vaughn talked about her daughter’s journey into education, her life’s passions and love of teaching.

“She impacted many lives during her short lifetime, and we hope to continue that legacy with this project,” Vaughn told the graduates.

Twice each year — in December and May — Ganey’s family donates new and gently used books for MTSU College of Education graduates. Over the years, the family has collected more than 6,000 books that are distributed to new educators.

Vaughn said her family knows how expensive it can be for teachers to equip their classrooms with books.

“It’s a beautiful, tangible way of continuing Cassidy’s passion for education and supporting the next generation of teachers,” Harmon said.

Jacob Cooper, an elementary education major who graduated from the program in December, said he is “forever grateful” for the gift of books.

“Receiving those books meant so much to me and my students. As a new teacher, getting books for your classroom library is expensive,” Cooper said. “It meant so much that I was able to receive so many amazing literacy pieces that offered a wide variety of interests for the students. Hearing of Cassidy’s life and the legacy that her parents have carried was so heartfelt and powerful. The Cassidy Cares program is amazing.”

Ganey’s family also shares a video created in her memory. Watch the video:

Donations to the project are accepted year-round. Connect with the Facebook group for Cassidy Cares: Bookmarked From Heaven. You can also visit the Amazon wish list for Cassidy Cares to find a list of books that can be purchased and sent to the family for donations to graduates in May and December.

—  Nancy DeGennaro (Nancy.DeGennaro@mtsu.edu)