Jack Mierop, a life coach, is working to help the homeless
BY MEGAN MENDIBLES
– POSTED ON APRIL 29, 2015, in Daily Titan: Features
Certain homeless shelters in Orange County can add workshops that focus on well-being to the list of services provided, thanks to one Cal State Fullerton professor.
Jack Mierop, part-time lecturer for the department of Human Communication Studies and motivational speaker, is reaching a new audience at homeless shelters.
Since 2014, Mierop has provided semi-monthly life coaching classes at the Homeless Intervention Shelter and House in Placentia. More recently, Mierop presented his life coaching class at Colette’s Children’s House to mothers in Placentia.
The classes started after a former student, who currently works with the shelter, recommended Mierop come to the shelter to help give guests a new perspective.
“It goes anywhere from me teaching a lesson to us just talking about how their week went and the bad stuff that happens and how to process that … it’s almost like therapy,” Mierop said.
The economic crash in 2008 is what Mierop credits as the kickstarter for the creation of his website, JackUpYourlife.com, to promote himself as a motivational speaker. Also, as the start of the creation of his first book in 2013 titled, Becoming . . . .
Mierop has been a Titan since his days as an undergraduate and as a graduate student in the 90s at CSUF.
Jeanine Congalton, Ph.D., a human communication professor, still remembers Mierop from his time at CSUF. Congalton noted how his teaching style is what makes Mierop a “phenomenal“ professor.
“He pushes people and wants people to think. He understands why that’s important,” Congalton said.
Mierop recounted, how in graduate school, his fellowship program group would go out to dinner together.
“I thought, ‘why should we wait until grad school to do something like this?’, and have a relationship with your professor and be able to feel comfortable and be able to talk,” Mierop said.
It was [as] Mierop started teaching when he decided to employ the dinner setting to connect with students, calling it Dinner with Jack. Dinner with Jack consists of former and present students, their friends and family, all gathering together to eat and chat.
Mierop maintains a strong rapport with all of his past and present students through things like Dinner with Jack, with his Facebook group of over 300 just waiting for the next invite to dinner.
One of the most impactful Dinner with Jack moments for Mierop was when a student called on Mierop for much more than to be just a professor.
This student became close with Mierop after she shared with him a recent tragedy she had gone through. This student then attended a dinner and soon found that Mierop could help mediate problems with her roommates, as well.
Then one day, Mierop was invited to this student’s birthday party at her mother’s house.
“I walk into the room and the mother says, ‘We can’t thank you enough, you saved our daughter’s life’ … you can’t buy that … and that’s the most amazing thing,” Mierop said, starting to tear up.
Amanda Brown, freshman and current student of Mierop, appreciates all Mierop has to offer as a professor and confidante at CSUF.
“He is more involved in students life, he made me feel like he actually cared what was going on in our personal lives and made an effort to help us grow,” Brown said.
Mierop has maintained a daily presence on social media, through places like facebook and Instagram as well as other sites, to keep up with past and present students.
Mierop’s Instagram account [@jackupyourlife] is where he posts what he calls “daily considerations.” Mierop noted all pictures of quotes relate to how he feels that day.
Mierop recently spoke at a Personal Wellbeing Symposium at CSUF where he spoke about the importance of choosing now.
“You make a decision before an event happens whether you’re going to enjoy it or not … You could meet the person of your dreams, you could find the epiphany of your life that pushes you in a direction that you never thought was possible,” Mierop said.
For more helpful links, daily quotes and information check out Mierop’s website, Jackupyourlife.com.
Comments
Congrats to Jack Mierop on this wonderful article!
Jack… congrats. What a wonderful article!
~ Doug
This article is just the tip of the iceberg. Jack is so compassionate and caring. He is truly an amazing person and professor. I took one of his classes three years ago and he is still by far one of my favorite professors!
~ Destiney
Congrats, Jack!
“Phenomenal professor” is an understatement. The university and community are SO lucky to have you.
Had to share this for my CSUF friends and community. Shoutout to Jack Mierop. If you have a chance to take his class or visit a workshop, do so! You won’t regret it.
~ Keli
Jack
Very nice article about you and your work with homeless shelters on the front page of today’s “Daily Titan”!
Thank you for doing this good work, and congratulations on being recognized for that work in this article.
~ Ed
Very cool article – and I want to thank you for helping me break my fear for talking in front of a crowd – I use to get soooooo nervous –
~ Ronda
Yay Jack!! Way to go!!
~ Jen
