A New Canvas: After 30 Years in Finance, Meredith Coffey Finds Purpose Through Art—and Gives Back 

After a successful 30-year career in finance, Meredith Coffey found herself drawn to something she quietly pursued all along: creativity. “Throughout my career, I always tried to jam creativity into my job, whether it fit or not,” she said. “I think there was always that desire to do something else—or something in addition to my job.”  

Now a student in Montgomery College’s associate of fine arts program, Meredith is charting a new path shaped by artistic passion, intellectual curiosity, and a desire to keep growing.

Her return to the classroom began unexpectedly during the pandemic. Like many people rethinking priorities during that time, she enrolled in a casual art class. What started as curiosity quickly became something more meaningful. “I realized in the middle of that, I entered a flow state,” she said. “I was like, wow, I could really get into this.” 

That realization led her to the College’s Rockville Campus, where she immersed herself in drawing, sculpture, design, painting, and art history courses. Re-entering school after decades in the workforce came with surprises, but not the ones she expected.

“I was amazed at how supportive people were of each other—not cliquish at all,” she said. “That was eye-opening and very gratifying. I did not get a sense of competition from the other students. It seemed much more cooperative and congenial than what I remembered.” After spending three decades in what she described as a “competitive industry,” the collaborative atmosphere was refreshing.

Three things impressed Meredith about Montgomery College: the quality of instruction, the engagement of students, and the College’s commitment to student success. “The level of instruction and teaching in the Art Department was about as good as I’ve had in my bachelor’s and master’s programs,” she said. She also admired the seriousness of her classmates. “These were not people phoning it in,” she said. “The questions asked in class, the conversations between class—it was really pretty remarkable.” Beyond the classroom, the College’s investment in students through Mobile Market food assistance, transfer support, and career resources struck a chord with Meredith.

Her experience inspired her to support Montgomery College philanthropically through an unrestricted gift to the Montgomery College Foundation. “I wanted to make sure they had money to continue doing what they’re doing,” she said. “The College knows what they need more than I do.” 

Though Meredith plans to pursue a bachelor of fine arts after Montgomery College, she is in no rush to leave. Despite earning enough credits to transfer soon, she plans to continue taking classes because she wants to deepen her experience, particularly in painting. “Montgomery College has more classes I want to take,” she said. “I feel like I can deepen my experience.”

For Meredith, returning to school has been both energizing and transformative. “It’s been amazing,” she said. “I feel stretched in ways I have not felt stretched in a decade.” And for anyone hesitant to pursue a new passion later in life, she offers simple advice: “If you have a passion or even an interest you want to explore, you’re never going to be younger than you are today,” she said. “So today’s the right day to try it.”