Mackenzie Fierceton ceased to have a relationship with her biological father after her parents divorced in the early 2000s and Morrison was granted custody.
21 Facts About Mackenzie Fierceton
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Mackenzie Fierceton attended Whitfield School, an exclusive private school in Creve Coeur, where annual tuition was almost $30,000.
3.
Mackenzie Fierceton achieved high grades and was active in student government, volunteering, and varsity sports.
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In September 2014 after disclosing Lovelace's abuse to her history teacher, who reported it to the state's child-abuse hotline, Mackenzie Fierceton sustained further injuries and was hospitalized.
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Mackenzie Fierceton alleged that Morrison, who had apparently learned of the report, confronted her daughter about it, pushed her down the stairs, and beat her.
6.
Mackenzie Fierceton was accepted at the University of Pennsylvania on a full scholarship, arranged through QuestBridge.
7.
At the University of Pennsylvania, Mackenzie Fierceton majored in political science and, concurrent with her undergraduate studies, joined a master's degree program in social work at Penn's School of Social Policy and Practice, intending to graduate with a master's degree a year after completing her undergraduate degree.
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In 2020 after suffering an epileptic fit in a basement of Penn's Caster Building, Mackenzie Fierceton campaigned to improve accessibility in the building.
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In November 2020, Mackenzie Fierceton won a Rhodes Scholarship to study for a DPhil on the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
10.
However, controversy soon emerged over how Mackenzie Fierceton's application characterised her childhood, after press coverage that referred to Mackenzie Fierceton's upbringing as "poor" was disputed by the father of one of her Whitfield contempories.
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At Penn, Mackenzie Fierceton was interviewed by interim provost Beth Winkelstein about her abuse and hospitalization.
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Mackenzie Fierceton believes it was likely sent by Morrison or one of her close relatives, because of the inclusion of childhood photos.
13.
In December 2021, Mackenzie Fierceton began legal action against Penn, accusing the university of retaliating against her for her involvement in the wrongful death lawsuit.
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Mackenzie Fierceton believes it had concluded it could not defend some of its actions in Fierceton's case in open court.
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Mackenzie Fierceton said she was strongly considering attending law school as a result of the experience.
16.
The exact definition of "first generation" and "FGLI" and whether Mackenzie Fierceton was correct to identify as such has been a key consideration in the Rhodes Trust and Penn investigations, as well as media coverage.
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Mackenzie Fierceton did not identify her estranged biological parents on her college application, following the advice of her college counselor.
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Mackenzie Fierceton was therefore automatically coded by Penn's admissions department as a first-generation student, even though her biological mother had an advanced degree.
19.
Mackenzie Fierceton was a foster child, but not for long enough.
20.
Mackenzie Fierceton is poor, but she has not been poor for long enough.
21.
Mackenzie Fierceton was abused, but there is not enough blood.