For Lisa Wiederlight ’90, the University of Maryland didn’t just provide an education—it gave her the confidence to tackle one of life’s toughest challenges: creating a safe, inclusive home for people with developmental disabilities, veterans and older adults. My Heart’s Home is the result: visionary communities inspired by Wiederlight’s own autistic son.

“My son deserves to have as independent, fulfilling and productive a life as possible,” she explains. “Knowing many phenomenal people in these communities—they should have exactly what they need.”

Wiederlight’s journey at Maryland began in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences as a Government and Politics major, where she graduated magna cum laude as a Dean’s Scholar, and then continued at the School of Public Policy. Wiederlight also enjoyed her time as a Terrapin student-athlete on the field hockey team. She took full advantage of experiential learning opportunities, interning for a U.S. Senator on Capitol Hill and for the Maryland State Police, and exploring her interests in homelessness and public safety—passions that have carried on throughout her career.

“[My Heart’s Home is] the confluence of everything I've done in most of my life with public policy development, implementation, and evaluation; and working for the National Association of Homebuilder’s Research Center, specifically on seniors housing and aging in place,” she recalls. “I just put it all together.”

A nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization, My Heart’s Home is designed to provide holistic support for vulnerable communities. Wiederlight’s plans are comprehensive, encompassing different housing styles and supportive amenities, including an on-site service dog training academy, microbusinesses, planned social and recreational activities, access to case workers, transportation to medical and other appointments, inclusion of new technologies that facilitate the independence of those with seizure disorders, stables where community residents can care for retired racehorses, and much more.

“The idea is that anyone can live there,” she says. “But the supportive amenities and features will facilitate the safety, independence, and inclusion of people with special needs, making it a more practical,livable and enjoyable experience."

What drives Wiederlight to bring her vision to life is her relationship with her son. At 25, he struggles with everyday tasks like procuring and taking his medications, getting to his daily activities, and choosing appropriate clothes for the weather everyday.

“Most parents worry about what will happen to their children when they pass away. But what happens to my son when I'm gone?” Wiederlight explains.

When she realized that between 12–39% of the homeless population is suspected to have a developmental disability, Wiederlight sprang into action. Tackling complex issues is exactly what Maryland prepared her for—not just through experiential learning, but through the grit she developed playing field hockey under coach Missy Meharg.

“We won the NCAA National Championship my freshman year,” she says. “You realize big things are attainable.”

She continues to move forward by taking small steps and benchmarking progress, advice she suggests to current students pursuing big dreams.

“If you make small mistakes, you can learn from them,” she says. “That's what I have been doing my whole life. Even as an athlete, I learned more from losing than I learned from winning.”

Feeling inspired? Learn more about My Heart's Home and check out volunteer opportunties for alums at UMD.