UMC suburban college student lied about background to become prestigious Rhodes Scholar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Questbridge should be ashamed they gave this serial liar this six-figure scholarship which allowed her to dupe more and more because everyone thinks Questbridge fully vetted her and it signals "poor" and "first generation" among others for the rest of her life. Anyone defending this common schemer is probably a low life con artist themselves.

This is exactly how most scams work. You establish a tiny bit of "foundation" credibility and then use it build up more and more fake credibility off the original fake credibility. Pyramid scams, Elizabeth Holmes, Bernie Madoff, Jeffrey Epstein, some of the socialite scammers, on and on.

So now we someone posting who is an expert on “how most scams work” comparing her to some of the most despicable characters in recent history.

They all start small and follow the same playbook. She most certainly weaponized that Questbridge scholarship as she became more brazen, lowering the guard of everyone and currying favor. And who knows what sort of life she was headed towards.

Complete fiction. Whatever rocks your boat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Questbridge should be ashamed they gave this serial liar this six-figure scholarship which allowed her to dupe more and more because everyone thinks Questbridge fully vetted her and it signals "poor" and "first generation" among others for the rest of her life. Anyone defending this common schemer is probably a low life con artist themselves.

This is exactly how most scams work. You establish a tiny bit of "foundation" credibility and then use it build up more and more fake credibility off the original fake credibility. Pyramid scams, Elizabeth Holmes, Bernie Madoff, Jeffrey Epstein, some of the socialite scammers, on and on.

So now we someone posting who is an expert on “how most scams work” comparing her to some of the most despicable characters in recent history.

Has anyone read the rebuttal to the Penn lawsuit submission from the 2 Penn professors who are advising her? They aren’t backing down from their support of her 1 inch. They are 2 senior professors who occupy endowed chairs. They rach have 40 years of college teaching experience at multiple universities. They know her case intimately. They know how things work at Penn intimately, including policies & procedures. They call Penn’s treatment of her shameful. I’ll take the word over a handful of internet postrs ho know next o nothing about th case.

DP. I think they are mostly embarrassed they got taken in and are doubling down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Questbridge should be ashamed they gave this serial liar this six-figure scholarship which allowed her to dupe more and more because everyone thinks Questbridge fully vetted her and it signals "poor" and "first generation" among others for the rest of her life. Anyone defending this common schemer is probably a low life con artist themselves.

This is exactly how most scams work. You establish a tiny bit of "foundation" credibility and then use it build up more and more fake credibility off the original fake credibility. Pyramid scams, Elizabeth Holmes, Bernie Madoff, Jeffrey Epstein, some of the socialite scammers, on and on.

So now we someone posting who is an expert on “how most scams work” comparing her to some of the most despicable characters in recent history.

Has anyone read the rebuttal to the Penn lawsuit submission from the 2 Penn professors who are advising her? They aren’t backing down from their support of her 1 inch. They are 2 senior professors who occupy endowed chairs. They rach have 40 years of college teaching experience at multiple universities. They know her case intimately. They know how things work at Penn intimately, including policies & procedures. They call Penn’s treatment of her shameful. I’ll take the word over a handful of internet postrs ho know next o nothing about th case.

DP. I think they are mostly embarrassed they got taken in and are doubling down.

That doesn’t speak well of them. Very unprofessional.

Everyone seems to forget that this is someone who has been badly traumatized over a long period of time. Penn’s own report verified that back at the time of her parents divorce when she was 8 Social Services had identified her as having been the victim of abuse. The version of events that she is a cold, calculating manipulator completely ignores this fact.

[Anonymous]

I've never posted here and have been lurking on this board only because I'm from St. Louis (Mackenzie's home town) and when this story blew up I was stunned that it was the same girl I had heard about indirectly a few years ago. I'll try to share what I know but please keep in mind that I only have indirect knowledge from one side (my friend knows the mother), so take it for what it is. I first read about the original story late 2020 in our local newspaper, St. Louis Post-Dispatch about Mackenzie Fierceton from St. Louis who won the Rhodes Scholarship and her background of being a foster kid. I remember the story brought tears to my eyes and I even shared the story with my family members because during a tragic pandemic year of so many lost lives it was uplifting to have a feel-good story about a girl who overcame all the odds as a foster kid. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago, I read the article about Mackenzie losing the Rhodes Scholarship. The article named her mother, Carrie Morrison, and suddenly I was like Holy Sh**, this is Carrie Morrison's daughter??? I didn't make the connection before because the first article because of her last name "Fierceton".

Ok backstory: A few years ago my friend (who's daughter went to Whitfield for a couple years, same private school as MacKenzie but not in same grade) told me about her friend Carrie Morrison, who is a well-respected breast cancer radiologist here in town. We were discussing our teenage rebellion and the usual challenges that we were going through with our kids. Then she said well last least we don't have it as bad as Carrie, whose daughter was manipulative and had total control over her mom with her outbursts and tantrums. Things escalated Carrie's boyfriend and daughter butt heads so there were power struggles. She told me the whole story that was happening at the time, with it coming to a head when Mackenzie got her mom arrested by accusing her of pushing her down the stairs/banging her into a table by self-inflicting bruises and injuries before she went to school the next day. (The stairs incident was a non-event, she was totally fine physically the night before). Apparently a couple of teachers believed Mackenzie's story and took under their wings to protect her from the mom. My friend said Carrie has worked long hours all those years to give her daughter everything and provide the best schooling, experiences and indulging her daughter's wants/needs. It sounded like the ex-husband was psychologically abusive to both of them, so Carrie tried to make up for things raising her on her own but she wasn't good at saying no to Mackenzie. The gist was that Mackenzie definitely wore the pants and held the power, being a difficult volatile kid but was also insanely smart, and had a history of psych issues/poss. personality disorder. Mom and boyfriend broke up over drama w/daughter. At the time this whole situation put Dr. Morrison in the local news headlines from the arrest and child abuse accusations. I believe she lost her prominent position at St. Lukes Hospital due to the accusations. I lost track of what happened after that except at some point later my friend said the charges were dropped against Carrie. Although I heard Mackenzie was living with friends or other families for a while, I had no idea she went into foster care...I assumed mother and daughter patched things up when the charges were dropped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've never posted here and have been lurking on this board only because I'm from St. Louis (Mackenzie's home town) and when this story blew up I was stunned that it was the same girl I had heard about indirectly a few years ago. I'll try to share what I know but please keep in mind that I only have indirect knowledge from one side (my friend knows the mother), so take it for what it is. I first read about the original story late 2020 in our local newspaper, St. Louis Post-Dispatch about Mackenzie Fierceton from St. Louis who won the Rhodes Scholarship and her background of being a foster kid. I remember the story brought tears to my eyes and I even shared the story with my family members because during a tragic pandemic year of so many lost lives it was uplifting to have a feel-good story about a girl who overcame all the odds as a foster kid. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago, I read the article about Mackenzie losing the Rhodes Scholarship. The article named her mother, Carrie Morrison, and suddenly I was like Holy Sh**, this is Carrie Morrison's daughter??? I didn't make the connection before because the first article because of her last name "Fierceton".

Ok backstory: A few years ago my friend (who's daughter went to Whitfield for a couple years, same private school as MacKenzie but not in same grade) told me about her friend Carrie Morrison, who is a well-respected breast cancer radiologist here in town. We were discussing our teenage rebellion and the usual challenges that we were going through with our kids. Then she said well last least we don't have it as bad as Carrie, whose daughter was manipulative and had total control over her mom with her outbursts and tantrums. Things escalated Carrie's boyfriend and daughter butt heads so there were power struggles. She told me the whole story that was happening at the time, with it coming to a head when Mackenzie got her mom arrested by accusing her of pushing her down the stairs/banging her into a table by self-inflicting bruises and injuries before she went to school the next day. (The stairs incident was a non-event, she was totally fine physically the night before). Apparently a couple of teachers believed Mackenzie's story and took under their wings to protect her from the mom. My friend said Carrie has worked long hours all those years to give her daughter everything and provide the best schooling, experiences and indulging her daughter's wants/needs. It sounded like the ex-husband was psychologically abusive to both of them, so Carrie tried to make up for things raising her on her own but she wasn't good at saying no to Mackenzie. The gist was that Mackenzie definitely wore the pants and held the power, being a difficult volatile kid but was also insanely smart, and had a history of psych issues/poss. personality disorder. Mom and boyfriend broke up over drama w/daughter. At the time this whole situation put Dr. Morrison in the local news headlines from the arrest and child abuse accusations. I believe she lost her prominent position at St. Lukes Hospital due to the accusations. I lost track of what happened after that except at some point later my friend said the charges were dropped against Carrie. Although I heard Mackenzie was living with friends or other families for a while, I had no idea she went into foster care...I assumed mother and daughter patched things up when the charges were dropped.

I assumed something like this all along. Zero evidence the mom pushed the daughter down the stairs. Seems just like the Jackie story at U.Va. Some people here defending her are not using plain common sense.

[Anonymous]

Yes, you assumed, which is always a mistake. And now you're assuming again, based on a story from a poster who admittedly doesn't have all the facts and who is obviously telling the mother's side of the story. So, you're making the same mistake again by assuming a second time. You're hearing what you want to hear. Read the response to the Penn allegations by the 2 Penn senior profs who are advising her, linked on page 40.

[Anonymous]

Mackenzie, go work on your other applications. This thread isn't salvageable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, you assumed, which is always a mistake. And now you're assuming again, based on a story from a poster who admittedly doesn't have all the facts and who is obviously telling the mother's side of the story. So, you're making the same mistake again by assuming a second time. You're hearing what you want to hear. Read the response to the Penn allegations by the 2 Penn senior profs who are advising her, linked on page 40.

I've read it all. The Penn profs don't know anything at all about her background. The DA looked into it pretty extensively and wasn't able to corroborate anything she said about being pushed down the stairs. So did she fall 2 or 3 steps down padded stairs like the mom claims or not? Thus story will unravel, and Penn did the right thing by not letting it go any further. More stories like this will come out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, you assumed, which is always a mistake. And now you're assuming again, based on a story from a poster who admittedly doesn't have all the facts and who is obviously telling the mother's side of the story. So, you're making the same mistake again by assuming a second time. You're hearing what you want to hear. Read the response to the Penn allegations by the 2 Penn senior profs who are advising her, linked on page 40.

I've read it all. The Penn profs don't know anything at all about her background. The DA looked into it pretty extensively and wasn't able to corroborate anything she said about being pushed down the stairs. So did she fall 2 or 3 steps down padded stairs like the mom claims or not? Thus story will unravel, and Penn did the right thing by not letting it go any further. More stories like this will come out.

This. Unprofessional of the Penn professors. I practiced Education Law. Penn didn't do this on a lark. You know the school is going to get bad press and be sued. They and their outside counsel dotted every "i" and crossed every "t" before deciding with withdraw the diploma The trial lawyers can say whatever they want (because they want a $$ settlement) and the PA professors can do whatever they want for attention and notoriety. Undergrad profs are especially known for jumping too early on a bandwagon to side with an alleged victim before knowing the truth. See UVA Rolling Stone case (faculty sides with woman who made the story up); Duke Lacrosse Gang of 88 (faculty sides with lying "victim" against frats); Occidental College sexual assault controversy (faculty was actually sleeping with and providing information to fired L.A. Times Reporter).

[Anonymous]

They put poor Black people in prison if they steal $1,000. This privileged brat stole at the very least a six-figure scholarship she didn’t qualify for. She should be in jail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've never posted here and have been lurking on this board only because I'm from St. Louis (Mackenzie's home town) and when this story blew up I was stunned that it was the same girl I had heard about indirectly a few years ago. I'll try to share what I know but please keep in mind that I only have indirect knowledge from one side (my friend knows the mother), so take it for what it is. I first read about the original story late 2020 in our local newspaper, St. Louis Post-Dispatch about Mackenzie Fierceton from St. Louis who won the Rhodes Scholarship and her background of being a foster kid. I remember the story brought tears to my eyes and I even shared the story with my family members because during a tragic pandemic year of so many lost lives it was uplifting to have a feel-good story about a girl who overcame all the odds as a foster kid. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago, I read the article about Mackenzie losing the Rhodes Scholarship. The article named her mother, Carrie Morrison, and suddenly I was like Holy Sh**, this is Carrie Morrison's daughter??? I didn't make the connection before because the first article because of her last name "Fierceton".

Ok backstory: A few years ago my friend (who's daughter went to Whitfield for a couple years, same private school as MacKenzie but not in same grade) told me about her friend Carrie Morrison, who is a well-respected breast cancer radiologist here in town. We were discussing our teenage rebellion and the usual challenges that we were going through with our kids. Then she said well last least we don't have it as bad as Carrie, whose daughter was manipulative and had total control over her mom with her outbursts and tantrums. Things escalated Carrie's boyfriend and daughter butt heads so there were power struggles. She told me the whole story that was happening at the time, with it coming to a head when Mackenzie got her mom arrested by accusing her of pushing her down the stairs/banging her into a table by self-inflicting bruises and injuries before she went to school the next day. (The stairs incident was a non-event, she was totally fine physically the night before). Apparently a couple of teachers believed Mackenzie's story and took under their wings to protect her from the mom. My friend said Carrie has worked long hours all those years to give her daughter everything and provide the best schooling, experiences and indulging her daughter's wants/needs. It sounded like the ex-husband was psychologically abusive to both of them, so Carrie tried to make up for things raising her on her own but she wasn't good at saying no to Mackenzie. The gist was that Mackenzie definitely wore the pants and held the power, being a difficult volatile kid but was also insanely smart, and had a history of psych issues/poss. personality disorder. Mom and boyfriend broke up over drama w/daughter. At the time this whole situation put Dr. Morrison in the local news headlines from the arrest and child abuse accusations. I believe she lost her prominent position at St. Lukes Hospital due to the accusations. I lost track of what happened after that except at some point later my friend said the charges were dropped against Carrie. Although I heard Mackenzie was living with friends or other families for a while, I had no idea she went into foster care...I assumed mother and daughter patched things up when the charges were dropped.

I assumed something like this all along. Zero evidence the mom pushed the daughter down the stairs. Seems just like the Jackie story at U.Va. Some people here defending her are not using plain common sense.

Thank you for this.

[Anonymous]

I do think that the discussion about this would be very different if Fierceton wasn't a young white woman. I think she is getting a lot of assumption of good intent and that she is telling the truth that would not be given to a similar person who wasn't a young, white, attractive woman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do think that the discussion about this would be very different if Fierceton wasn't a young white woman. I think she is getting a lot of assumption of good intent and that she is telling the truth that would not be given to a similar person who wasn't a young, white, attractive woman.

Blacks are thrown in prison for FAR less than this rich brat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


Unprofessional of the Penn professors. Penn didn't do this on a lark. You know the school is going to get bad press and be sued. They and their outside counsel dotted every "i" and crossed every "t" before deciding with withdraw the diploma The trial lawyers can say whatever they want (because they want a $$ settlement) and the PA professors can do whatever they want for attention and notoriety. Undergrad profs are especially known for jumping too early on a bandwagon to side with an alleged victim before knowing the truth. See UVA Rolling Stone case (faculty sides with woman who made the story up); Duke Lacrosse Gang of 88 (faculty sides with lying "victim" against frats); Occidental College sexual assault controversy (faculty was actually sleeping with and providing information to fired L.A. Times Reporter).

This is completely ridiculous.

1. No evidence that the Penn professors want attention and notoriety. They each have 40+ years of college teaching. They are at the end of their careers. They don’t need the attention. In addition, they each hold an endowed chair at Penn. One is a department head and the other was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Both are experts in their respective fields of wide repute. Their careers are well established, so neither needs the limelight to be recognized. BTW, I don’t think you know what the word “notoriety” means.

2. What undergrad are especially known for is completely irrelevant. We’re not talking about undergrad profs in general; we’re talking about 2 specific undergrad profs. There’s absolutely no evidence that these 2 particular undergrad profs are known for jumping on anything too early.

These are completely baseless allegations on your part. Your statements are just absurd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've never posted here and have been lurking on this board only because I'm from St. Louis (Mackenzie's home town) and when this story blew up I was stunned that it was the same girl I had heard about indirectly a few years ago. I'll try to share what I know but please keep in mind that I only have indirect knowledge from one side (my friend knows the mother), so take it for what it is. I first read about the original story late 2020 in our local newspaper, St. Louis Post-Dispatch about Mackenzie Fierceton from St. Louis who won the Rhodes Scholarship and her background of being a foster kid. I remember the story brought tears to my eyes and I even shared the story with my family members because during a tragic pandemic year of so many lost lives it was uplifting to have a feel-good story about a girl who overcame all the odds as a foster kid. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago, I read the article about Mackenzie losing the Rhodes Scholarship. The article named her mother, Carrie Morrison, and suddenly I was like Holy Sh**, this is Carrie Morrison's daughter??? I didn't make the connection before because the first article because of her last name "Fierceton".

Ok backstory: A few years ago my friend (who's daughter went to Whitfield for a couple years, same private school as MacKenzie but not in same grade) told me about her friend Carrie Morrison, who is a well-respected breast cancer radiologist here in town. We were discussing our teenage rebellion and the usual challenges that we were going through with our kids. Then she said well last least we don't have it as bad as Carrie, whose daughter was manipulative and had total control over her mom with her outbursts and tantrums. Things escalated Carrie's boyfriend and daughter butt heads so there were power struggles. She told me the whole story that was happening at the time, with it coming to a head when Mackenzie got her mom arrested by accusing her of pushing her down the stairs/banging her into a table by self-inflicting bruises and injuries before she went to school the next day. (The stairs incident was a non-event, she was totally fine physically the night before). Apparently a couple of teachers believed Mackenzie's story and took under their wings to protect her from the mom. My friend said Carrie has worked long hours all those years to give her daughter everything and provide the best schooling, experiences and indulging her daughter's wants/needs. It sounded like the ex-husband was psychologically abusive to both of them, so Carrie tried to make up for things raising her on her own but she wasn't good at saying no to Mackenzie. The gist was that Mackenzie definitely wore the pants and held the power, being a difficult volatile kid but was also insanely smart, and had a history of psych issues/poss. personality disorder. Mom and boyfriend broke up over drama w/daughter. At the time this whole situation put Dr. Morrison in the local news headlines from the arrest and child abuse accusations. I believe she lost her prominent position at St. Lukes Hospital due to the accusations. I lost track of what happened after that except at some point later my friend said the charges were dropped against Carrie. Although I heard Mackenzie was living with friends or other families for a while, I had no idea she went into foster care...I assumed mother and daughter patched things up when the charges were dropped.

I assumed something like this all along. Zero evidence the mom pushed the daughter down the stairs. Seems just like the Jackie story at U.Va. Some people here defending her are not using plain common sense.

Thank you for this.