During my college career, I would always be asked about my long-term career goals, what I was studying, and what I planned to do with my degree. I know the questions were asked out of curiosity, but they bothered me because I didn’t have a concrete answer. My first years of college were spent going to class and working, not really taking the time to get involved in my college community and explore career and internship opportunities. It wasn't until my junior year that it hit me—I was going to graduate soon, and I hadn't taken advantage of the multiple opportunities that John Jay had to offer.
My first internship opportunity was through CUNY Service Corps, a program that provides thousands of CUNY students with paid work experience and internships in community-based organizations and government agencies. I was placed at a nursing home in the Upper West Side, where I got to be a companion for many elderly individuals with so many amazing stories to tell. My project was to assist in creating a monthly newsletter for the residents, where their stories could be published. After my internship, I was grateful for the connections I made with everyone there, but I knew that wouldn’t be a long-term career path for me.
My next work experience was an opportunity that I found on John Jay’s career site. It was a youth counselor position at a nonprofit organization in the Bronx. I worked with elementary school students during their afterschool program, making their after-school activities engaging and meaningful. I loved the creativity of the activities I got to create and the kindergarteners telling me the most hilarious stories about their little world. Here, I discovered not only how much value there is working with youth but also a newfound passion and appreciation for nonprofit organizations.
I loved the creativity of the activities I got to create and the kindergarteners telling me the most hilarious stories about their little world. Here, I discovered not only how much value there is working with youth but also a newfound passion and appreciation for nonprofit organizations.
I knew that I could do more. I found out about an organization called South Bronx United from John Jay’s career site once again. SBU is a nonprofit organization that provides academic support, college prep, mentoring, workforce development, immigration and legal services, and more, while using soccer as a vehicle for social change. I was drawn to SBU’s mission (despite not knowing much about soccer, even now) because I needed an organization like this one when I was younger. Growing up playing softball, I quickly realized how challenging managing school, responsibilities, and being an athlete could be. One thing that I loved about both playing softball and working at SBU was the overwhelming sense of community and care for everyone that enters the organization.
One thing that I loved about both playing softball and working at SBU was the overwhelming sense of community and care for everyone that enters the organization.
My first role with SBU was as an Academic Program Associate. In this role, I led after-school lessons, helped facilitate after-school programming, mentored and tutored students, and completed some data entry tasks. I loved this role because of the balance between engaging with students and clerical tasks, and the opportunity to expand and learn so many new skills. After finding out about Future Leaders in Action from one of my coworkers, I attended their Summer 2023 Showcase. Seeing my coworker present her project and connecting with other people passionate about youth nonprofits made me want to be a part of this program myself.
After being fortunate enough to be a part of the FLIA Fall 2023 Cohort, I was ecstatic to hear that my partner organization was South Bronx United. I became SBU’s Academic Support Fellow, where I kept track of student transcripts to see where students needed individualized support in their academics. But my role was beyond that. The students see me as a mentor, a friend, and an advocate. A common thread throughout all my professional endeavors leading up to this one was the meaningful connections that I’ve made with people of all age ranges.
I know that wherever my professional leadership journey takes me, I will continue to be an advocate for others.
I’m still experiencing life both professionally and personally. I know that wherever my professional leadership journey takes me, I will continue to be an advocate for others. In the future, I hope to become a child advocacy lawyer to continue to support youth beyond the classroom. Not every child has the privilege of having access to organizations like SBU, and I can’t wait to continue to advocate for those resources for our youth.