From City College to Amsterdam, the story of Alumnus Fatjon Kaja 鈥16
Born in a small Albanian town, alumnus Fatjon Kaja鈥檚 journey has led him from Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn to City College to Amsterdam.
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Where are you from and what is your background story?
I was born in a small town in Albania, where I lived until my junior year of high school. I went on to complete my high school education at Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn. Following this transition, I enrolled at t九色视频 where I pursued my degree鈥 Read More 禄
Zine Ebersohn 鈥24, who comes from South Africa, brings a deep love for her country and a passion for storytelling and helping people to CCNY. Her journey to New York was initially as a scholarship recipient studying acting. Inspired by her community's struggles with racial inequality and barriers led her to realize the importance of mental health access for all. She has found her calling in mental health advocacy.
Please share a little about your background 鈥 what鈥檚 your story?鈥
I grew up in diverse South Africa, and I have a鈥 Read More 禄
Born in Ecuador but raised in the US since the age of 7, Paula Garcia-Salazar by chance ended up as a student in Loudoun County, Virginia 鈥 one of the richest counties in the entire United States. Despite facing challenges as an undocumented immigrant in Virginia, she had the opportunity to attend excellent public schools. Her motivation to advocate for marginalized communities stemmed from this experience. Garcia-Salazar found her way to CCNY through a search for free education in New York City. While initially undeclared, her aspiration to pursue a law鈥 Read More 禄
Lincoln Ajoku鈥檚 journey serves as a testament to the transformative power of education and the pursuit of meaningful purpose in a career. Born in Manhattan to Nigerian immigrant parents, Ajoku鈥檚 upbringing in a working-class Brooklyn neighborhood instilled a deep appreciation for hard work and education. Witnessing the sacrifices made by his parents to provide for the family and the influence of his grandmother on the value of education, shaped his early outlook on higher education.
Growing up during challenging times in New York, marked by crime and鈥 Read More 禄
Beyond Borders: A Journey from Brazil to CCNY
Embarking on a transformative journey that transcends borders, our featured alumna shares an inspiring narrative of perseverance and purpose.
Where are you from and what is your background story? I am originally from Brazil. I came to NYC to learn English because I had previously earned my BA in International Relations and noticed that I needed to experience life abroad to learn English and develop my career journey with opportunities. After a while in the US, I came across the Master's program at鈥 Read More 禄
From CCNY to Business Owner: Alumna Alice Mills Mai's Pursuit of Mental Health Counseling
Where are you from and what is your background story? Please share your details from the period before you arrived at CCNY.
I am human first before any titles or roles. I am Alice Mills Mai (she/her), a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (New York and Ohio) and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). I am an immigrant and a proud daughter of Ghanaian immigrants and I consider the Bronx to be my home. Through a family tragedy, I discovered the profession of counseling which鈥 Read More 禄
Alanis Omar鈥檚 Academic Journey
YMCA of Greater New York Honors Heroes of New York at 46th Annual Dodge Dinner
Please share a little about your background 鈥 what is your story?
I am a first-generation college student with immigrant parents from the island of Trinidad and Tobago. Growing up, education was not seen as a necessity but rather a luxury for many of our parents, including mine. As a minority student at City College, I share the experiences and challenges faced by many of my peers. However, I have come to deeply鈥 Read More 禄
Graduating to Success and Paying it Forward: Vanessa O鈥橬eil鈥檚 Journey at CCNY and Beyond
Where are you from and what is your background story?
My family moved to Crown Heights from Trinidad when I was 4 years old, in search of better opportunities for my sisters and me. My mother dreamed of becoming a nurse but worked in local retail to supplement our household, while my father worked as a policeman. Back then the Crown Heights area was deeply impoverished, and the rampant crime made it a much more dangerous place than it is today. My parents鈥 Read More 禄
Where are you from and what is your background story? Please share your details from the period before you arrived at CCNY.
I'm a proud alum of the New York City public school system. My parents immigrated from Bangladesh to Queens in the 1990s and managed to find a way to create a living for my brothers and myself. Though we grew up in a small, crowded apartment in Jackson Heights, and did not have much to spare, my parents were generous with others and shielded us from the daily financial pressures they faced. I only have the opportunities that I do鈥 Read More 禄
鈥淵our Professional Career is More a Marathon than a Sprint.鈥 Steven Rodriguez (鈥14) and his Journey to Career Success
Where are you from and what is your background story? Please share your details from the period before you arrived at CCNY.
I am a first-generation Latino with parents from Colombia. I was going through the motions of education because that was the norm. The idea I grew up with was that to succeed in a career, we had to graduate from college at the very least. Without much guidance from family, I quickly stumbled and lost track of why鈥 Read More 禄
Last Updated: 08/26/2020 16:36