Pursuing a business administration degree in finance, Edwards juggled one or two classes while working full-time, taking semesters off to meet financial demands. She says visits to the Student Activities, Involvement, and Leadership (SAIL) Center helped her with a tight-knit staff that included Afro-Caribbean women who understood her experiences and championed her goals. They guided her through funding processes for the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) club, for which she was president, and encouraged her to stay involved in campus activities. “The women at SAIL kept me focused,” says Edwards. “I could tell everyone there wanted the best for me. They saw that I was definitely driven and had tenacity. They made themselves available for me any time I needed guidance or had questions.”

In addition to SAIL, Edwards found support from staff and counselors at the Magner Career Center. She shared that they were instrumental in helping her obtain internships that aligned with her career goals. Her first was at Playfair Planning, an independent financial firm based in Brooklyn that provides holistic financial planning. She then interned at the NYC Small Business Resource Network run by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. Bloomberg L.P. came next—an internship that led directly to a full-time offer once she graduated. Edwards worked in financial products, analytics, and sales while there, and also served as a campus ambassador, helping to recruit fellow ������Ƶ students for internships at Bloomberg.

A stint in the Consumer Insight and Marketing Department at Black Entertainment Television (BET) Media Group rounded out Edwards’ internship portfolio before she joined Bloomberg full time in June 2019. Most of her internships would not have been possible without stipends—a Magner Career Center stipend, a Robert J. Sisti Memorial Internship (overseen by the ������Ƶ Foundation)—and scholarships from the New York chapter of and the CUNY Mexican Studies Institute, the latter of which paid for Edwards’ final year of college.

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Marsow entered higher education without a clear understanding of what college was meant to prepare her for, so she approached it with a simple plan to learn as much as possible. As a liberal arts college, ������Ƶ provided her with a wide variety of programs to choose from, so she explored nearly every major, taking courses across departments to discover what fit. What felt like “floundering” at the time ultimately became a period of finding herself: She loved music and had a strong affinity for math, which led her to an interdisciplinary major in music and economics. She joined a study abroad trip to Ghana. She also joined the cheerleading squad—she had trained in gymnastics as a child and loved sports; cheerleading was something she had dreamed of doing.

A student, Marsow credits mentors, including Lisa Schwebel, the honors program director, and Professor Robert Cherry, who helped her navigate the economics major, with giving her the guidance and support she needed. She also recalls the “compassion and attentiveness” of professors at the Conservatory of Music (Marsow plays the flute) who not only challenged their students but also recognized and respected the cultural and linguistic differences many brought to the classroom.

Marsow is grateful for her mentors but also speaks effusively about the Magner Career Center staff, relying on them for advice on scholarships, internships, and career opportunities. “I practically lived there,” she says.

Through the center, she received a Jewish Foundation for Education of Women Scholarship, which paid for two summers of internships at Morgan Stanley (later part of Citigroup Smith Barney) and the New York Attorney General’s Office, among others. She also interned at PBS.

As Marsow approached graduation, she imagined a future in finance. As the child of immigrants, she felt a career in the field would provide financial stability. But she had interned at Morgan Stanley during the turbulent years following the 2008 financial crisis. The environment proved deeply discouraging. She found the field male‑dominated, “an atmosphere reminiscent of the show Mad Men,” she says. A speaker at a ������Ƶ event later offered advice that stayed with her: Breaking barriers is admirable, but not at the cost of one’s own well‑being.

Ready for change, she took a job at Carnival Cruise Lines as an entertainment host, then transitioned into a human resources role at B’Above Worldwide Institute, an early childhood education agency. It was a return to the Magner Center that inspired her to start her own business in a field she loved. Through conversations with staff, Marsow realized that the one consistent thing in her life was her love of sports. She applied for jobs in sports management, but nothing came of it. She explored the possibility of starting her own business and wondered whether a local gymnastics school might be in demand. After speaking with families in her community, she discovered that there was indeed a need.

Marsow entered a special entrepreneur program that required her to develop and submit a business plan, marketing strategy, and other foundational documents. She also took free business courses through local organizations. In four short months she opened Prospect Gymnastics.

Today, in addition to teaching gymnastics and running a business she loves, Marsow writes regularly, has published pieces in several magazines, and is working on a memoir. Creative writing has become a meaningful outlet—now, with a flexible schedule and steady career, she has the freedom to develop her voice as a writer.

Looking back at her own journey, Marsow encourages prospective students to explore what ������Ƶ has to offer thoroughly and take their time in choosing a career path, “because the stakes are not as high.” For current students, her advice is clear: Make full use of the Magner Center, pursue internships, and explore widely.

“College may be one of the few times in life when exploration is possible before you go out into the world,” she says. “Join a sports team, take classes in unfamiliar departments, participate in music ensembles or theater productions, and meet as many different kinds of people as you can.” These experiences, she believes, are crucial to personal growth and a future career.

The post Building a Business, Fulfilling a Dream appeared first on ������Ƶ.

At ������Ƶ, it was spring, and everything was alive, the landscape vibrant green. People were everywhere. He talked to students hanging out on the quads.

Asatryan moved to the United States from his native Armenia in 2016 after completing military service there, “on the Fourth of July, of all dates, although not on purpose,” he says. As a new immigrant, he had no idea how higher education worked in the United States; he visited ������Ƶ on the advice of a friend. “Going on instinct,” he says. He was excited by what he saw. The school felt right, so he applied and was accepted.

Instinct would carry him only so far, however. With no idea what he wanted to major in, Asatryan took his time; he cites access to the wide variety of programs and courses at the college and the time he got to explore them as the reasons for his success in choosing a major. He settled on a B.B.A. in international business—which made sense to him, given his European background—with a minor in personal finance.

For Asatryan, instinct and research were two crucial factors in choosing the right school and gaining the right degree; another was the faculty.

“I was dreading taking an English course and [adjunct lecturer] Adam Bangser was such a great guy. He was actively interested in my background and pushed me to write even when it wasn’t relevant to the material that we were studying,” he says.

Asatryan credits Cindy Pham, associate professor of managing, marketing, and entrepreneurship, with helping him make the most of his time at ������Ƶ.

“Professor Pham is incredible. She is very much invested in every student’s life. She inspired me to knock on doors and ask questions, look for programs, explore opportunities.” She even motivated him to revive a chapter of the International Business Association club. He also became a peer mentor.

According to Asatryan, stellar academic programs and top-notch faculty will still only get you an education and a degree but not always show you what to do with them. “That’s part of the risk,” he says. “You want the education, it’s an investment in your future, but you need to know where you can go with that degree.” You also need to gain real-life experience through internships. Asatryan completed internships at Amazon, the landscaping and architecture company EKLA at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, digital financial media outlet Blockworks, and New York State Senator Kevin S. Parker’s office, which was funded by a Magner Career Center stipend.

He enjoyed all of them. “They helped me gain confidence and be open to jobs not directly related to my major,” he says.

Working for senator doing ghostwriting, digital marketing, and campaign management was especially rewarding.

“Part of my job was trying to get the word out about resources during the pandemic—foods, supplies, healthcare—to the senator’s Brooklyn constituents, particularly in the Flatbush area. It was wonderful work and a great opportunity thanks to ������Ƶ,” he says. The internship was a crash course in public relations that Asatryan took with him to his present job.

Today, he works as an account manager at Cognito, a global public relations and marketing agency specializing in finance, sustainability, and technology.

“We help organizations tell the right stories, build credibility with the media, and provide trusted counsel,” says Asatryan. “It’s a fascinating job because every day there is something new that is happening, and you are working with so many experts— chief economists, CTOs, CEOs, founders—it’s nonstop learning. A big part of my role is to take complicated, complex topics within finance and technology and simplify them into stories people actually understand.”

Asatryan, who will be participating in an admissions event for prospective business students on February 19, has this advice for those who are thinking about ������Ƶ:

“Do your research, make the necessary appointments with admissions if you need to, but also, visit the campus, visit the library, which is terrific,” he says. “Spend time by the lily pond. Look around, talk with current students, and see how it feels to be there.”

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It was a fitting start to a wide-ranging discussion about one of today’s fastest-moving industries.

Walczuk was joined by Soribel Feliz ’09, an AI Governance and Risk Management instructor and LinkedIn team member, and Rafi Lazerson ’16, Responsible AI Associate Manager at Accenture. Together, the trio of alumni shared candid insights about navigating careers in AI during the virtual event co-sponsored by ������Ƶ’s Office of Alumni Engagement, the Honors Academy, the Ethyle R. Wolfe Institute for the Humanities, the Political Science Department, and the Computer Science Club.

More than 50 attendees tuned in for the session held January 21 and hosted by Natalia Guarin-Klein, Executive Director of Alumni and Career Engagement, and moderated by Zoey Russo, a student staff member at the Magner Career Center. Early in the conversation, the panelists emphasized the value of a liberal arts education, which teaches critical thinking, communication, and adaptability, essential skills in AI-related roles. They also encouraged students to highlight recent projects, share original ideas, and practice explaining complex concepts clearly.

Another major theme of the discussion was keeping up with the rapid pace of AI innovation. Feliz urged students to rely on credible sources and learn to separate signal from noise. Lazerson recommended mixing informal learning, like articles and books, with more structured education, such as trainings or certifications. Walczuk pointed to product launches and major tech conferences as helpful markers of where the field is headed.

The panel also didn’t shy away from questions about AI’s impact on the job market. Walczuk, who majored in Philosophy, Economics, and Political Science while at ������Ƶ, noted that while certain tasks may be automated, AI is also dramatically expanding access to services in areas such as healthcare and accounting. The real shift is not simply job loss, but the lowering of cost and increase in availability of services that have historically been limited. As access expands, demand often grows alongside it, creating new forms of work and new opportunities for skilled professionals. The change will have to be managed through policy.

The conversation also highlighted how AI is transforming industries far beyond tech. Feliz, who majored in Political Science at ������Ƶ, spoke about the rising need for domain expertise and predicted that adaptability—and even a bit of “chaos tolerance”—will become increasingly valuable. Lazerson, who also majored in Political Science, discussed AI’s potential to transform industries for the positive, such as supporting access to personalized education or healthcare. However, he shared that positive societal outcomes from AI depend on how it is developed, deployed and used. He emphasized that each of us can play a role in advocating for and shaping AI for the better.

Students also received practical advice on using AI tools during the job search. Feliz reminded attendees that communication and teamwork still matter just as much as technical skills. She encouraged applicants to research a company’s AI policies and tailor their interview responses accordingly.

The event wrapped with a Q&A session, where participants submitted questions ranging from operational risk governance to everyday strategies for integrating AI into their work.

By the end of the evening, one message was clear: AI is reshaping the workforce, but it’s also creating tremendous opportunities for those who stay curious, adaptable, and engaged. The event underscored ������Ƶ’s commitment to preparing students and alumni for the evolving landscape of AI-driven careers.

The post ������Ƶ Brings AI Careers Into Focus With Virtual Alumni Panel appeared first on ������Ƶ.

Why did you choose ������Ƶ the first time around?

My friend was a student at ������Ƶ and highly recommended it to me. The two of us were sitting at work toward the end of the day, and he said he received something from ������Ƶ asking him to invite friends to enroll. I looked at him and I said, “Let’s go.” We went to the Admissions Office, and they were very helpful. I emigrated from Uzbekistan with my mother and sisters and had been in this country for less than a year. Admissions told me I could take the entrance exam in two days with a high school diploma from my home country. I took the test and two days later I got the result—I passed. I remember it was my birthday and it was the best birthday gift ever, getting admitted to ������Ƶ.

So you earned two degrees here, in political science and philosophy and law. What made you come back 20 years later?

When I graduated in 2005, I knew I wanted a career where I could make a real impact and improve people’s lives. I was one of the first recipients of the Magner Career Stipend, and with that I landed a prestigious internship at Human Rights Watch where I was subsequently offered a research consultancy. After graduating, I founded Eldorado Global Trading Group, a women-owned wholesale beauty company. After some time, I realized that I wanted to become a doctor; this is how I would make an impact. The choice of schools for pre-med was immediate: ������Ƶ.

You’ve received some help from the college.

And that has helped me move forward and stay on track for a medical career. This past January, I shadowed orthopedic and plastic surgeons in Pune, Nashik, and Raipur, India, during surgical camps thanks to a Tow Undergraduate International Research Stipend. I observed reconstructive and orthopedic interventions in underserved patient populations, among other things. Then Zicklin Scholars Degree Completion Program Award has helped me to accelerate my degree coursework over the summer.

How has ������Ƶ changed you as a person?

Coming to the United States from Uzbekistan, I knew that adjusting to life in a new country would be one of my biggest challenges. ������Ƶ quickly became a community that welcomed me, supported me, and helped me grow into a more confident, resilient, and open-minded person.

How is ������Ƶ transforming your career path today?

As a premed student, I’ve built a strong academic foundation while also developing the skills needed to thrive in the professional world. I continue cancer research in Dr. Murat Cevher’s lab, and this past spring, I completed a fully funded NYU Langone EMT training program. A summer internship at the ������Ƶ Cancer Center gave me valuable research experience and prepared me to apply my knowledge in real-world settings. The internship was supported by award from the Gray Foundation.

If you had to convince another student to go to college here, what would you say?

Word of mouth is the best recommendation, and I think that we, as students, are the best spokespersons for the college. I would say that you will get the support you need, and the faculty members here are caring and highly supportive. The relationships that I have formed here with professors have lasted 20 years—I’m still in touch with professors from my first undergraduate years.

Do you have any advice for your fellow students?

Get involved—join a lab, a club, or a service project. For instance, I’m an Undergraduate Student Government senator and a member of the college’s Policy Council. The relationships you build will change your trajectory. Dream big, work hard—and as the actor Audrey Hepburn said, “Nothing is impossible—the word itself says, ‘I’m possible.’”

The post Returning to Make an Impact appeared first on ������Ƶ.

A proud ������Ƶ alumnus with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in industrial/organizational psychology, Frontera brings his passion for student development to both his work at the Magner Career Center and as an adjunct lecturer in the I/O Psychology graduate program. His dual role allows him to test ideas in the classroom and translate those lessons into broader initiatives for the college.

Beyond the classroom, Frontera is driving corporate engagement that expands student access to professional opportunities. In recent semesters, he has coordinated events with companies like Aon, KPMG, PwC, and Enterprise to foster partnerships that connect ������Ƶ students with mentors, internships, and job pipelines.

Having started working at the center as a student, Frontera loved the work so much, he turned down other opportunities to stay and help students. We asked him more about what it takes to prepare students for their dream careers and why it is more important now than ever.

In addition to offering a quality and affordable education, ������Ƶ has dramatically increased its work with companies like Aon, KPMG, and PwC to help connect students with internships that lead to jobs. How have you seen that evolve?

While I’ve seen employers engage since my time as a student at ������Ƶ, their interest and participation have ramped up in the past few years. Their commitment stems from the quality of talent they recognize in our students. Driven by a desire to see our students succeed, employers reach out to us months in advance to plan their visits to campus to ensure we maximize turnout. Most recently we had Aon on campus right before our Job and Internship Fair to help prepare our students for the fair. Aon demonstrated its commitment by sending one of its professionals to campus to lead a session on personal branding—an area the representative regularly oversees for Aon employees across the company. The visit gave our students valuable, firsthand exposure to Aon’s approach to professional development and training.

Your work is supported by many others outside the Magner Career Center on campus. Who are they, and how do they help support this shared mission of lifting students into their dream careers?

We often say it takes a village to support our students in career services. During my time at the college, I have had the opportunity to engage with so many students, staff, faculty, alumni, and professionals to support this shared mission. We couldn’t do what we do without each supporter.

Staff and faculty help us spread the word and connect students to us and attend events to hear directly from our industry speakers. Alumni and professionals are eager to support our students by speaking at events, mentoring, and recruiting. And our students are crucial in this. They serve as ambassadors for the work we do—whether this be clubs or individuals. I’ve had students bring their friends or classmates to me to help support them. I see students on campus who recognize me before I even recognize them.

You also work with faculty in the Center for Teaching and Learning. How has that helped students?

One of my passions is helping connect career readiness to the classroom. I’ve had the opportunity to work with faculty in various settings, including building out a comprehensive resource for faculty, having organized and moderated a panel of faculty last Faculty Day, and through workshops at the Center for Teaching and Learning.

The more we can expose students to career conversations, the greater we can support them in career success. Being able to do this in the classroom helps students understand the importance of becoming career ready. The Center for Teaching and Learning has been instrumental in allowing me to connect with faculty and lead workshops around this work, while also sharing the comprehensive resources developed to support faculty.

This also has given me the opportunity to connect with faculty across schools, inviting them to panels and co-presenting with them to bring this vital work to others. It opened up the opportunity for me to work one-on-one with faculty to advise them on best practices and tweak their course breakdown to include career readiness. I’m excited, as we are planning a spring event for faculty to celebrate those who bring career readiness into the classroom.

You were recently interviewed by MarketWatch about social media trends in relation to job searching. What was your key advice to students about that?

was a lot of fun! We discussed the rise of short videos posted on social media containing career advice. This is a great resource, but I recommend checking the credibility of the advice and visit your career adviser to verify its relevance to your personal journey. In addition, there is nothing like a career adviser who can help you bring out your personal story and strengths in the job search.

What do you think sets ������Ƶ and the Magner Career Center apart in this work?

The thing that sets us apart is the culture of giving back. Alumni advocate for our students; our employers see the value in recruiting our students; students support each other. We also have an incredible team of full- and part-time student staff—every team member is willing to pitch in and support each other. The team is passionate about the work we do—to see students succeed. Our part-time staff work on projects that have a real impact on the students we serve, and we couldn’t do it without them.

Our office is also very good at adapting to change. I’ve had the opportunity to support a variety of initiatives like our office’s transition to remote work, streamlining our communications to students, supporting senior employment programming, and now I’m working on enhancing student skill development, especially in AI. The reason each initiative has been successful is because of our adaptation skills.

The post Building Bridges appeared first on ������Ƶ.

Yolande Matthew ’05 came to the United States as a teenager with mixed emotions—excited for the opportunity but wistful for her home in Grenada. She ultimately made her way to ������Ƶ, earning a bachelor’s degree in business management and finance, leading to a successful career in banking. For more than 19 years, she has concentrated on financial inclusion, with a passion to help people from all backgrounds access services and build wealth and financial confidence.

Here, she talks about finding her purpose, why she gives back to her alma mater, and her advice for today’s students.

Tell us about your background.

There is no me without Grenada; I was born and raised on that little island in the Caribbean. While growing up there, my values were shaped to make me who I am today. Family and community were a key part of my upbringing, and this aligns with my career choice.

In 1998, at 16, I moved to the United States. For the first few months, I was excited and terribly sad at the same time. I missed my home country and wasn’t sure about my future or purpose. What was I going to do with opportunities that came my way? How would I acclimate to the culture? They were some of the biggest challenges I’ve ever faced—and although I was still a child, I grew up really fast.

I knew that to make it in America, I had to lean into my purpose and rely on the community. I made it a priority to help my family in Grenada and future generations to come. Opportunities meant finishing high school and going to college.

Why did you choose ������Ƶ?

������Ƶ was not my first college experience; I began at Baruch College (CUNY). I was excited to be there and wanted to study business, but I struggled with the new environment and was advised to start with a community college. So, I transferred to Kingsborough Community College (CUNY); it was a wonderful experience!

Along with the education, there was a beach next to [Kingsborough] that reminded me of Grenada—it turned out to be an excellent foundation for my college years. My ultimate goal was to earn a bachelor’s degree at a school where other Caribbean students and a good mix of different cultures could come together in a diverse environment. I knew that would help me grow and evolve. ������Ƶ had all of that! It’s one of my favorite memories, and a great experience in the U.S.

What made you decide to pursue banking as a career?

I went into banking because I wanted to help others, especially those in my community, with financial education. During my senior year, I went to the Magner Center for career advice and a résumé review. I thought my résumé was pretty good until Natalia [Guarin-Klein] looked at it! She saw me right away.

Around the same time, Citibank came to campus to recruit students for a management associate program. I was headed home, passing students in suits on campus. I asked them where they were going, and they said that Citibank was there to recruit. I was dressed casually but decided to check it out. I sat in the back and watched as the Citibank executive was introduced. I applauded loudly—I was so excited—and he noticed. He said, “That looks like somebody who will get the job.”

The next day, I told Natalia I wanted to interview for the program. The company only hired one student each year. And I knew this was the right fit for me; I would learn and grow and build my career. After four rounds of interviews with Citibank, with Natalia coaching me along the way, I got the call from the program manager—I was the one student selected from ������Ƶ.

You stayed with Citibank after completing the program.

After graduation, I began the two-year Management Associate program at Citibank and then became a bank manager in a predominantly Caribbean community in Brooklyn. That branch was underperforming, but I was able to boost its success through community engagement and building a high-performing team. I felt like I was giving back to the community and helping the company.

Based on my success, my manager challenged me to take a role leading Citibank’s headquarters branch. After six years of leading teams and driving success, I was chosen to lead the Citibank client experience engagement program supporting the branches.

You currently work at Truist. Is your current job role similar?

I’m a financial inclusion executive at Truist, and a lot of my work draws from my previous experiences. We help clients in our communities build financial confidence regardless of where they are on their journey. Just like I needed Natalia to coach me during college, I believe everyone needs a financial coach for advice and guidance to live a life of financial wellness.

Every day, I get excited that my team and I have the opportunity, through community outreach, to engage with small businesses, colleges, employers, and employees to share banking solutions, deliver financial education, and connect clients with bankers focused on their success. We also work with great partners like Operation HOPE, which helps provide one-on-one coaching as an extension of our work.

Your own philanthropy extends to your alma mater.

I donate to ������Ƶ because I am where I am because of ������Ƶ, specifically the Magner Center. The center played such a pivotal role in my life.

When I think about college students and the opportunity to invest and give back, I remember where I came from and how it started. Low income does not mean low potential. And if I could give even just one dollar, it makes a difference.

I live in North Carolina, so I can’t come to the campus as much as I’d like to, but I can help financially. That can change a student’s life–like the support I received. It all comes down to waking up in the morning and asking, “What am I going to do today to make a difference and live my purpose, or how can I improve myself?”

What is your advice for today’s students?

Ask for help and remember you’re not alone. The person sitting next to you in class or the person you’re walking next to on campus may be having the same thoughts or experiences that you’re having. Don’t be afraid to share your story, like I’m doing right now. Take time to network and build relationships, especially with people with diverse backgrounds, skills, and perspectives, as this accelerates your growth and prepares you for the world. Finally, when you understand your purpose, what I call “your why,” lean into it, do the work, and persevere. You’ve got this, and you, as you are, are enough!

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In times of uncertainty, especially for immigrant and undocumented communities, the college stands as a steadfast ally. We are unwavering in our commitment to educating, supporting, and advocating for our immigrant students and their families.

Working Together for a Safe and Supportive Campus

On April 10, the college took an important step toward addressing the systemic challenges faced by immigrant students with the launch of its first-ever Immigrant Student Support Summit.

Spearheaded by President Anderson and Immigrant Student Success Office (ISSO) Director Jesús Pérez, the summit brought together a wide range of student-centered offices for an honest and solutions-driven conversation about transforming the immigrant student experience—from application to graduation.

President Anderson opened the two-hour meeting of the minds with a powerful call to action, urging faculty, staff, and administrators to reimagine the student journey and to identify ways ������Ƶ can deliver a more intentional, inclusive, and empowering educational experience.

Framing the discussion around how to fulfill the college’s promise of a high-quality education for every student, President Anderson guided the group through a thoughtful examination of the bureaucratic hurdles immigrant students often face — from their initial inquiry to graduation and career readiness.

The summit was well-attended and sparked candid, in-depth conversations about the complex transition immigrant students navigate.

Representatives from essential student-serving offices—including Admissions, Financial Aid, the Bursar’s Office, the Office of Scholarships, the Center for Academic Advisement and Student Success, the Registrar, and the Magner Career Center—shared valuable insights into both the structural barriers students encounter and the opportunities for institutional growth and innovation.

Several key themes emerged from the discussion:

• Streamlining administrative processes to ease the burden on students and reduce confusion
• Fostering interdepartmental collaboration to provide more holistic support
• Expanding visibility and access to resources, especially for undocumented and first-generation students
• Promoting early engagement with academic advising, financial aid, and scholarship opportunities

The summit closed with a strong, shared commitment to continue this critical work. Participants agreed this inaugural gathering would mark the beginning of an ongoing series of strategic conversations—all aimed at reshaping policies, improving coordination across offices, and ensuring that every ������Ƶ student, regardless of immigration status, can pursue their educational goals with dignity, clarity, and confidence.

Teaching and Learning Rights

To help understand the changing landscape, the college also held two “Know Your Rights Workshops” on February 23 and April 21. The most recent workshop continued the conversation on constitutional rights, focusing on what individuals need to know while in transit to ������Ƶ, in the surrounding area, and on campus.

Topics covered included what is considered a public space, what rights apply in different settings, and how to safely navigate interactions with law enforcement.

These sessions provide guidance on how individuals and their families can prepare for a potential law enforcement encounter. Open to students, staff, faculty and community members seeking to protect themselves and support others co-sponsored by ISSO, ������Ƶ Faculty Council and Staff, PSC, We Stand Against Hate, and CUNY Law Immigrant and Non-Citizen Rights Clinic.

ISSO at Your Service and More

While these efforts are often adjusted and refocused, they have been ongoing. Since 2019, ������Ƶ has offered a wide range of dedicated resources to help students manage difficulty situations and thrive. The ISSO office supports, advocates for, and empowers students from a variety of immigration backgrounds through an intentional philosophy of holistic support, including free legal services, help accessing financial aid and counseling, as well as health and wellness offerings, and much more. The ISSO Office is located in 117 Roosevelt Hall and can be contacted at ISSO@brooklyn.cuny.edu or by phone at 718.951.5023.

To help students, as well as faculty and staff, understand their rights no matter of citizenship status, other online resources on both the ������Ƶ and CUNY websites are available, including:

• Resources for Undocumented Students

The post Students Are Our Main Priority appeared first on ������Ƶ.

For 20 years, the Magner Career Center has connected students to careers, and this summer, the college celebrated a crucial component of the center’s work at the annual Marge Magner Stipend Award Celebration.

Offering Our Students a Competitive Edge

In today’s competitive hiring environment, internships have become invaluable to college students looking to build work experience and industry connections. But with many internships being unpaid, equitable access to these opportunities can be a challenge, and one that our Magner Career Center helps ������Ƶ students overcome.

Every year, Magner Career Center awards more than $100,000 in stipends to fund unpaid career experiences. Available to both undergraduate and graduate students, these stipends help provide greater flexibility and freedom in choosing internship opportunities.

The stipends pay students $1,000 to $5,000 and are designed to help them engage with nonpaying, off-campus internships or other volunteer opportunities.

At the award celebration, students spoke about this transformative program’s impact. The center’s founder, Marge Magner, and President Michelle J. Anderson attended the annual event, along with Natalia Guarin-Klein, the executive director of alumni and career engagement.

A Unique Responsibility

Marge Magner (left) with attendees at the annual Stipend Award Celebration.

Established in 2004 with a gift from Marge Magner ’69, the internship program assists approximately 100 students annually.

Only a small handful of colleges nationwide offer such stipend support.

“We as graduates love to come back and be of any assistance any way we can in helping the students,” Magner said. “But it’s a responsibility, and it’s a responsibility we all take seriously, and we do it with great heart and great joy.”

The Center’s Ongoing Work

Magner—a founding member and partner of Brysam Global Partners with more than 30 years of experience in the consumer financial services sector—leaned on her vast business experience to create the modern and adaptive career center that offers students practical, measurable, and lasting supportive career programs and services.

Alumni at a recent networking event.

The center’s impact is undeniable—and its success is only expanding. Since its founding, the center has disbursed about $4 million in internship stipends to students, hosted job fairs with more than 3,500 employers, and offered more than 1,500 events, including résumé workshops, networking nights, career panels, and mentor luncheons.

The percentage of graduating students who use its services has nearly tripled since its founding. In 2022, the center notably launched the ������Ƶ Career Partners and Alumni Champions programs, which enable employers to invest in students who can benefit from personalized career support.

More about the Magner Career Center

Read about the center’s impact on five alumni working in philanthropy, education, and business.

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“My mom had a dream for her children, and she inquired how she could help us get there,” says Guarin-Klein. “Without the right resources, mentorship, and support along the way, my story would have been different.”

Today, Guarin-Klein brings that frame of reference to her role at ������Ƶ. She is currently transitioning into her new, expanded position as executive director of alumni and career engagement after 20 years at the Magner Career Center, the last 10 of which she served as its director.

She brings a lot of relevant experience to the position, including her role as the mom of three children—one in college and two others in high school, a perspective that “has made the mission of helping ������Ƶ students stronger for me,” she says.

We spoke to her about her own career path and the joy she gets out of playing a not insignificant role in the paths of many ������Ƶ students

So many people on campus know you for helping to guide the career trajectory of our students and alumni. What’s the story of how you landed here at ������Ƶ?

I went to SUNY Binghamton because I convinced my parents to let me go away. I received a degree in psychobiology. My mom encouraged me to continue my education before I got married and had kids, so I went straight to New York University and received an M.A. in industrial and organizational psychology. While I was at NYU, I interned at The New York Times in their human resources department. I also worked part-time in HR for a major advertising company, McCann Relationship Marketing.

I used the NYU career center to get a job with Accenture after graduation. Then I fell into higher education by accident. I had a boss I was not happy with. My husband, Richard Klein, was working in the ITS department here. I saw the opening at the Magner Career Center. The position, although a pivot from corporate to higher education, included the aspects I enjoyed about my job: mentoring and guiding people in their careers. It was definitely a bit of luck and timing to land at ������Ƶ.

What will you do in your new role as executive director of alumni and career engagement?

I will support the Magner Career Center director from a strategic perspective and now I’ve added the alumni office to my portfolio. This is exciting because as a career center, we engage 100–200 alumni each year, so it is a natural fit. Plus, the Magner Career Center staff and I built long-lasting relationships with students after they graduate. With the new Magner Center director, Andre Fontenelle, my role will be providing guidance to him as well as expanding events and initiatives with alumni that support students such as our stipend or mentoring program.

Do you want to talk about some of your plans in the new role?

I’m going to first listen to the various stakeholders and start to develop new programming and events. This year, I am piloting an alumni professional development series, which will have five different sessions led by alumni for alumni. I would like to create a group of alumni volunteers with a mix of young and experienced professionals who will lead career development and networking opportunities for alumni within their industry. Perhaps pair an experienced alum with younger alumni. I’d also like to see how we can engage alumni to support college initiatives around things like enrollment.

Magner just celebrated 20 years and you’ve been here for just as long. What have been some of the challenges and successes through the years?  

Yes, I started in 2004. I think the challenge is the level of personalized attention students can receive given the staffing. We have to do a lot of consolidating, group events, and outreach at a broad level.

Despite that, we are the little engine that could. Our team is small, but we make up for it by having dedicated and passionate career coaches, leveraging our student staff, and using our alumni as volunteers to better support students.

What makes ������Ƶ students special? What’s been your pitch to employers as you’ve led the Magner Center? 

I honestly can’t imagine a better group of students to support. It is the right mix: students with great potential who benefit from the support of the career center. If I had to describe our students to employers, I would say they have grit and drive; they are hardworking. Since the student body is diverse in every sense of the word, they have the ability to work with others and understand their perspectives. And finally, they are humble and do not feel entitled, so they are a true pleasure to work with.

You’ve played an essential role in the career (and personal) development of so many former students—people who’ve gone on to dramatically change their lives. How does that feel? 

When Marge Magner supported the formation of the center in 2004, her vision was for ������Ƶ students to have access to a professional network, that often students from more privileged backgrounds have. She realizes that students from other universities were not smarter, more capable or harder working than ������Ƶ but they lacked connections to make the path easier. When she formed the Center she wanted for ������Ƶ alumni to serve as that network for students, to mentor them, open doors to opportunities, help them prepare for an interview at their company etc. I am proud to say that 20 years later, we are making good on her vision.

One of the main reasons I love this job is the opportunity to see students who didn’t fully believe in themselves accomplish a lot, and then give back to the college. The big benefit of being here so long is that I get to be a part of their journey and build relationships. I have connected with thousands of students throughout the years, and I get to see them grow up.

I think it is important for people to find a career they would love doing most days. No job is perfect. Many people go through the motions to earn a paycheck. I am fortunate to be able to say I can’t imagine finding a job that fulfills me as much as my current role.

It really does not get better.

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