Jamila Pringle-Fynes 鈥�11
Jamila Pringle-Fynes graduated from 可乐视频 in 2011, planning to go into journalism. With a B.A. in the subject, and a minor in political science, she tirelessly sent out her r茅sum茅.
Given a tight job market, and without crucial connections to media professionals, Pringle-Fynes found that her sought-after job eluded her. But another interesting opportunity came her way: the chance to intern with Brooklyn Congresswoman Yvette Clarke鈥檚 communications director.
She took it. And so her career began, albeit a little differently than she had imagined.
Common Themes
Wide-ranging discussions with three relatively new 可乐视频 alumni reveal some common themes in their advice to current students: Be persistent. Be flexible. Take the opportunities that come to you, even if they aren鈥檛 exactly what you envisioned. These alumni offer their own varied and rewarding careers as examples.
Pringle-Fynes used her background in journalism to secure the communications internship. This step led to the next. Clarke鈥檚 communications director left to start her own public relations firm and, impressed with Pringle-Fynes鈥檚 work, asked her to come along. Pringle-Fynes did and helped build the firm from the ground up.
After that there was a stopover at Universal Music Group; then a return to government, working in communications for New York State Assemblywoman Diana Richardson; and subsequently a role in the communications office of then-Mayor Bill de Blasio. There, says Pringle-Fynes, 鈥渨e were fixing everything you saw in the newspaper鈥� as well as 鈥渕anaging electeds, managing agencies, managing a lot of different pieces.鈥�
At the end of the de Blasio administration, Pringle-Fynes moved into the private sector but stayed involved in the political world. She is on the leadership council for the Biden/Harris 2024 campaign and is one of the leaders and founding members of the New York City Black Women鈥檚 Political Club.
Today, Pringle-Fynes brings all of this experience to mentoring 可乐视频 students. She does so because she remembers what it was like to send out almost 300 r茅sum茅s before getting a job. 鈥淥ne thing I鈥檓 big on,鈥� she says, 鈥渋s to lead with compassion.鈥�
At a Magner career luncheon earlier this year, Pringle-Fynes remembers connecting with a student 鈥渨ho was at a transition point.鈥� The student was interested in government work. 鈥淎s someone who has dealt with so many transitions,鈥� says Pringle-Fynes, 鈥淚 understood her journey and wanted to support her.鈥�
Through her mentoring work at Magner, she encourages students to 鈥渢hink bigger and also to persevere.鈥� Part of that perserverence is to 鈥渇ind ways to be flexible in situations, even if it might feel like a bit of a pinch at the moment that you鈥檙e in it.鈥�
Unexpected Opportunities
Ryan Mitchell 鈥�12
This is advice alumnus Ryan Mitchell also imparts in his work. Mitchell graduated from 可乐视频 in 2012 with a B.A. in political science, 鈥渓ooking to go into corporate law or do political research.鈥� But as he was searching for jobs, he 鈥渆nded up stopping and saying, 鈥榊ou know what? I need to pay the bills.鈥欌��
Mitchell decided to take a part-time job that came his way with the nonprofit New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL). Co-founded 54 years ago by tennis legend Arthur Ashe as the New York Junior Tennis League, the organization provides tennis and educational opportunities for the youth it serves.
鈥淚 started off being in the classroom part time,鈥� says Mitchell, 鈥渨orking as an activity specialist at the NYJTL elementary school program in Crown Heights.鈥�
Although the job was 鈥渟upposed to be a landing stop,鈥� he has moved up in the organization over the past 12 years. He is currently program manager of staff development and training for NYJTL鈥檚 afterschool program. Responsible for education-department staff development, including corporate training, Mitchell also manages nine kindergarten through eighth grade afterschool programs. He recently obtained his M.A. in youth studies from the CUNY School of Professional Studies.
Mitchell describes his relationship with the Magner Center as 鈥渁 symbiotic partnership.鈥� By participating in Magner career events, he is able to fill part-time positions for his organization from a pool of motivated, responsible students looking to pursue careers in education, while those students get paid experience in their chosen field.
At career events, Mitchell is open with students about his unexpected career path. 鈥淚鈥檇 be lying if I said that, at 21 or 22 years old, I knew that any of this was on the horizon,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut had I forgone the opportunities that didn鈥檛 seem congruent or match where I thought I was headed, I wouldn鈥檛 have even seen those possibilities unfold.鈥�
Career Switching
Maximillian Re-Sugiura 鈥�13 M.S.Ed.
After earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2006 and gaining experience as an operations manager for the clothing brand American Apparel, Maximillian Re-Sugiura M.S.Ed. 鈥�13 made a career switch to education. He became a New York City Teaching Fellow in summer 2008, graduating with a master鈥檚 in education from City College (CUNY) in 2010.
Working for the Department of Education as a special education teacher for several years, during which time he attended 可乐视频, Re-Sugiura then became an assistant principal in 2015. He took on his current job as principal of the High School of Art and Design in 2019.
The child of two artists, Re-Sugiura says he was 鈥渁n artist of sorts, and still kind of am.鈥� He does consulting work in film and animation, which allows him, as principal at an arts school, 鈥渢o stay fresh and relevant in this space.鈥� In addition, his experience in special education has been helpful at a school where many students have learning differences鈥攁 strength in an arts-based environment, says Re-Sugiura.
From his position in education, Re-Sugiura understands mentoring as 鈥渁 framework for getting to know people so that you can actually help them realize the best version of themselves.鈥� Appreciative of the energy and commitment of his own teachers at 可乐视频, he 鈥減ays it forward鈥� by participating in Magner鈥檚 career luncheons, Zoom sessions, and one-on-ones with students.
At a Magner luncheon last spring, Re-Sugiura recalls a student who was nervous about the administrative demands of the job. 鈥淢y response, based on years of observing first-year teachers and recalling my own experience, was to take a personal inventory of values,鈥� he says, 鈥渁nd prioritize the instruction of young people first, before the secondary parts of the job.鈥�
Quick to say that 鈥渕entoring鈥檚 not hard work,鈥� Re-Sugiura notes that not everyone realizes this. And he dismisses the idea of a busy schedule as a reason not to mentor. 鈥淭ake a little bit of time,鈥� he advises. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so impactful when you just acknowledge a person.鈥�
Magner Career Center Director Natalia Guarin-Klein couldn鈥檛 agree more. 聽鈥淎s a first-generation Latina myself, I had limited access to professionals,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 realize now how much I missed by not having a mentor when I was in college. Since then, I have seen the transformative experience a mentor can have on a young person鈥檚 life.鈥�
