At AHRC New York City’s inaugural Staff Recognition Day in January 2020, 11 staff members who have sought to continue their education were recognized for their commitment to continuous learning. These scholarship awards were sponsored by AHRC NYC’s Executive Team and corporate partners including Arthur Webb Group, Ltd.; Milbank Memorial Fund; Clifton, Budd, & DeMaria, LLP; Pitta Bishop & Del Giorno, LLC; and Prudential. SharingJessica Taveras, Marketing Database Coordinator,
Jessica Taveras, Marketing Database Coordinator,
Public Information
Master’s in Public Health, CUNY School of Public Health
“I was initially in a field that was very hands-on and I didn’t want to do that anymore. I thought where can I work with people, not in a direct way, but in a way that helps the public at large? Public health spoke to me. I’m interested in three venues: air quality, food safety, and waste management, particularly how hospitals handle their hazardous waste. My studies really hit home now after the pandemic—it taught me what the proper protocols we should be following are.”
“The scholarship really helped towards the cost of my last course at school. The opportunity really boosted my morale toward completing my master’s degree. I’m so grateful that I was nominated for the scholarship.”
Holli Flack, Community Support Supervisor,
Brooklyn Day Hab Without Walls Futures Program
Master’s in Social Work, Columbia University School of Social Work
“Like most people, for me choosing to go into social work is a combination of life events and experiences. I was working with kids with disabilities after getting my undergrad in theater. In England, I always meshed more with students with behavioral issues caused by disabilities or trauma. With my master’s in social work, I would love to continue working with people with disabilities, particularly those who identify as LGBTQ+ people. ”
“I didn’t even know the scholarships existed. There are thousands of employees at AHRC NYC, and for whatever reason, the person who nominated me thought I was deserving of it. It was such a weight off of my shoulder. From a personal perspective, I had a difficult year. I sat back and thought, wow somebody nominated me for that, that’s really amazing.”
Peter Vigil, Employment Development Supervisor,
Day Services
Associate’s Degree in Business Administration, LaGuardia Community College
“I was at a point where I felt I needed a degree to continue moving ahead. Two of my most important mentors at AHRC told me that, ‘We value what you bring to the agency and we’ll work with you to achieve your goals.’”
“Unfortunately, on the day of the event, my coworker and good friend Daniel Marcus Johnson passed away, and I wasn’t able to attend the ceremony in person. Daniel worked with the EBS team and an amazing guy. He was a great mentor for me at AHRC and I would always lean on him for guidance. I dedicate a lot of my work to him.”
“The scholarship was a huge blessing—it allowed me to not have to work a second job and I could focus on academics. I’m looking next to go to Baruch to study for a bachelor’s in industrial psychology. I want to focus on exposing businesses to promote better work cultures. It’s advocating for the cause of having diversity and equality in the business space. It has been inspiring to advocate for people we support and change how businesses think about our population.”
