Senior Spotlights
Valedictorian Alyssa Marie Nunziato ’21 Dreams of Becoming A CPA and Stopping White-Collar Criminals
Class of 2021 Valedictorian Alyssa Marie Nunziato came to John Jay in part because of her mother’s late-stage cancer diagnosis. “I wanted to make sure I went to college locally so I could be with her. In the beginning, I had some difficulty finding my own community on campus, but that changed when I received an email saying I was eligible to be a Peer Academic Advisor in the Academic Advisement Center. After my mother passed away, I was surrounded by the greatest of people. They were willing to sit with me, have long conversations, comfort me, and support my family and I during a very difficult time; it was a testament to the relationships we built together in the Center.” Read more...
When graduating senior and salutatorian Mia Anderton ’21 found out that she wouldn’t be able to study abroad due to the pandemic, she buckled down and set the ultimate challenge for herself: graduate a year early, earn a perfect 4.0 GPA, and double major in Forensic Psychology and Criminology. “My next goal is to get my Ph.D. in Psychology. I’m interested in working with the inmate population as an expert witness in their trials and possibly working for the defense team when it comes to sentencing.” Read more...
After a 15-Year Effort Jannkarlos Vargas ’21 Earns His Bachelor’s Degree
At 41 years old, Jannkarlos Vargas ’21 is accomplishing something no one in his family has ever accomplished—he’s earning his bachelor’s degree. “In middle school and high school, I thought I was like all the other students. When I approached my parents about getting my license, they sat me down and said, ‘No, you can’t do that because you’re undocumented and we don’t have a social security number for you.’ I understood what they were saying, but I didn’t realize the full impact that my status would have on my life. It took me 15 years to finish what students normally complete in four to six years because there were so many obstacles with my immigration status.” Read more...
John Anthony François ’21 is about to embark on a new chapter in his academic life, attending Stanford University School of Medicine to earn a Ph.D. in Immunology. “My goal is to find less-invasive, more tolerable alternatives to the standard chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery that we use today,” he says. His desire to make a positive change in the field of cancer research comes from his own lived experience. “I had Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma when I was 17 years old and I had to get chemo..” Read more...
Keiann Simon ’21, a Forensic Science major, PRISM graduating senior, and self-described “science nerd” is preparing to transform the forensic science practices of an entire nation. “My plan is to go back home to Guyana and have an impact on the forensic science industry there and across the Caribbean by building on the forensic science systems they currently have in place. It’s important that these countries have access to testing facilities, adequate equipment, and continuing education to ensure that those impacted by the criminal justice system are being treated fair and just.” Read more...
When the Covid-19 health crisis led to shutting down schools and businesses across New York City, SEEK graduating senior Sarah M. Dorismond ’21 lost her job and found herself homeless. “The pandemic was beyond challenging, but I didn’t come this far just to quit, especially during my final year. I was motivated to keep going. I slept on friends’ couches, found myself a full-time job, and continued my five classes at the College. It wasn’t easy, but I was determined to graduate.” Read more...
SEEK Student Genesis Correa ’21 Makes Her Late Father’s Dreams Come True by Earning Her Degree
Genesis Correa ’21, a first-generation college student and SEEK student, sees graduating from John Jay not only as an important milestone in her life, but also as a way of paying homage to her beloved dad, who passed away during her sophomore year at the College. “I’m dedicating my degree to my father. He brought me to this country from the Dominican Republic when I was six years old because he had big dreams for me. He pushed me to go to college and encouraged me to apply to John Jay. I know that he’s watching from above, feeling extremely proud and screaming with excitement ‘that’s my girl.’ It’s because of him that I’m motivated to push through any challenges and achieve great things in my life.” Read more...
Growing up in Panama City, Panama, Estefania Solis ’21 never foresaw herself working at a vaccination site during a global pandemic, but she did envision herself working for a federal agency or possibly going to law school. Once she found John Jay, she knew it was the gateway to her future. “I heard about this school being one of the best in the field, and I’ve always loved New York City and saw myself ending up here in the future. I wanted to do something different and decided to take this journey by myself and start from scratch—of course, with the support of my family.” Read more...
Graduating Honors student and Pinkerton Community Fellow Jesse Funtleyder ’21 is committed to public service. So, when CUNY Service Corps presented him with the opportunity to rebuild homes in Puerto Rico following Hurricanes Irma and Maria, he jumped at the chance. “I wanted to give the people on the island hope. I wanted them to know that things will get better.” Read more...
Jasmine Jackson ’21 Reaches Her Grad School Dreams with the Help of the CUSP Program
Jasmine Jackson ’21 is the first in her family to earn a bachelor's degree and get into grad school. She’s already enrolled in a master’s degree program at Fordham University and has a job lined up at their Student Association for Mental Health. Jackson attributes much of her success to CUSP (Completion for Upper-division Student Program). “Without CUSP, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am right now,” she says. “CUSP made sure that I was prepared and ready for life after graduation, and I couldn’t be more thankful for it.” Read more...
Sarah Umstadt ’21, an International Criminal Justice major, knew she wanted to go to law school after completing a year-long research project with Professor Mangai Natarajan on drug trafficking organization in New York City and interning with the Honorable Wilma Guzman (John Jay Class of ’78). “By the end of my first day with judge Guzman, I knew I that I wanted to pursue a career in law.” This fall she’ll be attending St. John’s University School of Law. Read more...
Graduating senior Alyssa Torres ’21 knows the value of having one-on-one support. Through her experiences in APPLE Corps and the Student Academic Success Programs (SASP) she witnessed how steady guidance, individualized advisement, and personal encouragement can help individuals feel validated, increase their confidence, and create a pathway to success. On her way to NYU’s Silver School of Social Work this fall, Torres is looking forward to earning a master’s degree in Social Work and becoming a licensed clinical social worker. “I’m dedicated to providing social work services to the many different underserved populations in New York City, especially the youth. Oftentimes, people just need to know they have someone in their corner cheering them on, believing in them, and offering them support. I look forward to being that person for many.” Read more...
Musarrat Lamia ’21 Reflects on Her Personal Growth and Evolution at John Jay
When Musarrat “Mus” Lamia ’21 looks back at her John Jay journey, she’s filled with pride for what she’s been able to accomplish. She was a Vera Fellow and Student Council President, but pressures from school and life’s demands started to take a toll on her this past year. “The economic turmoil from the pandemic hit me and my family hard,” she says. “Through the Wellness Center I applied to the Student Emergency Fund and I’m so thankful I did because that money enabled us to pay bills and kept us afloat.” Read more...
Veteran Michael Sabato ’21 Discovers A Passion for Education
Marine Corps veteran and graduate student Michael Sabato ’21 never dreamt of graduating from college, but that all changed once he got to John Jay. “As a kid with dyslexia and ADHD, growing up and going to school in the ’90s was challenging for me. Nothing about school was fun, so for the longest time I didn’t care about my education. When I got to John Jay in 2016, it was the first time in my life that I realized I could do anything I set my mind to. I would say, the Office of Military and Veteran Services and Veterans Association was the most consistent and influential staple in my John Jay experience.” Read More...
Tayaba Bibi ’21 always new that she wanted to become an attorney, but what she didn’t know was that one particular program at John Jay would significantly impact her ideas about justice and system-impacted individuals. “Because of the Prison-to-College-Pipeline Learning Exchange Program, I was able to develop communication skills with correctional officers, inmates, and law enforcement officers that will help me with my career goal of becoming a lawyer.” Read More...
Dylan Senkiw ’21 Gets Accepted into Four Master’s Programs to Pursue a Public Policy Career
Dylan Senkiw ’21, a Macaulay Honors student double majoring in Political Science and Computer Science and Information Technology, was recently accepted into four Public Policy master’s degree programs. “I’m deciding between the University of Texas, the University of Wisconsin, Georgetown University, and Duke University. Through the courses I took for my majors, I have found an intersection between technology and policy and I truly want to contribute to global sustainable development.” Read more...
Sassi Kachhelo ’21 Credits CUSP Program with Helping Her Graduate on Time
Sassi Kachhelo ’21, a graduating senior from Pakistan, almost had to put her John Jay journey on hold last semester when she ran into some financial difficulties. “I had to choose between enrolling in classes for the Spring 2021 semester or paying my rent,” she says. “I was worried and thinking that I would have to skip the semester and delay graduating from College.” Thankfully she learned about the Completion for Upper-division Student Program (CUSP). “Not only were they able to provide financial assistance through the CUSP Completion Grant, but they provided me with a roadmap to success.” Read more...
Celebrating Our Students
