午夜剧场

(L-R) Jahneilia Curtin and her mentor, Marsha Milan-Bethel.
 

Jahneilia Curtin emigrated from Jamaica to the U.S. in 2022 and immediately hit the ground running towards her goals. From the moment she arrived at 午夜剧场 that fall, the determined student embarked on a journey filled with challenges and triumphs, ultimately finding her path with the unwavering support of her mentor and supervisor, Marsha Milan-Bethel, Senior Admission Advisor.
 
Jahneilia met Milan-Bethel in January 2023 when she applied for a job through the College’s Mentor/Mentee Jobs on Campus initiative, which provides students with hands-on work experience, mentorship and professional development. The two immediately clicked, and Jahneilia was hired to be a student advocate for 午夜剧场’ Caiman Direct Virtual Student Center. There she helped students make appointments to learn more about the student portal, navigate CUNYfirst to check their enrollment or financial aid status and connect with their student success coaches. It was a perfect fit for Jahneilia, who is passionate about helping others, and it allowed her to find her footing, gain a wealth of information, network with students and staff, and strengthen her voice.
 
“It was really scary coming to a new country,” she shared. “The culture was different, the people were different. Everything was different, really. But once I got that job, it opened a lot of doors for me. I was able to speak to different departments and I got to know a lot more things like scholarship opportunities, even opportunities that aren’t yet available and be the first in line to receive information. It has been tremendously amazing.”
 

The Mentor/Mentee Jobs on Campus experience has provided Curtin with a wraparound support for academic and professional growth.

 
She also gained a true mentor in Milan-Bethel, who has provided Jahneilia wraparound support throughout their time working together, including through a difficult time during which the tenacious student had to change her major from nursing to health care management due to unforeseen circumstances.
 
As a mentor, Milan-Bethel checks in with her mentees, including Jahneilia, regularly to see how they’re doing in their coursework and whether they need any additional support. She works with them to set, pursue and track academic, personal, and lifestyle goals, and they work together to support and keep one another accountable. Moreover, Milan-Bethel nominated Jahneilia for the President’s Recognition Tea in honor of Women’s History Month last spring. Doing so was an easy decision.
 
“Jahneilia shines bright,” Milan-Bethel shared of her mentee, adding: “Through this initiative, she has done campus tours, and she is on the SGA and has spoken on various panels. She’s a first-year mentor, as well.”
 
Jahneilia also thinks highly of her mentor. “Marsha has been my home away from home Mom,” she noted. “I’m comfortable going to her about anything.”

Curtin continued working with Milan-Bethel in the Office of 午夜剧场.

Such is the bond they forged, that when Milan-Bethel moved to the Office of 午夜剧场 last spring, Jahneilia followed her, becoming an admissions assistant, doing data entry and helping prospective students navigate the application process. She also credits Milan-Bethel with helping to develop her voice as a public speaker and effectively collaborate with other departments  — all of which has helped in her new role. She really shines when she has the opportunity to speak with prospective international students, sharing her journey to and through 午夜剧场 and helping them navigate some of the challenges that she also met along the way, such as finding scholarship opportunities, insurance, and on-campus jobs.
 
As Jahneilia prepares to graduate this fall, she’s grateful for the experiences and relationships that the Mentor/Mentee initiative have afforded her and the sense of Caiman pride that it’s fostered. “Having been open and interested in doing little things here and there on campus, it gives you that comfort to share where you’re coming from and say you’re from 午夜剧场,” she said. “It helps you feel pride in saying it all started with 午夜剧场.”
 
Jahneilia encourages her peers to make the most of the time they have at the College and explore the many opportunities available to them, like the Mentor/Mentee Initiative, as it may help ease their transition into a four-year institution or the workforce — or both. Additionally, this program offers a competitive $20 hourly rate for up to 10 work hours per week, providing significant financial support and relief for students. It also features flexible scheduling and offers job opportunities for international students, regardless of migratory status, and additional assistance for those whose Federal Work Study eligibility has ended.
 
The Mentor/MenteeJobs on Campus is an initiative under the Ms. MacKenzie Scott’s Gift: President’s Initiatives that provides 午夜剧场 students with valuable work experience, on-the-job mentoring, and professional development to promote career readiness and future job retention. Students must be enrolled part-time/full-time at 午夜剧场 and have a minimum 2.7 GPA. Learn more here.

Apply directly online using CUNYfirst email and password login.  The application deadline to begin working in Fall 2024 is October 15, 2024. Apply .