Write a short paragraph that states the name you like to be called by, talks about your professional background and aspirations, your education (including the number of terms you have been at Baruch), and any other fun facts about yourself that you want to share.
20 thoughts on “Self-Introduction”
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My name is Jacqueline (Jacqui) Schlossberg and this is my second class at Baruch College. I am a MPA candidate. I did my undergraduate work at American University in Washington D.C. where I majored in Public Communication and Marketing. Naturally, I am not doing anything that has to do with my major and have found my way into the non-profit world. I work full time as a Development Executive in the Women’s Philanthropy department at UJA-Federation of New York where I manage a $300,000+ fundraising portfolio. While I love fundraising and making a difference in the New York community, my real passion lies in Holocaust and Genocide studies and I hope one day to work in this field.
I am originally from Long Island and now live on the Upper East Side. I am a die hard Jets fan and like any good NY Jets fan, I am truly pessimistic about the upcoming season (even though I’ll watch every game). I also love to read and to work out. My two guilty pleasures are definitely Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Real Housewives of New York. I hope to give those habits up in the upcoming school year.
Hi, my name is Bryttnee (Brittany) Parris and I like to be referred to at Brytt. I was raisee in Long Island but currently live in Brooklyn. I work for Good Shepherd Services, which is a non profit based in Chelsea. I am an assistant within in their Government & Philanthropy and Community & Advocacy Divisions. Prior to working at Good Shepherd, I interned downtown at the Black Institute within their Development Department. While working for non profits, it has introduced me to community work and advocacy on the ground level and this is something that I would like to continue to learn more about. Learning and seeing what people can do within community development has inspired me to hopefully become a policy/advocacy director for a non profit that deals with urban communities. I have completed my B.A. in English Literature and recently completed my M.A. at Brooklyn College in Political Science/ Urban Policy and Administration. I am currently a full time student within the MPA program and hope to successfully complete my second masters in non profit management.
3 fun facts:
1. I was born in Japan
2. I am an avid crocheter
3. I love DYI projects
Hello, My name is Rosy Perez. I work as a data administrator at the New York City Council. I hope to become a project manager in the near future. Previously worked as a Teller in Capital One. I graduated from Lehman College majoring in Economics and double minoring in Political Science and Spanish. This is my second term at Baruch College as an MPA candidate. I will be taking two classes this semester (including this one). Fun facts about me are that I enjoy traveling, poetry and swimming. I look forward to this semester.
Hello, my name is Sharmin Uddin. I am currently in my second semester as a graduate student in the MPA program. I attended Hunter College for my undergraduate studies. I majored in Political Science and Religion and minored in Human Rights. I strongly believe in human rights and want to work for a nonprofit that centers around human rights and/or civil rights. I’ve lived in New York City since I was a toddler and enjoy every bit of it. I currently work for a private educational company that offers executive functioning and academic services for students of all ages. It is difficult for me to connect to a private organization because I spent a great deal of my teenage years in nonprofits and community-based organizations. I prefer working with a diverse group of people from different parts of the world and neighborhoods. We learn from books but we learn even more from each other. I watch Bollywood movies and Pretty Little Liars during my free time. I come from a very big family of four sisters and two brothers. They are my motivation and my world. I look forward to learning from this class, my classmates and Professor Hoffman.
Hello everyone, my name is Leslie Polanco, you can all refer to me by my first name. I graduated from Connecticut College in 2012, as a Government major and Human Development minor. After graduation I wanted to go to law school and eventually become an attorney, but I decided to take a break from school and get experience in the field first. I worked as a paralegal for three years, specializing in employment and criminal law cases. The work environment was very fast paced and stressful and I could not picture myself working in that field long term. In 2015, I accepted a job offer from a hospital in the Bronx and I have been employed in their Labor Relations Department since. Being involved in grievance hearing procedures and understanding collective bargaining agreements sparked my interest in hospital administration. As I begin my first semester as an MPA student, I am eager to learn the skills that will help me achieve a position of leadership within a hospital.
Fun Facts:
I love traveling, especially to Caribbean islands.
I love bike riding and I work out every morning during the week.
My name is Yael David, while studying at Baruch as an MPA student I also work at the Hillel at Baruch as an Engagement Associate. In this position, I engage with Jewish students at Baruch one-on-one as well as guide the student leadership in implementing programming on campus. Originally, I am from New Jersey but I currently live on the Upper West Side. I am a recent graduate of Binghamton University where I studied Judaic Studies and Education. Prior to college, I spent a gap-year in Israel where I took classes, traveled the country, and volunteered for various organizations.
I have been involved with non-profits through my high school and college years and am thrilled to continue my work while in graduate school. My aspiration is to make deep impacts on American Jewish youth through working for Jewish non-profit organizations. I strive to strengthen both the American Jewish community as a whole as well as the identities of its individuals. I hope that studying in the School of Public Affairs will provide me with the knowledge and skills to work for organizations in which I can accomplish these goals.
Some of my fun facts include: my thumbs are different sizes, I believe I may be addicted to pasta, and my favorite TV shows are Homeland, House of Cards, and West Wing
My name is Norrisa Noel and this is my second semester in the MPA program, but I am no stranger to Baruch, since I did my undergraduate degree in Accounting here (graduated way back in 2001, pre-Vertical campus!) I’ve worked in the non-profit world since graduating, my longest job tenure being my current position as Senior Grants Accountant at Planned Parenthood of New York City for the last 10 years. Working at Planned Parenthood has stirred my interest in health care, particularly for women and minorities, and it is my hope that this degree will help me move further along in Health Care Administration.
Aside from work and school, I’m mom to a very outspoken 7-year old boy. I have no idea where he gets that quality from, because I’m usually the quiet listener. I grew up in Trinidad as an only child and came here as a teenager, (my accent comes out at the weirdest times).
I’m a serious “Game of Thrones fan”, love a good outside-the-box movie and a good fiction story.
Hi everyone, my name is Joy Igbinedion, I am in the MS/MPA program, and this is my fourth term here at SPIA. I currently work as a staff Registered Nurse in the psychiatric department at Queens Hospital Center. My Professional aspiration is management level in nursing/hospital administration. My ultimately hope is that, I will acquire specialized knowledge, skills, and expertise from my graduate study to realize my dream in retail entrepreneurship. My current fun details include backyard gardening and taking my kids to fun parks.
Hi everyone! My name is Francielle (pronounced Fran-Shell) Santiago, but you can feel free to call me Fran. I was born and raised in Queens, NY. I am enrolled in the MPA program with a specialization in Healthcare Policy, and this is my second semester at Baruch. I hold a BS and MS in Occupational Therapy from Boston University. Currently, I am working at a preschool in Queens as a pediatric occupational therapist. I hope to combine skills I have gained from working in the healthcare field with skills I have gained at Baruch to help me become healthcare administrator.
Fun fact: I am one of four sisters. Our names are Frances, Francine, Francesca, and Francielle. 3/4 of us are born in August and are left-handed.
Hello, my name is Jonathan Infante and no you can’t call me John. I have recently graduated from St. Joseph’s College with a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice, and now I’m at my first semester here at Baruch. Yeah! No breaks for me. During my time as an undergrad I was quite unsure about my aspirations, and to be honest I’m still not completely certain. However through student involvement with clubs and organizations, I found myself leaning toward public service. And it is because of this, I’m pursing a Master’s in Public Administration.
As for my professional experience, I have finished my internship at the New York Peace Institute and am currently seeking employment. Fun facts about me is I am one of four sons whose names begin with the letter “J.” If you are curious to names of the other three, feel free to ask me. Also my favorite person in the world is my dog Bubba.
Hi! My name is Caroline Snell, and this is my third semester in the MPA program. After undergrad, I joined Teach For America and taught high school English in Southeast Arkansas in the Mississippi Delta. I moved here after that to pursue my MPA because I didn’t want to be a teacher anymore. Now, I have an internship through AmeriCorps with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. This position has helped me realize that I want to pursue a career in public health. After completing my MPA, I plan to attend medical school in order to be either a pediatrician or child psychiatrist.
Fun fact about me: I am originally from Tennessee, and attended Harding University in Arkansas. I have lived in small towns my entire life, so the big city is fascinating to me!
Hello everyone,
My name is Tamara. I was born in Armenia, which is a small country in the Southern region of Caucasus in Eurasia.My family and I moved to the United Staes eight years ago.
I started my education at BMCC and transferred to Hunter College in January 2013.I was a pre-law student majoring in Sociology.In April 2013 I was hired as a College Assitant in the Deprtment Of Human Resoureces at Hunter College. After working there for three months I got promoted o an IT Business Data Reporting Analyst within the Position Management(Data Integrity Team).In December 2015 when I received my BA in Sociology, I was again promoted to a IT Business Data and Reporting Analyst, which was a full time position.My current position served as a major factor for me to pplly for the MPA program at Baruch College.This is my first semester and hopfully after I graduate the accuired knowledge and skills will help me to advance my positions within Human Resources.
Fun Fact: During my education at Hunter College I have done an internship with Hon. Ruth Pikholtz, who was an acting justice for the New York COunty Supreme Court, Criminal Branch. I was allowed to be present during the process of Jury Selection. I want to apply to Law School after the MPA.
Hi everyone! My name is Atara Frank, but you can just call me Atara. This is my fourth semester here at Baruch. I hope to graduate in January 2018! I got my Bachelors of Arts at Touro College and I majored in Psychology. I am extremely fascinated with the subject and I was hoping to go into a career using the degree. Turns out there’s not a lot of promising jobs with a major in Psychology besides for becoming a psychologist which I did not want to do (or the schooling for it). I then got a job in a non profit organization working with individuals with special needs. I oversee the recreational department where we run different programs for the children throughout the year. I love my job! My job led me to pursue a degree in the public administration field. My friend introduced me to the program here at Baruch and so far I’ve been really happy. I really hope to open up a non profit organization of my own. Either way I wanted to learn how to be an effective leader since I am currently am doing that at my job and I like being in an administrative position. I want to be able to impact the world in a better way!
Whats up!
My name is Daniel Muniz (but everybody calls me Danny) and this is my third term here at Baruch. My undergraduate degree was completed in the field of International Relations and Political Science, with a Minor in Business Administration, and I am currently pursuing an MPA while specializing in Urban Development and Sustainability. I work for the Department of Transportation as a Senior Analyst and I am heavily involved in city infrastructure and pedestrian safety throughout all five boroughs. I am huge on data and spatial analysis, but I also have a great deal of involvement in the budget portion of the job. International development has always been a passion for me, but local development and governance have recently been added to the list!
Fun facts:
One of my life goals is to obtain a second Masters degree, but every time I have homework/assignments, I start having second thoughts.
I am a big fan of learning life hacks and I consider my self a data wonk.
Hello All! My name is Rozaan Daniel. I am originally from St. Lucia in the Caribbean. I attended college in Atlanta Ga before coming up north to find work after graduation. My undergrad is in Business Admin and International Economics, and now I am pursuing a MPA. I work fulltime at IIE as a Grants Officer where I manage $2.5mil in grant funds from the Ford Foundation. This is my 5th job in 5 years at IIE. I am avid traveler and I am always looking for the next big adventure.
Hey folks!
My name is Jamie Pagirsky (pronounced Puh-Ger-Skee; or, if you want to be super cool and authentic, Pah-Geer-Skee).
My work has spanned multiple progressive causes, including labor, immigration, and international human rights. I graduated from SUNY New Paltz in 2014 with a BA in Sociology with a focus on social work. This is my second semester as a full-time MPA student at Baruch and, so far, I’m diggin’ it!
As of now, my policy interests lie primarily in criminal justice and, more specifically, the deep-seated inequities regarding race and class as factors in one’s navigating the oppressive United States penal system. I aspire to initiate a non-profit that focuses on life after incarceration, as former convicts are often stripped of their basic civil rights, including the right to vote (no less, any semblance of a stable life). I believe such policies exist to deliberately suppress historically marginalized groups of people in a sadistic attempt to protect the wealth and property of this nation’s most privileged. I want to organize people from all walks of life to mitigate this practice.
Anyway, I’m ranting.
Few fun-facts: I have a fraternal twin (who I love more than anyone on the planet), I ran a marathon once (I still don’t believe it myself), and – um – I have three earlobes. Seriously. Ask me politely and I’ll be glad to show you.
I look forward to sharing the class with all of you!! Y’all seem like charming individuals.
My name is D’anna (Dianna) Davydkina. My legal name has an apostrophe in it but I go by Dianna. This is my second semester in the MPA program here at Baruch College. I want to pursue the health care policy track. I received my Bachelors of Psychology from Hunter College in 2015. After obtaining my Bachelors I accepted a job as an IRB (Institutional Review Board) and Grants & Contracts Coordinator at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. Currently I am a Grants Specialist at NYU Langone Medical Center, now one of the top 10 hospitals nationwide, as seen in U.S. News & World Report’s annual “Best Hospitals” ranking. I find that not a lot of people know what my job consists of especially those who are not in the health field. Working as a Grants Specialist I am responsible for advising faculty on, and aiding faculty in, applying for and obtaining government and or private grants. Grants are important for conducting research and without research doctors and therefore the public losses out on possible new findings in the medical field.
I am pursing my MPA in order to increase my skills in constructing budgets, conducting statistical analyses, evaluating programs and analyses and to one day be the leader of an organization. This class specifically will help me gain a deeper knowledge in communications that take place when people come together to make a decision and when deliberating. As was mentioned in class dealing with deliberations is an important aspect to know in order to be a better leader.
Finally Got Access To my IT Accounts:
Better late than never, my name is Roy Frias and I’m okay with being called by my first name, my first name rarely gets mispronounced. I did my undergrad at SUNY Albany with a double major in History: World History Focus, and Journalism. I also minored in Latin and Caribbean Studies. Professionally I moved back to New York and have been working in political organizing & community organizing: working on environmental, social justice, and food justice work. Aspirations: my next goal is to work for the city at an agency and really learn that aspect of making “change” happen.
Fun Facts:
1) I started working on a book.
2) I do spoken word.
3) I actually believe the New York Knicks will make the playoffs this year.
Hello, everyone! My name is Nabjot, which is a Punjabi North Indian language name, and it means “the new light.” Everyone usually has difficulty saying it, but it is really pronounced Nab-jot. If you can say my name then great but if not, you can say a nickname, which is Nabby. I am currently working two positions at an environmental nonprofit, GrowNYC, as a farmer’s market manager and compost coordinator. I wish to hopefully one day to make a positive impact on a community and the environment for the greater good either working at a nonprofit or having my own one day. This is my second semester at Baruch pursuing my MPA degree. I did my undergraduate studies here as well in Public Affairs.
Fun facts about myself: 1) I recently went indoor rock-climbing for the first time, and I surprised myself that I am not bad at it. I wish to do it more. 2) When I went to Universal Studios this year, I felt like The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was the most amazing thing ever by bringing my favorite books and movies to life. 3) I am a huge Mets and NY Giants fan.
Hello! My name is Kim Ferguson. This is my first semester at Baruch in the MPA program. I currently work at an educational non-profit in New York City. I’m looking forward to continued work with high-needs populations in an urban setting. I hope to make connections with like-minded professionals and develop the skills required to be a leader in the non-profit sector during my time at Baruch.
My fun facts are:
1. I worked at a comedy theater for a few years and performed/coach/directed sketch and improv comedy for about 10 years.
2. I love crafts/knitting!
3. Recently, my fiance proposed to me on the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland.