From Homeless to Harvard

    

 Now that the semester is over, students are taking a break and enjoying the “calm of the storm” so to speak. For myself, I am taking this opportunity to refocus, regain strength and hit the ground running. This was my first semester here at BMCC and my personal growth is indescribable. I have learned so much both inside and out of the classroom and having completed the first semester, can only imagine what the future has in store.

     As we take a break, I think it wise to not only reflect but also take time to remind ourselves why we are here. I am at BMCC because my education took second place in my life- until now. Education was never a priority in my life and in the years following high school, it's been an important piece of my life that I desired to fulfill. Moving forward I’m reminded of the struggle we all go through to make our lives complete; to make our lives worth something.

     An inspiring movie and memoir I watched recently brings this to life. This movie is From Homeless to Harvard and I recommend watching and/or reading her memoir. The movie tells the story of Liz Murray, her struggle as a young girl raised by parents who used drugs and often found herself hungry. She persevered through these struggles and ended up changing her life. It's inspiring for anyone to see, especially a student, as the theme of the movie is reiterated throughout. That theme is the struggle we all make and the hope that lies ahead.

     I give the film, Liz Murray and anyone who, in the past or present, has made a change in their life for the better, two thumbs up and five stars. As we move forward with our lives and education, movies like From Homeless to Harvard remind us that life is worthless unless we, individually, find that thing that keeps us going, keeps us fighting, and gives us strength to continue on.

Watch From Homeless to Harvard via Youtube...

Goldman Sachs / BMCC Leadership Program 2010 Final Presentation

   

  Learning should be a continual process throughout our lives. I had the opportunity this semester to be a part of the Goldman Sachs / BMCC Leadership Program and would like to share this experience. We began by being divided into teams and were given the task of creating a business proposal and presenting it at the end. I don’t believe any of us knew what we were getting ourselves into. The program kicked off and key note speakers came in to discuss a variety of topics including communication, presentation and relationship-building skills.

     My team, Innovative Solutions we appropriately named, decided to offer marketing, branding, and consulting services to clients who were small business owners. After 8 weeks, we had our final presentation. Much preparation went into this and I am happy to say, it was a solid presentation.

     The program had very little downsides and more benefits than anything I’ve ever been a part of thus far. Working in a group setting was different, but we all we able to adapt and quickly became acclimated with each other’s way of doing business. We met on a consistent basis and often times, on weekends or whenever possible. Communication was important and I can mention that my entire inbox on my Blackberry contains over 60 emails from my team. Thank you T-mobile for that data plan!

     The experience was amazing and I feel like I have grown individually both in the personal and professional sense. As marketers, we’re selling a good or service. As people, we are selling ourselves. This means that we are truly a product in and of itself and just as the products we market, investments should be made. Investing into improving your skills and character can only help never hurt you. Below are several slides from the presentation and pictures I shot of my team members.

To view slide and zoom, please click: