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ur S
tori
es, O
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oice
s, O
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omm
unit
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Healthy Healthy Healthy
LivingLivingLiving Alumni Alumni Alumni advice advice advice
Fall 2015
BeatingBeating
the MCATthe MCAT
EXPLORE EXPLORE
NYCNYC
Ph
oto
by R
ob
ert
Cole
S.E.E.K. Director
Annette Hernández, PhD
Editors
Miamichelle Abad
Sherley Boursiquot
Julie Sriken
Reporters/Writers
Miamichelle Abad
Sherley Boursiquot
Wayne Nesmith
Julie Sriken
Layout
Julie Sriken
Photographers
Robert Cole
Contact Us
(718) 960-7979
The opinions, beliefs and
viewpoints expressed by the
various authors in this publi-
cation do not necessarily re-
flect the opinions, beliefs and
viewpoints of the S.E.E.K.
Program or official policies of
S.E.E.K.
Letter from the Director ………………….……………...page 3
SEEK is a finalist for top award..…………...page 4
Giving back with DENISE..................................page 12
Healthy Eating...……………………………..…………………..page 14
Medical School with VICTOR…………………….……….page 9
Get your LEARN on!..............................................page 18
Working hard with MICHAEL……..…….………..page 20
Alumni advice…………………………..…...page 24
Sports………………………..……………………………..………...page 28
SEEK SEEK SEEK NewsletterNewsletterNewsletter
Our stories, our voices, our community
Lehman College, CUNY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover Photo: Robert Cole robsnappypics.com Makeup & Wardrobe: Michael Saldana
Location: Lehman College Music Building
Dear SEEK community,
It is my pleasure to introduce the first issue of
the SEEK newsletter for the 2015-2016
academic year. Whether you are starting your college
career or in the middle of a professional career, I hope
you find information, inspiration and special memories
in this issue and those to come. To foster a sense of ca-
maraderie and support, we invite you to use the newslet-
ter to share your experiences and accomplishments.
Hence, our tagline is
“Our stories, our voices, our community.”
The concept of community is integral to the beginnings of the Percy Ellis Sutton SEEK Program in
City University of New York (CUNY) which will celebrate its 50th anniversary during the academic year 2015
-2016. Recognizing the racial and economic disparities in college attendance, activist educators and legislators
created a program to encourage future scholars from low income communities to enroll and attend college, but
most importantly, making sure that students graduate. This was the beginning of the SEEK program as we
know it today: SEEK invests in the future of New York City by supporting NYC residents with high potential
from low income families. As a result, our students go on to graduate and establish careers, whereby they in-
spire, mentor and support others in our community.
Within these pages, we want to showcase the SEEK community; we highlight the skills and the accom-
plishments of our student scholars and share advice from our alumni. We also welcome your ideas for articles,
submissions for publication or even joining in our newsletter committee. For now, I hope you will enjoy our
fall newsletter and share it among your family and friends.
Regards,
Annette Hernández
SEEK Program Director
Photo by Robert Cole
Letter from the DirectorLetter from the DirectorLetter from the Director
WASHINGTON, D.C.—September 22, 2015—Dr. An-
nette Hernández, Director of Lehman’s Percy Ellis Sutton
SEEK program received a certificate on behalf of the
SEEK Program after being nominated for the nationally
prestigious ¡Excelencia! in Education 2015 Examples of
Excelencia Award. ¡Excelencia! in Educationis a non-
profit organization that recognizes programs dedicated to
Latino success in higher education.
Lehman’s SEEK Program remained one of the top 5 fi-
nalists after running up against over 250 nominees from
programs in 30 states, including Washington, D.C., and
Puerto Rico. Other baccalaureate programs that were also
recognized during the ¡Excelencia! in Education 2015
awards ceremony are as follows: Latino Initiative Pro-
gram (Utah Valley University), Mathematics Intensive
Summer Session (California State University), and Sam
Houston Establishing Leadership In and Through Ed-
ucation--SH ELITE (Sam Houston State University).
However, this year, Lehman College’s SEEK Program
was the only CUNY program that had received this spe-
cial recognition.
“This program has been in existence for almost 50 years;
it is a recognition of all the teamwork that has taken place
right here at Lehman College and the students who are part of the SEEK Program,” said Hernández.
Hernández, who has been working for SEEK for 12 years, could not be happier that all of the hard work has
finally paid off. She indicated that it was the first time Lehman College’s SEEK Program has ever been recog-
nized in this manner.
When asked what did she and the staff do differently to come this far, Hernández said, “We have done many
things. In addition to having a wonderful staff, we are constantly trying to improve the Program’s services, and
implement new ideas that can benefit our SEEK students.”
At Lehman, the SEEK Program, which stands for Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge, provides
its students—high school graduates—who are in need of academic and financial support, with specialized ad-
visement and counseling, tutoring, supplemental instruction, and financial assistance.
SEEK is celebrating 50 years at The City University of New York in spring 2016, and according to Hernández,
this award is a testament to her belief that New York legislators created one of the “best programs” in this
state. □
SEEK PROGRAM IN TOP 5
By Sherley Boursiquot
Photo by Rodney Choice
In summer 2015 the SEEK Program decided to
turn it up a notch and do something totally different for our incoming freshmen. We
decided to have a SEEK talent show — our very first time hosting an
event of this caliber. Thankfully, it was a success!
Photos by Robert Cole
By Sherley Boursiquot
SEEK PROGRAM IN TOP 5
The event brought many students togeth-er which gave them an opportunity to share their wonderful talents with their fellow sum-mer classmates. Many artistic skills were showcased such as: singing, rapping, poetry, and drum-ming. We had it all—we even had a brown belt student perform karate!
Keeyah! The talent show was not only about stu-dents expressing themselves but more so to unify the Lehman
College SEEK community, especially SEEK students and SEEK staff. Seek Got Talent, as mentioned earli-er, was something that hasn’t been implemented in years prior. Ordinarily, before incoming freshmen begin the Fall semester, SEEK provides them with multiple summer courses so that they can have a head start by the time they enter the new academic year. We would then reward them with fun activi-ties such as scavenger hunts, but nothing beats our first SEEK talent show. See for yourself! Check out the recap video on the following page. Moreover, SEEK counselor, Pedro Luna, says, “The primary purpose of the summer program is to en-hance students' critical thinking skills in the areas of English language, math and science. Students also learn how to take full advantages of the various support available to them through SEEK and Lehman Col-lege at large.” Since the first year of Seek talent show was successful, we do plan on having it again, and Luna couldn’t agree more. He stressed that it is essential to continue to “create opportunities for stu-dents to share their unique talents with others.”
Indeed it is. □
Ms. Holloway-Pinnock, Shakieva Harris, Pamela Pena, Massiel Diaz, Danny Benalcazar, Michelle Polanco, Roshani Bohara and Mr. Luna
See our performers in
action.
Click to see video.
What a perfect way to end the summer, right? If this past summer was
we can’t wait for next summer!
Sizzling HOT
It’s a beautiful spring day and the Lehman College campus is lush with thick grass and
blooming flowers. Under the warmth of the afternoon sun,
SEEK Counselor, Robert Cole, takes us on a walk around
the quad in search of the perfect spots to take some pic-
tures. In between shots, Victor Nnah tells me about his
upcoming move to Tennessee, where he will begin medi-
cal training. Nnah exudes calmness even as he is about
to embark on a life-changing move next week. “I’m excited
to get my medical degree but I’m sad to be leaving my
friends and family,” he says. Nnah, who is part of the Fall
2015 entering class at Meharry Medical College in Nash-
ville, Tennessee, will have to locate housing, adjust to a
new city, make new friends and keep up in his medical
studies. As challenging as this all sounds, Nnah wouldn’t
have it any other way. “At the end of the day, this is some-
thing I need to do,” he says, “I want to help the under-
served. I’m interested in cardiology, but I’m keeping my
mind open at this point.”
This desire to help the underserved was inspired
How one SEEK Alumnus conquered the MCAT and got into
medical school By Julie Sriken
Photos by Robert Cole
“I want to help
the underserved.”
by Nnah’s observations in Nigeria, where he lived until the age of ten. “In my village, if someone
needed to get medical care, they had to go to the city which was 15-20 miles away, and I thought it
shouldn’t be that way. No matter how people are living, they should be able to get care in their
neighborhood, in their communities,” he said. “The top issues back home [in Nigeria] were lack of
access to health care, hospitals and quality care.”
Nnah left Nigeria and moved to the Bronx at age ten. “I came with my family: three brothers,
one sister and my parents. We came for a better opportunity – education and economic opportuni-
ties,” he said. Eight years later, he was ready for college and sought a school where he could take
advantage of the educational opportunities in the United States. Remembering his first impression
of Lehman College and of the SEEK program, he says, “When I visited the campus I felt comforta-
ble and I met people like Pedro [Luna], who made me feel welcome and supported, so I felt I would
succeed in this environment.” It was this support that ultimately helped Nnah make progress toward
his dream of becoming a doctor.
“SEEK has been behind my back supporting me the whole time. Having the right mentor
around, having someone to talk to really helped a lot. SEEK also helped me out when I was study-
ing for the MCAT and helped pay for the MCAT prep course. Even when I needed a job on campus
SEEK help,”Nnah remembers. SEEK director, Dr. Hernandez, also referred Nnah to the Learning
Center where he was hired as a tutor for several challenging courses including principles of biology,
human biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry. Moreover, being involved with SEEK was
critical for Nnah because he went through a period of self-doubt and confusion following his gradua-
tion from Lehman College in 2011.
After receiving his multidisciplinary B.S. in Anthropology / Biology / Chemistry, Nnah studied
and took the MCAT but wasn’t able to get the requisite score for medical school. “I gave it all I had
and I wasn’t getting the scores I needed. I thought ‘maybe I should change my career goals. Maybe
medical school isn’t the right place for me.’ I would go to Pedro who would encourage me to be per-
sistent.” With this encouragement, he reached out to medical students for advice and revised his
test-taking strategy over the following three years. Now, having successfully earned the scores
needed for medical school, Nnah describes the change in his approach to the MCAT: “The MCAT is
not about knowledge. It’s about skill. You have to develop a skill for this taking this particular test.”
These skills included understanding the format of the test, the types of questions and developing
test-taking speed.
With the grueling MCAT exam behind him, Nnah is ecstatic about starting medical school
and his future medical career. “My initial plan is to come back to New York but I might like it in Ten-
nessee,” he said with a smile and a shrug. ”Whether I begin practicing medicine in a big city or small
town, it doesn’t really matter. I just want to help underserved areas gain access to physicians,”
Nnah noted.
However, Nnah gave most of the credit of his starting success to the mentors from the SEEK
department, and prescribed the following advice to SEEK students in hopes that what he shares,
will be greatly considered: “Have the right mentor when you’re going through hard times. Believe in
yourself – It will happen. Everything comes down to having the right mentorship.” □
By Miamichelle Abad
Denise Maldonado, class of 2016, shares with us her dreams for a career in service of
others throughout her stay in Lehman college.
SEEK: How has the SEEK program helped you during your time at Lehman College?
DMaldonado: Since coming into Lehman, SEEK has helped me feel much more at ease as a stu-dent. I was nervous at first, but keeping regular visits with my counselor has helped me feel more focused and excited to learn.
Keeping up with M s. Maldonado
Ph
oto
by R
ob
ert
Cole
SEEK: How did being from a low-income household influence your view of success?
DMaldonado: I am from a low-income household and am doing very well in school, so I believe in my heart that others like me can also do well and graduate. People from neighborhoods like mine most likely have experienced hardships. If you want to make a difference for yourself and make it into the middle class, you have to use your mind and determination to get there. It’s hard but nothing is impossible. I want to show people that individuals, such as myself, who were brought up in the projects, on welfare, and in an environment prone to drugs and violence, are more than that environ-ment. We can make positive changes in the world.
It takes a lot of resolve and careful decision-making; I used to hang out with people who began using drugs at a very young age and knew that if I hung around them, they’d drag me into it. So I had to choose very early on to go against the flow of the life around me. I had to help myself first. Also, in my career, I want to help people become better and do better for themselves, help them see their potential and gain a sense of self-efficacy.
SEEK: Are you part of any clubs/organizations on campus? What’s your favorite memory of campus life?
DMaldonado: I am part of XAE (Chi Alpha Epsilon): the S.E.E.K honor society, and the Golden Key honor society. My favorite memory of campus life was the leadership center, because I have learned to be a leader in my community and make positive contributions to people's daily lives. The leader-ship center helped me become more open to new experiences, people, and ways of thinking within everyday life. It also has helped me understand that, I can help people in my community and at school by volunteering and giving advice.
SEEK: What are some of your career goals?
DMaldonado: I am a social work major, and I plan on attending grad school, but won’t apply imme-diately. I want to get some experience within the area of social work first. I would like to explore clini-cal work and possibly work with head-start children and families or look into mental health and/or therapy. I want to be able to gradually help people and be there for them and their families. I want to work with youth, possibly adults also.
SEEK: What advice would you give incoming students to Lehman College?
DMaldonado: I would tell students to have an open mind when coming here. There are so many majors to explore, so you don’t have to rush to choose a major. Take your time and find something you’d love that can turned into a career, not just a job. □
Denise poses with fellow XAE
members Rehab, Andrea and
Gawa (l. to r.) on SEEK Honors
Day, May 2015.
By Miamichelle Abad
Don’t BelieveBelieveBelieve
Preface In addition to managing academic stress, SEEK students have to navigate the unpredictable world of health and medicine. We live in a country suffering from preventable diseases and are presented with a myriad of ointments, supple-ments and concoctions aimed at treating these diseases. The advice we get from doctors, friends, news reports and articles may contradict each other. Despite mixed signals, it’s possible to lead a practical, healthy lifestyle which can be a challenge to most college students since we’re always busy with work and school. The following pages will delve into ways in which we can shape our own health path, without the added weight of junk science!
The Game Plan
Despite the confusing assortment of health information such as news re-ports tarnishing the golden image of milk or Dr. Oz’s elaborate, but good willed health tips, there is still hope. Two members of the Lehman College community bring their expertise to the plate. Visiting dietician, Mary Ellen Dorfman, recently visited Lehman College to hold brief nutrition sessions for students. She defined healthy eating as,
“A. you have to “A. you have to eat enougheat enough, , B. B. control portions control portions and and
C. eat more C. eat more fruits and vegetablesfruits and vegetables.”.”
the HypeHypeHype BelieveBelieveBelieve
According to www.choosemyplate.gov, half of our plate should be fruits and vegeta-bles and half of our grains should be whole. The site has tips for maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. For on-the-go students, hit the gym with friends, join an intramural team, and take the stairs instead of the elevator next time. Executive chef on campus, Hector Morales, has played a proactive role in stu-dent health through food. Morales was responsible for many changes—sending out daily menu emails and offering healthier choices—at the school’s cafeteria. He’s no-ticed that Lehman students mostly eat chicken, fish, salads and lots of sandwiches, which is why he plans on expanding the menu to include ethnic, vegan, and gluten free options. Morales’ go to healthy meal is steamed vegetables, but he notes that submerging it in water takes away the nutritional value, so always steam rather than boil to retain the vitamins. Another problem we face is huge portion sizes. Dorfman clarified that portion sizes are based on height, gender and muscle mass. Mayoclinic.org has a calorie calculator that can help estimate the amount of cal-ories you need in a day according to your weight and height. At www.choosemyplate.gov, the recommended calories are 2,000 for women and 2,400 calories for men ages 19-30. Despite her job title, Dorfman keeps it simple, when it comes to counting calories she simply doesn’t do it, because “it’s about how you feel.” Just remember her wise words “overcompensation happens when we hardly eat” so don’t try a trendy diet just do what works for you, one step at a time. □
Conflicting information:
old standbys may not be
accurate
Example: In fall 2014, Fox News
and Time magazine reported that there is
controversy surrounding America’s classic
beverage, milk. For decades we’ve been
told to drink milk three times a day to build
strong bones and prevent diseases like oste-
oporosis, but that could change. A new
study, facilitated by Swedish researchers,
claims that drinking the daily amount of
milk can “double women’s risk of dying in
20 years.”
The main culprit was identified as
the sugar D-galactose. This sugar is said to
“increase oxidative stress” and when tested
on certain animals it can decrease their
lifespan. Time magazine added that D-
galactose can speed up the aging process
and even lead to more bone fractures in
women. This article is a prime example of
how research may contradict long-standing
nutrition advice.
Although the findings appear bleak,
there’s no need to boycott milk just yet.
The authors and researchers of reveal that
the study was observational and “not meant
to draw causal conclusions.” Nevertheless,
follow up studies have to be done to pro-
duce more conclusive data.
Got Got Got
Milk? Milk? Milk?
Revisiting the
Cow
By Miamichelle Abad
Conflicting information:
who is the proper authority figure?
Example: Oprah’s favorite doctor, Dr. Mehemet Oz, has inadvertently played a part in
the miscommunication of health tips. As a medical powerhouse on daytime television, Dr. Oz
offers a daily dose of hope and inspiration to his audience. However, he has a tendency to
heighten the level of his show by introducing “breakthrough” findings and “radical” weight
loss plans. There’s no doubt that he’s a fully qualified medical professional, but when he sug-
gests that there’s a “miracle” weight loss product that can be a cure all, it can conflict conven-
tional methods. In “The Operator”, New Yorker writer Michael Specter, provides an in-depth
account of Dr. Oz. The profile talks about the many tests and studies Dr. Oz has conducted on
his show, citing the levels of arsenic in apple juice and following a report that claims genetical-
ly modified foods “can damage your health and even cause cancer.” Specter notes, “Oz has
been criticized by scientists for relying on flimsy or incomplete data and wielding his vast in-
fluence in ways that threaten the health of anyone who watches the show.” Ironically, the re-
port on the risks of GMO foods was deemed inaccurate by various researchers, but Dr. Oz did-
n’t update the audience.
In line with that argument, dietician Mary Ellen Dorfman revealed that “Organic foods
are not regulated by the government (FDA)”, a revelation that can surprise health nuts. He was
recently under fire about a certain weight loss supplement, the green coffee bean extract. An
ABC news article by Shushannah Walshe, highlights the discontent of Senator McCaskill who
questioned Oz’s reason behind advocating the product saying, “it’s something that you can buy
and it’s something that gives people false hope.” Amid the backlash, Dr. Oz added, “I recog-
nize that often times they don’t have the scientific muster to present as fact. But, I give my au-
dience the advice I give my family all the time.” Dietician Mary Ellen Dorfman offers a more
practical and affordable way to safely improve your health by saying “cooking your own food
is more economical and you know what goes in it.”
Too Good to Be Too Good to Be
TrueTrue
By Miamichelle Abad
Welcome SEEK students! As we start off this new fall semester (2015), the SEEK program is urging all SEEK
students to take advantage of the SEEK Learning Center in order to get a head start on a successful academic
year. The SEEK Learning Center (located in the Old Gym building Room 212), is a place where students, like
yourself, can schedule appointments for tutoring on a variety of subjects you may have issues with or subjects
you wish to excel in more. The SEEK Learning Center Academic Support Manager, Walter Valero, says, “We
want to give students the tools and habits to develop skills they need to become productive and successful col-
lege students.” But, before you walk through that door, here are three things you need to know about the
SEEK Learning Center:
1. There are up to 30 part time tutors—many of them have already obtained a Bachelor's or a Master's de-
gree. So don’t fret, you are in great hands! In addition, there are tutors who are also current Lehman col-
lege students, who have excelled in their studies. Students interested in becoming a SEEK tutor, must have
a minimum GPA of a 3.0, and must have an A in the subject that they are tutoring; for math and science,
the two traditional difficult subjects, a minimum of a B+ is required.
2. Among the subjects that are covered include: Reading, Writing, Humanities, Social Science, Math,
and Science. SEEK Learning Center even offers special workshops in math and science: supplemental
instruction (SI) which gives students the opportunity to compare notes, discuss readings, develop organiza-
tional tools, and predict test items. To be sure, the service offered to the SEEK Learning Center will im-
prove students academic performances.
3. Other services include: one-on-one tutoring; students will get the full and in-depth attention that he or
she needs, as well as group tutoring, which allows students the opportunity to collaborate and learn in
groups. The SEEK learning center is open Mon-Fri from 9am-5pm. Stop by at your convenience for assis-
tance during these hours.
Have No Fear,
By Sherley Boursiquot
SEEK Tutors
Now, that you have an idea of what to expect, do not hesitate to go to the SEEK Learning Center main office
at the Old Gym, Room 212 to schedule an appointment. Remember the earlier, the better. You wouldn’t want
to wait in the middle of the fall semester to seek assistance. Take advantage now! Another word of advice:
always show up to your appointments on time. If you know that you’ll be late or you won’t be coming in, call
the SEEK Learning Center and/or your tutor. Tutors are always ready to support and help you be successful at
Lehman College. For an updated tutor directory, please visit the SEEK Learning Center or call (718)-960-
7705. □
Wishing you a great Fall 2015 term! □
Photo by Robert Cole
SEEK tutor Gabriella explains the finer points of chemistry
RumbleRumble
By Wayne Nesmith & Julie Sriken
Photos by Robert Cole
“Fighting,”
Michael Saldana said with a sheepish grin. “Yeah I was fighting in the first or second
grade, so that’s when my family decided to put me in Catholic school.” He continued, “It
was the best decision ever because I didn’t feel like I had to come to school and hit some-
body to get them off my back.” Despite his penchant for rumbling in the Bronx, Michael
has since learned to channel his drive differently. He graduated with numerous honors in
May 2015 including: summa cum laude, Presidential Scholar, departmental honors in
Economics and Business, Chi Alpha Epsilon (XAE) National Honors Society, Delta Psi
chapter, Golden Key International Honors Society, Phi Beta Kappa, Chi Chapter and
SEEK honors for the highest GPA for the senior grade level.
Originally from the Bronx, Saldana grew up with his parents, his siblings: two brothers and a sister, as
well as his maternal grandmother. The “younger” version of Saldana used to fight and party all the time, in
In theIn the
BronxBronx
Photo by : Robert Cole
comparison to the mature and studious Saldana . “I believe that I lived my first 40 years within my first 20. So
when I got into college it was just business. I got it out of my system. I already felt like I was 27 - 28,” Sal-
dana said. “I had a lot of family trouble when I was younger. It was due to the people I used to hang around
with. I started hanging around with an older crowd, and I was the youngest.” Saldana noted that a lot of his
friends from back then, did and sold drugs, and some even killed people too. Though, Saldana never got in-
volved with drugs, he felt that they had always accepted him for who he was. “They are still my best friends,
but some of them have passed away, and they were less than 30 of age.” He added, “ You learn a lot from
watching, and they always say that smart people always learn from their mistakes and wise people learn from
everybody else’s mistakes. They kind of saved my life.”
Reflecting on what drew him to fighting, Saldana said, “No one ever used to directly mess with me. I
used to defend everybody else if I was cool with them. As you get older, you learn that there are certain causes
worth fighting for, and you start to realize that not everyone is your friend.”
But the urge to fight never left Saldana. “I got into Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) two to three years ago
– I actually got into it because I used to get into trouble when I was younger. You know a lot of people that
have seen me [street] fight said, ‘you know Michael, you’re really good, you should get into MMA.’” After
years of MMA, not only is Saldana is in great shape, but he knows how to channel in his emotions better—
after all, his main reason for taking part in MMA, was so that it can help him “unleash everything” that he has
inside.
Mixed Martial Arts is Saldana’s passion, but he also has a passion for money. Growing up, Saldana’s
family did not have a lot of money, so careful budgeting was important in his household. As Saldana got old-
er, he took on more and more responsibility for managing his family’s finances, and discovered not only did
“Work hard, never give up on
your dreams”
he excel at it, but he also enjoyed doing it too. “I love to count, organize, save and wisely spend money,” he
said with a smile. Realizing his talent for dealing with money, Saldana then decided to go off to college to
pursue an accounting major. “It’s the groundwork for opening your own business.” He explains, “I always say
that if you know what is going in and out of your business, you’ll never be able to get jerked by anybody. I
don’t know whether my future business would be a gym or maybe even a fighting gym, but I know I’m going
to be really good at it.”
Saldana’s family was very supportive of his choice to attend Lehman College, but unfortunately, his
grandmother, whom he described as a motherly figure, never lived to see Saldana attend college. “My mother
and father, were really proud of me. They each did two years in their respective colleges but then they
dropped out because they didn’t have a program like SEEK. We were the first generation who was allowed
that privilege, but they were not that fortunate,” he said.
Through SEEK, Saldana was able to graduate college without debt. The summer before his senior
year, Saldana applied for accounting firms including the prestigious Deloitte and KPMG. Both were im-
pressed by his outstanding resume and extracurricular activities. Saldana eventually chose to work with
KPMG stating it was a good fit personality-wise as well as career-wise. “I’ve got my degree, my job, and I
can finally take the CPA exam,” he said. Saldana began his new position in October 2015. □
Michael presented the inductees to XAE at
SEEK Honors Day 2015
Graduation is a huge accomplishment. This year, Lehman College will bestow the baccalaureate degree on 152 SEEK students. In the following pages, four SEEK students, Ailin Del Rosario, Felix Hilario, Latoya Speller and Iovannia Vasquez, were interviewed right before graduation and they shared their feelings about graduation, discussed their biggest supporters and gave advice for SEEK students who are still working toward their degree.
As told to Julie Sriken
Photos by Robert Cole
SEEK Grads Share Their SEEK Grads Share Their SEEK Grads Share Their Secrets to SuccessSecrets to SuccessSecrets to Success
I can't wait for graduation. I can't believe I made it after so many ups and downs. I attribute this achievement to my mother, my grandma, SEEK mem-bers, my high school teacher, college professors, and to my desire to succeed and make my parents proud. I would like to give special thanks to Angelia Hol-loway-Pinnock, Alex Cruz, Jane Cleland, John Paul and some others that were part of this. One way or the other, they were there for me. They support-ed me emotionally and academically. They helped me not to give up during difficult times. Thanks to their support, I am graduating. My best advice to a new SEEK student is: to never give up, no matter how hard things get. You are not alone. You should know that SEEK staffs are there to help you and they will do so gladly. They are the best.
Ailin Del Rosario
“Never give up”
Photo by Robert Cole
Graduation feels like moving ahead in a long road to stability. This opens up doors for more opportunities. I had multiple supporters during school. In some small ways or big ways, I took the advice and lessons from these supporters and pushed myself to improve areas where my skills needed develop-ment.
Take things a semester at a time. Focus on the immediate future. Sometimes thinking too far ahead can hinder what's right in front of you.
-Felix Hilario
After all of this hard work, we can finally celebrate with graduation. It feels like middle school after a long day of class and the bell finally rings for re-cess! I will be celebrating my graduation surrounded by my closest friends and family. My uncle has military duty during my graduation, so I will have him in mind during the day. My biggest supporters were my three closest friends and my grandma. My friends were there whenever I had a breakdown from the workload and stress, and my grandma was always there to remind me of my goals and to give me her wise words of wisdom. No matter how tough things get,
keep on keepin' on. You may have a hard time for different reasons such as: commuting, fi-nances, jobs, parents, or family just to name a few, but remind yourself why you are here. At the end of it all, you'll look back and be proud that despite the challenges, you were able to succeed and make your dream a reality.
-Iovannia Vasquez
Latoya Speller
“Be proactive”
It is a magnificent feeling to be graduating, and I'm very excited. It was not an easy road to success, but I'm very proud of myself and my achievements. I will celebrate by spending time with my loved ones and friends. We will have lunch together after commencement followed by a party on the beach during Memorial Day weekend. My biggest supporters were my two daughters Zyaira and Janiya. They have supported me from the very beginning and inspired me to continue further. At Lehman College, the Percy Ellis SEEK program and TRIO has supported me tremendously in my academics. I am very thankful and appreciative for SEEK and TRIO, because without their support, my journey at Lehman College, may not have been as easy going and rewarding. I would advise other students to be very proactive in their academic career, and take it very seriously because no one has to support you. However, it is very helpful when you can get the support.
Ph
oto
by R
ob
ert
Cole
By Sherley Boursiquot
NEW YORK, NY – JULY 15, 2015 – The New York Liberty defeated the San Antonio Silver Stars, 84-68, on a sticky
Wednesday afternoon at Madison Square Garden in front of 18,617 people, including SEEK students from Lehman Col-
lege most of whom have never been to a women’s basketball game before. This trip was courtesy of TRiO Pathways to
Success, a program helping SEEK students who meet certain income, first-generation and/or disability criteria. The last
time the New York Liberty drew a crowd that large was on August 11, 2002 when 19,563 fans came to watch a Liberty
game at The Garden against the Charlotte Sting.
Point Guard Sugar Rodgers, was Liberty’s top performer
on Wednesday, and was in the game for 22 minutes. She
scored a total of 13 points, 4 rebounds, 5 ast (assists), and 2
stl (steals). “Defense! Defense!” the crowd chant-
ed. Rodgers shoots, and she scores! Swoosh! The crowd
went wild yet again, they knew Rodgers had game, and of
course, Rodgers did too.
While Rodgers was doing everything in her power to stay
afloat and keep her head in the game, another player, Can-
dice Wiggins, who is also a guard, was watching the game
intently and strategizing ways she can dominate her oppo-
nents.
Wiggins, who suffered from a concussion on June 30th
while playing against Washington Mystics, was on the
court for 8 minutes and scored only 2 points in that game.
Nevertheless, her first game back playing against the San
Antonio Silver Stars, after suffering from a concussion, was a success. Wiggins came back stronger than ever, and ready
to win. She played 9 minutes during the fourth quarter: 1 rebound and 1 defensive rebound.
Wiggins noted that she was overwhelmed with the amount of love the audience had showed on Wednesday, which in the
end, boosted her energy even more.
“In terms of light and sounds, this is probably the most heightened I have ever played in ever. It was kind of amazing,”
she said.
When asked about her performance on the court, she said she was really “proud of herself,” even if she came in the game
fairly late.
“I didn’t really get into the game until the fourth quarter. It is really tough to be ready on the bench for three quarters,
sitting there cold while you are watching the game, but you get a lot of opportunities to watch the game. So, I came in
there fourth quarter, and my whole focus was ‘What do I need to do to get this team better?’ I kind of saw all of the mis-
takes that were made. I knew that I was going to avoid all of that, and the biggest thing is just knocking down the shots.”
For the Love of
the Game
Photo by Robert Cole
So what were some of the mistakes Liberty made, one may ask? Well according to Wiggins, “They were playing in the
zone defense, so we were not moving the ball right; we were not in the right spots or location. It was very simple. We
just needed to have better spacing, just have a little bit more poise and good ball movement.”
There were about a dozen SEEK students who came to watch Liberty play, but one seek student in particular, D’Netra-
Celeste Artis, like Wiggins, also felt that Liberty made a few minor mistakes.
“They weren’t taking their time, and not taking it [the game] too seriously,” Artis said.
Fortunately, as soon as Wiggins came into the game, things started to change for the better. Though at first, things were-
n’t going as smoothly. “I had the first three in the corners, I missed it, it was in and out, that was going in, but you have
to think like a 50 percent shooter, meaning you missed your first shot, the next shot is going in,” Wiggins said. “You
have to have that confidence,” she continued, “so I knew the next one was going to go in. As soon as I came into the
game, we started moving the ball around, and bang bang game over.” The New York Liberty won, and of course, the
crowd went berserk.
Yet, even though Liberty won, Artis couldn’t help but to feel “bad” for women’s basketball overall:
“We should give women more credit,” she said.
WNBA have 17 home games, and 34 games whereas male players have a total of 82 games and 41 at home; WNBA
players have to be at least 22 years of age, a college graduate, (or about to graduate) as opposed to the male players
whose age limit is now set to 20 (initially the age limit for male players, was set at 19 prior to the 2006 NBA draft— be-
fore League Commissioner Adam Silver came into the picture). Still, male players are only required to spend at least two
years in college.
As far as popularity goes, men’s college and professional basketball had always been a mainstream sport in the U.S.
since the 1940’s, and women have been playing just as long, yet, their fan base falls very short compared to men. To say
that there is an imbalance between the two, is an understatement.
Seek student, Elijah Gordon, a senior at Lehman College, briefly highlighted the differences between men and wom-
en’s basketball based on Wednesday’s game. He says although the game [the New York Liberty vs the San Antonio Sil-
ver Stars] was entertaining, “It wasn’t as fast paced as the men’s game and it didn’t have as many explosive plays.” Al-
beit, he was still impressed with all of the women’s performances. “Pretty high scoring game too so obviously these
women can play,” he said.
MSG Networks carried 34 Liberty regular season games. On Tuesday, September 29, 2015, The New York Liberty
played against The Indiana Fever and lost by 15 points, 66-51; they had the best record during the regular season and
were the favorites heading into the
playoffs. Due to this loss they will not
head to the WNBA Finals. Nonethe-
less, The New York Liberty made
SEEK proud. □
Photo by Robert Cole
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