#fellows program

Two Indian American women selected for White House Fellows program

The White House Fellows Program was created in 1964 by President Lyndon B Johnson.

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The AIPAC Fellows Program

American Israel Public Affairs Committee Image: aipac.org

The owner and CEO of MZ Berger & Co., Bernie Mermelstein has grown the company’s accessory manufacturing business beyond timepieces to include consumer electronics, jewelry, personal care, stationery, home décor, and more. Also a supporter of US-Israel ties, Bernie Mermelstein is a member of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIP…

Coro to Hire Assistant Director for Fellows Program

For students and executives, activists and entrepreneurs who want to learn how New York City works so that they can make it better, Coro New York is the premier leadership training program that delivers the skills, knowledge, and network to lead change. Participants become leaders and influencers, developing innovative solutions to public issues, incorporating different points of view in their…

The Voyage to the Carolinas

“Most of us, I suppose, have a secret country but for most of us it is only an imaginary country. Edmund and Lucy were luckier than other people in that respect.”—C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader  The C.S. Lewis Fellows Program is coming to Charlotte and the Carolinas. A course is being charted today. The C.S. Lewis Institute of Charlotte and the Carolinas: Helping believers from all…

I'm changing jobs, I'm about to do a Fellows Program at a church in Charlottesville. My job is going to be music.... !!! My whole job! Music! and Worship leading! I'm very excited.

I have not been excited about much recently though.  I have felt lonely, depressed, afraid, and distant from God.  I run to the Lord in prayer and supplication often, beseeching an answer for my recent despair. I have asked for him to draw near, or at least for him to give me a brief moment of comfort to strengthen my heart in a season of emotional difficulty.

Nothing.

For a whole summer, nothing.  No answer, no reasons, no comfort. It has destroyed what should have been some happy moments, some intimate moments. I fear he has left me for good, like my wretchedness has finally caused his departure from my life. 

I dress my wounds with the truth of the gospel. "He has you, even if you can't feel it. You are covered by the blood of Christ! Why are you downcast, oh my soul, rejoice!!" 

This dressing has proved ineffective. If anything, these words have felt more damning than anything else I tell myself. It's because I have no hope in them. The words of the gospel work their way down to my hardened heart, and are turned away.  Every time.  I sit with pastors, tell them of my predicament, and they proceed to speak those same words into my situation.

I know they should comfort me. I'm trying, truly, to be comforted by them.  But I inevitably walk away with a deeper melancholy than before. No one can make me happy. No one can inspire the hope of the Gospel in my life, except the Lord.

And he won't answer me.

Just now, I'm reading Ephesians 1-3, and a glimmer of hope, or something like it, has reached my weary soul.  Just a brief realization.  In my time of despair, I've lost all joy in everything. Nothing makes me happy like it used to, I find no peace in the things that once quelled my aching heart. Nothing satisfies me.

It is in this depressing realization though, a small light, a potential answer is found:  I think God is distancing himself to force me to realize the depravity of everything without him.  

I can never have enough mentors that douse me with love and affection to satisfy me.  I can never write enough beautiful (even God glorifying!) music to fill my soul completely.  I can never preach the gospel well enough, read the bible often enough, stop falling into sin enough, repent well enough, or anything else to make me whole.

Everything is worthless. That's how I feel right now. And it's true! My heart is longing for things that are worthwhile, but cannot find anything on earth that means anything.

I need Jesus.

In my despair, I've been searching for anything to make me joyous. But that only comes from one thing: Jesus. Lord, I feel ready to say this: Take everything from me. Anything and everything, but give me Jesus. Jesus who has given everything for me.  If you have to rip every single idol out of my hands, deep pain or not, I beg that you will do it. I cannot keep living like this, seeking peace through feelings or people or status or understanding. Everything is worthless in this earth, except Jesus.

You have created it all for good, but it is without worth if you are not there.  

Please Lord, please, draw near to me again. I beg you. I am so scared to start a new job while I'm broken this way. I don't have the emotional energy to make this transition right now. 

Even still, if it is your will to remain far from me, to hold yourself at a distance for my good, so be it.

Please let me serve you well in this time.

For prospective NYNY Fellows, it is invaluable to have the opportunity to learn about the NYNY Program from our current and alumni Fellows. Hearing about their experiences and accomplishments firsthand is irreplaceable! Then, what better way to help identify new recruits for the upcoming 2014 Fellow class than sending out current Fellows to speak about the program on their respective campuses and boroughs? Enter the Fellow Ambassadors! Given the size of the CUNY system, the Fellow Ambassadors are paramount to Fellow recruitment success. Fellow Ambassadors actively support the NYNY program and grow our community. Approximately 30 NYNY Fellow Ambassadors (FAs) from the 2012 and 2013 classes will join in recruiting the next Fellow Class. The Fellow Ambassador program at New York Needs You is an opportunity for Fellows to demonstrate additional leadership and community outreach skills. FAs use social media and organize campus events to promote NYNY and help prospective Fellows complete their applications. FAs’ recruiting efforts are tracked through a points system. All FAs are recognized for their contributions and special awards are given to those who show extraordinary effort. Meet 2013 Fellow Adam, one of our amazing Fellow Ambassadors! Adam is a sophomore at York College majoring in Psychology. He enjoys running, swimming, hiking, biking, reading, and writing.

NYNY: Adam, please describe the Fellow Ambassador role. Adam: My role is to inform York College freshmen students about the NYNY Program, and help them through the process of applying and interviewing.

NYNY: Why did you become a Fellow Ambassador? Adam: I have struggled as a student who grew up outside of the United States and had no idea about how colleges operate in America. The experience that I have been through and the people who have helped me, and still help me, inspire me to help other students to have a better college experience than mine. When I saw a New York Needs You poster on campus, it really caught my attention. I was thinking that I will always be there for New York. New York is home now to me. I immediately thought of applying to the NYNY Program. Then I met Tracy, a 2012 NYNY Fellow and a Fellow Ambassador who helped me a lot. She explained the application process, and was always checking on me to see how I was doing until I got accepted into the Program. Now both of us are Fellow Ambassadors!

NYNY: How does NYNY support you in your role as a Fellow Ambassador? Adam: Ashley (Training Coordinator) and Jaimie (Fellows Program Training Manager) are always there for me. They provide me with materials and all the necessary information to best represent NYNY.

NYNY: What is your greatest accomplishment as a Fellow Ambassador? Adam: I hosted two workshops during the summer, while we had the New Student Orientation at York College. We had more than 500 freshmen attend orientation. I was happy to tell first-year students about NYNY.

NYNY: What is your favorite part about being a Fellow Ambassador? What about the biggest challenged that you faced? Adam: I haven’t had any challenges yet. My favorite part is the pride of representing NYNY, and being an integral part of the NYNY family. I love being able to speak on behalf of NYNY.

NYNY: What recruiting methods do you use and recommend? Adam: We are planning to host one workshop at least once a month from now until February. I will also work with Tracy to try to meet every applicant in person, and help them with the whole process.

NYNY: What advice do you have for future Fellow Ambassadors? Adam: It is a great experience. Make the most out of it.

NYNY's flagship program, the Fellows Program is an intensive two-year mentoring and training program where Fellows are matched one-on-one with highly-accomplished professional Mentor Coaches dedicated to their personal and professional growth. 

Today 2012 Mentor Coach Gilbertson Cuffy and 2012 Fellow Joshua are discussing their NYNY experience, the Fellow-Mentor Coach matching process, and their mentoring relationship.

NYNY: Please introduce yourselves to our readers: 

Josh: I am a rising junior at New York University. I am majoring in Applied Psychology with a minor in Business. I would describe myself as very outgoing and charismatic. I love hanging out with friends. I love to laugh, enjoy entertaining others, and truly enjoy being the center of attention. I am a collegiate baseball athlete and I am very competitive. 

Gil: I am a graduate of the University of Miami, BBA Marketing, and Nova Southeastern University, MBA. Currently I am an Innovation Brand Manager for Finish Dishwashing Detergents at Reckitt Benckiser, which allows me to work on new product launches for Finish across Europe and North America. In my spare time I like to work on my blog www.urbansocialguide.com (which is really just a front for me to feel obligated to visit different lounges and restaurants) where I comment on my experiences with food, culture and then offer advice on being a young professional in the concrete jungle. 

NYNY: How did you become involved with NYNY? 

Josh: I first heard about NYNY as a freshman at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. A mentor of my older brother by the name of Ken Merin told me about the Program and I decided to apply.

Gil: A good friend from undergrad (University of Miami), Chris Polanco, was a Mentor Coach and invited me to attend a workshop. I had a chance to meet the Fellows, the Mentor Coaches and the staff and I was hooked. I knew right away that I needed to be a part of the life changing impact that NYNY has in deserving students’ lives. 

NYNY: Did you expect that you would be matched as a Fellow-Mentor Coach pair? Were you nervous before the matching ceremony? 

Gil: Fortunately NYNY does a good job of allowing the Fellows to get to know the Mentor Coaches in the workshops prior to matching date. I think during one of those workshops Josh and I really connected so I think I was pretty sure that in the end we would be paired up. When matching ceremony came I guess I wasn’t nervous because I knew that Josh was the right fit. 

Josh: I did expect and was hopeful that Gil would be my Mentor Coach. I wasn't very nervous, rather anxious to see whether or not he would be. Although I am sure that any other Mentor Coach I would have been paired up with would have been great, Gil was my number one choice and my mind was set on having him as my Mentor Coach.

NYNY: Were you able to meet and talk to many Mentor Coaches and Fellows before you were matched? What was your strategy?

Josh: I did speak to several Mentor Coaches before I met with Gil. Gil was actually the last Mentor Coach I had spoken to before our choices had to be made. My strategy was to find someone whose personality was similar to mine. I wanted someone who had similar interests as me and whose personality gelled well with mine. Gil was the perfect fit. He’s a star under pressure and is competitive, but is not a sore loser. He loves to entertain. He’s very outgoing and just a complete Renaissance man. I am not too sure if there could ever be a Fellow-Mentor Coach pair as perfect as me and Gil! I think the most important think to look for in a Mentor Coach is a genuine connection. Having the same industry of interest may not necessarily matter too much, or rather should not be the only reason why you choose a particular Mentor Coach.

Gil: NYNY has a great matching process where you are able to meet the Fellows during the workshops before you get matched. During that time I was able to meet many Fellows, exchanged contacts with a few and began to build a connection. Though you will only get matched with one person the Fellows are able to have ongoing communication and seek advice from all Mentor Coaches so as a result I still maintain communication with several Fellows and they continue to update me on their progress. 

NYNY: Josh, what were you looking for in a Mentor Coach? 

Josh: I was looking for someone who I thought I could connect with and could talk to, not simply somebody I saw as a great source for networking and someone who could help further my career. I knew that all Mentor Coaches would be willing to help each Fellow in that sense.

NYNY: Gil, what were you looking for in a Fellow?

Gil: I was looking for a Fellow who had drive. I think NYNY can teach you how to interview well, what a great resume and cover letter combination looks like and all about mastering the perfect elevator pitch, all of these things are great tools in your tool kit and will truly help create opportunities for Fellows, but the tool most important to me is more innate and that is the ability to be a go getter. I needed a Fellow who had a hunger to want to succeed despite any obstacles that came their way because I knew that they would be the best suited to actually use the tools NYNY will give them to truly become successful. 

NYNY: The 2013 Class’ Matching Ceremony will be on September 7th. Do you want to share anything with the 2013 Fellows and Mentor Coaches who still don’t know who they will be working with for the next two years and might be a little bit anxious?

Gil: Stop worrying. The goal is not to have the perfect match, the goal is to make the biggest impact with the match that you get. Remember that the mentorship relationship is reciprocal so expect to get out of it as much as you put in and you will realize in short time that this is exactly what happens.   

Josh: I’d say speak to as many people as possible, and try and make sure you remember faces. Try to get to know each Fellow and Mentor Coach as much as possible within the time allowed. Build a connection.

NYNY: How did your mentoring relationship develop?

Gil: It’s an everyday process, as we continue to get to know each other and as we continue to reveal more about ourselves, the mentorship relationship gets stronger. 

Josh: I think our relationship grew the most when I began the transfer application process to NYU. Gil was very helpful, and wasn’t afraid to push me and stay on top of me. He definitely didn’t baby me but met me half way. We have met up a number of times outside of workshops which has also allowed us to better understand each other and maintain our connection.

NYNY: Gil, what’s an issue that you didn't initially feel you had the resources/ability to help your Fellow overcome, but were able to?  How did you do it?  

Gil: Being that I was not from NYC originally I was not familiar with the college transfer process from a community college to a 4-year school here within New York. Fortunately NYNY was very familiar with this process and created avenues for me to learn allowing me to help Josh in this process; including a speakers panel exactly on this topic. In the end we were both able to learn the process, worked together through the application process and he was successfully admitted into NYU and is starting there this fall!

NYNY: What areas of improvement and strength did you identify as you began your mentoring relationship?

Gil: I wanted to make sure that I held true to being very responsive to Josh’s requests and needs. If he gave me something to review, i.e. resume, or applications I wanted to make sure that I gave him my feedback right away. There are many distractions that can happen from work to home and I just wanted to make sure that I prioritized Josh’s needs amongst those things. I genuinely like people and I genuinely like Josh. It is not a chore to do something for someone when you actually like the person.

Josh: I think my area of strength is my ambition and relentlessness. I could still improve on the way I carry myself professionally.

NYNY: What did you learn about your communication style from your mentoring experience? 

Gil: I have learned that I am very direct which I think is helping me even with my interactions with subordinates or cross functional partners at work. I am referring to the ability to clearly communicate tasks that need to be completed and accomplishing this without sounding like a dictator. NYNY really helps provide a good proving ground for my own work life.  

Josh: I've learned how to improve my body language in a professional setting as well as the way I speak.

NYNY: What did you find out you had in common?

Gil: We are both characters (if you've ever seen Josh and I do a skit you will know what I mean), who dream very big and the word “no” is only a temporary setback. I think Josh has a drive that is very similar to my own and because of that I know he will go far. 

Josh: Our personalities are very similar. We are outgoing, entertainers, enjoy being in the spotlight, improvise under pressure, and we love sports. Our favorite basketball team is the Miami Heat, and we both live in Harlem. We literally live at a 3-5 minute walking distance away from each other.

NYNY: What is your favorite part about participating in the NYNY Fellows Program?

Gil: I think it is the collective experience of working with Josh, with the other Fellows, with great Mentor Coaches and great staff.