Natasha Abbensetts '15
When Natasha Abbensetts ‘15 visited QCC during an open house invitational in the summer of 2013, she fell in love with the campus. She was indecisive about what she would study but one thing she knew for sure was that Queensborough was where she wanted to be.
“The campus felt very inviting and I couldn’t wait to attend,” she recalls. “I researched the school and asked some of my high school teachers what they thought about QCC and they said it was a great two-year college.” But amid the many high hopes of success and insurmountable anticipation of wondrous memories as a college student, the last thing Abbensetts expected was rejection.
In the fall of 2013 she applied for the New York Needs You Fellows Program and was denied. “When I found out I didn’t make it into the program I was a little devastated since I was looking forward to the opportunity. I moved on by looking into other such programs that might be helpful in furthering my education.” And so she moved forward. Not only did she find another program, she landed herself a job.
As a summer camp counselor at The Alley Pond School, Abbensetts supervised a group of 20 first grade students while maintaining a safe environment. Her responsibilities included leading both educational and recreational activities, and accompanying the group on field trips.
She landed the job shortly after the spring 2014 job fair hosted by the Office of Career Services. Though she was unable to attend the event due to class scheduling, Abbensetts sought the help of Ms. Strauss, the Career Advisement Coordinator.
“I emailed several of the employers that were listed in the job fair packet with the assistance of Ms. Strauss who helped me organize my résumé.” And after sending out her résumé and waiting for replies, she finally got a response from Sports and Arts in Schools Foundation (SASF). Following a successful interview with SASF, the non-profit organization matched her with the job opportunity at The Alley Pond School.
Now 19 years old, Abbensetts intends to continue building her résumé and expanding her skillsets. Her next step, the QCC Asian Social Justice Student Internship. Through the program, she will have the opportunity to interview local Asian-American residents who are survivors of WWII.
After she completes her Associate degree, Abbensetts plans to continue her education in Broadcast Journalism at a four-year institution. “I am hoping to acquire an internship with a local talk show that can help me gain experience in my desired field of study.”
Given the initiative that she has shown thus far at a still young age, there is no doubt that a successful future is certainly awaiting. Stay tuned.
Abbensetts recently served as a volunteer at the Career Services 2014 Retail Job Fair.
