Connections and Conversations: QCC Fund Board Breakfast
Second-year Queensborough student Xitlalli Bravo admits she was nervous when she arrived at the Oakland for an intimate breakfast with the Queensborough Community College Fund Board, but said she was immediately at ease once the conversations began.
"They were so happy to share their stories and where they’ve come from," said Xitlalli Bravo. "Whether their story touched one of us or all of us their time here was worth it to them, and I think that’s pretty cool.”
Xitlalli was one of a dozen business students invited by President Christine Mangino to attend a breakfast with members of the Student Success Committee of the Queensborough Community College Fund Board. The Board’s mission is to advance Queensborough Community College through philanthropic endeavors and programs that benefit students directly and enhance their Queensborough experience. The breakfast was a chance for the members of the Board's Student Success Committee to get to know some of the students and to share stories about themselves and their careers.
Student Success Committee members at the breakfast included QCC Fund Board Chair Charlene Prounis, '76, board member of the W20 group, and QCC Fund Board members Anthony Simeone, Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer with Ridgewood Savings Bank; Judy Ng, Senior Vice President and Director of Asian Market Segments at Flushing Bank; and Mark Kupferberg, Vice president of Manufacturing and Engineering at Kepco, Inc. Each member sat at a table with three students and talked while enjoying breakfast. In addition to sharing advice about their career trajectories, they shared personal stories and advice that resonated with the students.
"There are a lot of ways to get to one place,' said Mark Kupferberg. "What you learn along the way is more important than getting to the destination."
The students say the personal stories from President Mangino and the Board members were encouraging and that the breakfast gave them a rare opportunity to talk one-on-one with people they otherwise may not have had a chance to meet.
“By coming here, I did get a lot of good advice and a lot of good tips on how to approach things differently," said student Fahim Alam. "What I took away is that learning doesn’t have any stops, it doesn’t have any breaks.”
And, the students said, tangible proof that they are indeed a part of a caring community.
"I left the military a year ago, and I was not sure I’d find another community again, or I'd find leadership or mentorship," said Xitlalli "This showed me there are people here that care and there are people who want to help you."
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Contact:
Tanisha Mallette
