The fall semester at NYU has been very busy. I am spending a lot of time studying here. I spent a lot of time studying at WCC, too, but I also had time for clubs and other things. Not so much here. I knew it would be hard making the transition to a four-year school but because I spent a lot of time with the books at Westchester, I am used to a difficult course load. The classes are bigger here, too, so I have to go out of my way to get the personal attention I received in Valhalla. I try to make sure that each instructor knows who I am by speaking up in class and taking advantage of the professors’ office hours.

One of the things that is different here is that there are grade curves in some classes. And the grades curve down! Let’s say I get an 85 in the class and everyone else gets a 90 or above. Then I can end up with a “C” grade! I wasn’t ready for the grade curve policy. So I found out very early how difficult and competitive it can be at NYU. I am trying to stay at the top of the grade curve as much as possible.

I am in the Stern School of Business at NYU and although I miss my friends and the professors at WCC, I feel that I am learning a lot. It’s exciting to be studying about business trends at a time when America is dealing with so many important issues regarding the business world (recession, impact of health care legislation on business, etc.).

Westchester Community College graduate Sergio Serratto now studies at New York University. His blog covers his transition from a community college to a four-year university.

Lights were on at the J.F.K. Airport. The impressive scene beholding that airplane called the Concorde confirmed that I was in a different world. Its technology represented power but its delicate shape and pure white color showed me harmony. I was never sure why that airplane made such an impression on me, but for some reason I felt powerful enough to believe that I would conquer my new home and the entire world. That day was April 5th of 2000, when I came from Uruguay, South America, to the United States, with the dream of being the first member of my family to achieve a professional career. Unfortunately, a month after I arrived, my father was involved in a car accident, which left him unable to work. This accident forced me to interrupt my original plans of going to school, and instead thrust me into the unenviable routine of working over 80 hours a week in order to be able to support my family.

In 2006, I had already been working for Hudson Health Plan as a Marketing/Public Relations Representative for the past 5 years. Even though my job could be difficult at times, I used to wake up every day and do it with a positive attitude. This attitude has helped me to meet kind people, some of whom encouraged me to learn an immense part of what I now know about marketing and public relations. Although I was the youngest member of the company, I was awarded the title of Marketing Representative of the Year in my very first year. This was a very important step in my life which opened my eyes to a different world, a world full of open doors.

When I first took this position, I had the pressure of having to support my family. However, my father finally went back to work after being disabled for almost six years. My job helped me to reach my short-term goals, but what about my career goals? This question inspired me to return to full time studies and become active in Westchester County, where I became one of 14 Westchester County Hispanic Advisory Board members, in addition to other volunteer activities for the county. While working for Hudson Health Plan, I realized how important it is to have a solid educational foundation. Even though I was successful in that company, I had an empty feeling inside of me. One day I had a conversation with the Marketing Director in which I asked him about the possibility of getting a higher position in the future. He answered: “bring me a diploma and I’ll give you my boss’ position!” There, I became aware of my inability to grow anymore within the company without a diploma. I felt that I owed something to myself, something that would support all my achievements and my dream of becoming a business manager and open a community center. As a result, I took a risk and left my company, as well as my $60,000 salary, to pursue my education. This decision provided me with a chance for a better future.

While studying full time at Westchester Community College I majored in Business Administration and Liberal Arts. I also engaged in other extracurricular activities. I was the president of the Westchester Community College Italian Club, national vice-president of Alpha Beta Gamma Business Honor Society, and student trustee on the Westchester Community College Board of Trustees. However, it was not easy to study and do volunteer work at the same time. Even though I knew it was not going to be an easy ride in the next couple of years, I was confident that I would become a professional in business and marketing. Ultimately, I would be able to fulfill my dream of opening a community center and help others like myself in mentoring them on their careers, finance, and personal matters. Since I am a student with English as a second language, I worked harder than native English speaking students in order to finish my associate’s degree and to transfer for my bachelor’s degree. Moreover, I enrolled in honors classes, trying to push myself to get the most possible from my educational experience. My experience here at Westchester Community College was extremely invaluable; it prepared me for the challenges that I would face in NYU. Westchester Community College is a part of my life. Every time I visit the campus I feel like I’m back home. The sense of family that WCC fosters in its students was integral to my success both in my educational career and in building my future. I am delighted to say that I owe my existing academic achievements to the nurturing I received at WCC. The professors always supported my hunger for learning, and always took the time to help me in anyway that they could; their dedication adds a human touch to learning that is unsurpassed. The quality of education that I received here at WCC is superior and comparable to the same level of education I receive at NYU. WCC has a very individualized and empathetic atmosphere and its no surprise that many of it graduates go to various prestigious institutions and succeed wherever they go. As a student you don’t come here simply to get a degree, you come here to grow as a person, as a leader, and as a family member of society.

Now I am studying at New York University. The high academic experience I find here challenges me intellectually, and it is still doing so every day, by compelling me to set new goals. My mind is open to a new level of education and ideas. At this moment, I aspire to generate greater challenges in my life in the liberal arts area, as a foundation for my business writing and communication skills. Once I thought that higher education was only possible for North American students or for people in the movies that I used to watch in the cinema back when I was living in Uruguay. However, lately I have become convinced that I could do as well as others have done. This motivated me to study hard, generating a very high level of self-confidence, a feeling that is still intact. This is something that will strongly complement my desire to become a business manager with deep community values, and therefore be able to develop an important role in my adopted country.