Support Center Helps Mold Final Decision

By Shakeela Pegues, Intern, Support Center

As a little girl growing up I always knew that college was part of my dream.  The question was who and what would keep me on the right track to achieving those dreams.  As the years began to pass by I found myself thinking more and more about college and what I wanted to major in.

In the middle of 12th grade, I decided that I wanted to own my own day care center, so I searched for an internship that would help me have a better understanding of the business world.

Shakeela Pegues

After two months of looking for an internship with the assistance of Futures & Options, I obtained a position with the Support Center for Nonprofit Management.

While working at the Support Center I have enhanced my abilities in time management, marketing, analyzing and sorting data, and increased my typing skills. All of which will be a huge advantage when I begin college in the fall of 2010.

Time management has been a valuable skill in balancing school, work, and my social life.  I have learned how to prioritize and accomplish what is most important and to identify what I can leave for another day.

I have also improved my computer skills.  I not only learned how to complete spreadsheets and sort data, but I have become a better typist, a skill that I have been trying to improve for almost a year.

The goals I set for myself in the 12th grade began to change as my knowledge of the business world increased. Half way through my internship at the Support Center, I realized that the joy I got out of working with kids was being able to interact with them individually.  If I decide to own my own business, I would spend less time with the kids and more time behind the scenes, which was something I did not desire.

I began looking into colleges and found that Mercy College would be the best fit for me because it offered both Early Childhood Education and Business Management, which I could pursue if I would like to become more business oriented in the future.  The faculty and staff at Mercy College are dedicated to supporting my success every step of the way, just as the Support Center has been.

My goals in the next five years are: graduating Mercy College with a masters degree in Early Childhood Education and to be a role model and inspiration to children.

>>> Futures and Options empowers New York City’s underserved youth to explore careers through career development and paid, mentored internships.