More than 1000 local high school students attend Career Conference
The Staten Island chapter of NYS Women recently led the Sisterhood of Women’s Organizations to provide more than one thousand local students with information and tools to assist them make decisions that will impact their future. The NYS Women-STATEN ISLAND-led- Sisterhood recently joined with the three Staten Island-based colleges to help guide local high school students navigate their academic careers at a Career Conference on the grounds of St. John’s University.
“The women of the Sisterhood are volunteers from local organizations concerned with issues important to women and their families,” said Christine Olivieri Donahue, president, NYS Women-Staten Island chapter. “We worked together to develop free workshops in partnership with the College of Staten Island, Wagner College and St. John’s University for this conference to support students as they begin to plan their future.”
Sisterhood organizations participated in a fair and by presenting as a panelist or guest speaker at workshops. The women of the Sisterhood presented on positions in business, health, environmental science and government and other topics such as “You are the Architect of Your Life,” by Naomi Jones, Life Coach; “Brave Enough to Succeed,” by Fran Reali; “Dressing for Success,” by Rosemarie Cavanaugh , Nutritionist; “Non-traditional jobs in STEM,” by Katia Gordon , Director, SI Regional and Community Affairs, Con Edison; Financial Information for High School Students,” by Joan Wilton, Financial Advisor; and “Social Media Marketing.”
“The Staten Island chapter (NYS Women) lead the Sisterhood this year to educate high school students on career pathways and opportunities,” said Rosemarie Dressler, Sisterhood Career Conference chairwoman. “These forward thinking women shared their expertise and experience in an effort to provide students with insights into careers they may not have considered and give them practical suggestions to help them reach their goals.”
The three colleges are co-sponsor of this event and supported by 30,300 Degrees, the NYC Department of Education, SI Chamber of Commerce, NYS My Brother’s Keeper, NYC Mayors Community Affairs Unit, United Activities Unlimited, and Council members Joseph Borelli, Steven Mateo and Debi Rose. Participating Sisterhood organizations are Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., National Council for Negro Women, New York State Women – Staten Island chapter, Protectors of Pine Oak Woods, Soroptimist International- Staten Island, and World of Women (WOW).
STATEN ISLAND UNITES ‘SISTERHOOD’
“Presidents and representatives from organizations concerned with the welfare of women and families unite every year as a Sisterhood to bring issues of importance to the table,” said Rosemarie Dressler. “The women of the Sisterhood work together throughout the year pooling their talents and resources and volunteer their time to foster positive change.”
Women’s organizations on Staten Island have a long history of providing the financial and emotional backing to support issues important to them. They volunteer countless hours of resources, time and energy to address needs and improve opportunities for women and their families. Many of these organizations have been working for nearly 100 years advocating for change and supporting initiatives that promote the status of Staten Island women. In 2010, for the first time in the borough’s history, women’s organization responded to a call from the Staten Island chapter of New York State Women to unite and join together as a “Sisterhood,” requesting that volunteers approach issues with a united voice. The response was overwhelming.
“Throughout the years the Sisterhood has tackled substance abuse, domestic violence, self esteem, emotional wellness, health and financial needs of women. We are grateful to this year to work with Jocelyn Coalter at St. John’s University and other directors from the colleges who offered their professional guidance.” Jocelyn Coalter, LMSW, is the Director, University Career Services, Division of Student Affairs, at St. John's University.