We are ending #FirstGenerationWeek, but we are not done yet with all the wonderful stories we want to share with you. Marcia Maita loves serving and helping people. She has a job in the health industry and she loves it. However, she understands that in order to be able to help even more, she needs a college degree. CW is helping her with her dreams and once she finishes with her college degree, she will be fully immersed into her passion and serve as an inspiration for her two wonderful daughters.
Who or what inspires you to get your degree and why?
I am inspired to earn my degree for my family. I have two daughters that see me as their role model. I want my two daughters to know that education is important and we need to earn knowledge and become anything we put our minds to because the sky's the limit. It’s never too late to get back to college and pursue a better future and happiness.
How will earning your college degree change your life and the lives of your family members?
Earning my college degree will change my life because I will be able to transfer to a higher position at Phelps Northwell Health. I will put into practice the knowledge I have gained here at The College of Westchester. My goal is to become the Director of Health at Phelps Northwell Health.
One day, you will be a first generation college graduate. Who do you hope your story will inspire?
I hope to inspire not only my family but also people in general and tell them that everything is possible. We all can do this and whoever is thinking of going back to college, I encourage them to take that important step in life as they’ll never regret it. Take advantage of the flexibility that this college offers for all those people like me who work and have a family.
What do you wish the College knew about you?
I started working at Phelps Northwell Health in the Kitchen as a Dietary Aide helping prepare trays for the patients. I loved handing and organizing the trays for the patients and bringing them in a large cart to the floors. Everyday I was assigned a new floor giving me the advantage to watch and learn about the different departments. Each Department had a wall with names of Doctors that specialize in Cardiovascular, OB, Orthopedics, etc. Reading about them inspired me to then later on in life take some courses to also be a part of the Med/Surg Technician. As a Med/Surg Technician I learned all about the medical side as well. Now that I am in college, I want to learn about Healthcare Management to utilize all of my knowledge I have gained throughout the years working with different Providers and know the importance of patients dietary needs.