Left to right: Dania Alwadi, CW President
Karen Smith, and Taliyah Pemberton-Lorick
Congratulations to Dania Alwadi and Taliyah Pemberton-Lorick who have been selected as Students of the Semester for the Day College.
Dania and Taliyah have been selected for this distinguished accolade by the Day College Faculty because of their 3.8+ GPA, demonstrated academic excellence, and overall dedication to their studies. Read more about Dania and Taliyah here:
Dania was born in Amman, Jordan with Palestinian heritage, and moved to California when she was 6 months old. In 2010, Dania and her family relocated to New York, where she currently resides in Peekskill and attended Peekskill High School. Dania commenced studies at The College of Westchester in the fall of 2021 and graduated with an associate degree in Medical Association Management in April of 2023. Continuing her education journey, Dania chose to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration at CW, and she anticipates graduating in August of 2024.
During her time here at CW, Dania became a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant, as well as a Certified Phlebotomist Technician. As a first-generation student, Dania is paving the way for her family’s education journey. Dania says her choice of choosing CW stemmed from a profound interest in the medical programs they offered, seeing it as a step towards her professional medical career. Majoring in Healthcare Service Administration, Dania has been listed on the President's and Dean's lists, is a member of the Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society, and is actively engaged in campus life. She is involved in various clubs including the Allied Health Club, Book Club, APC Student Leadership Council, as well as serves as the President of the Student Government Association.
Dania also works as a peer tutor at CW’s Learning Center. Dania’s career aspirations include delving deeper into public health or possibly pursuing a career as a Nurse Practitioner. Dania is currently 20 years old and is the oldest of three younger siblings. Dania hopes to show her younger sisters that anything is possible if you put yourself out there and believe in yourself.
Taliyah Pemberton-Lorick was born in New Rochelle, NY into a family where she is the fourth of six siblings who also happen to have T names. She has lived all over New York, including the Bronx, White Plains, Mt. Vernon, and now resides in Yonkers where she has lived for the last eleven years.
Taliyah had actually never heard of The College of Westchester prior to her application. One day she happened to be scrolling on TikTok when she saw an ad and filled out a survey for more information on a medical assisting program. Over a year later, she’s here as one of the beloved Warriors and is thriving.
Taliyah is currently pursuing her Associates in Applied Science as a Medical Assistant Management major. She is set to graduate in August of 2024.
She has recently been awarded the Jeanne Sutkowski Scholarship Award, which is named after the mother of our CW President Karen Smith, President Emeritus Mary Beth Del Balzo and Nancy Trim, Vice President of Marketing. Taliyah currently serves as the Vice President of CW Student Government Association as well as our very own Allied Health Club. She is also a member of the student leadership council for the APC (Association of Private Colleges) and will be attending the annual Albany TAP Lobbying trip at the end of February. There, she and her peers will meet with state legislators to advocate for more financial aid funding, specifically the Tuition Assistance Program. Taliyah also serves as the only student representative for the school’s Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee (CAPC), and she alsoworks as one of our peer tutors in The Learning Center.
Taliyah’s goal is to become a pediatrician. She loves children and working with them. After graduation, she is going to get her bachelor’s in nursing before taking her next step to medical school. She says that pediatricians have a unique opportunity to make a profound impact on the lives of children and their families and that’s what she wants to do. She finds herself drawn to this field by her love for children and a desire to help them grow and thrive. Additionally, she wants to advocate for children and work to ensure they receive the best possible care and support.