Veterans Upward Bound - LaGuardia Community College

Transcription

Veterans Upward Bound at LaGuardia | Spring 2013 Cycle II
1
Veterans
Upward
Bound
A Farwell to Samuel E. Farrell II
Saying Good-bye to An
Outstanding Director
This issue of the Veterans Upward Bound Program Newsletter is a
special edition wherein the students and staff of the VUB program
bid a fond farewell to Mr. Samuel E Farrell II. Mr. Farrell is retiring
after an impressive 41 -year career as the director of the VUB.
Through his guidance , the VUB program has grown and touched
the lives of hundreds of veterans over the years. In this issue, we
say thanks to Mr. Farrell and wish him all the best with his welldeserved retirement while we also explore the meaning of outstanding , efficient leadership.
Special Thanks for the Newsletter Committee
Layout, Design, and Editor: Raquel Alicia Coy
Editor: Erick Melhado
Spring 2013
Free Services for Veterans
The Veterans Upward Bound Program (VUB) is
part of the Division of Adult and Continuing
Education at LaGuardia Community College.
The program is geared towards motivating
and assisting veterans in the development of
academic and other necessary skills in regards
to acceptance into and success in postsecondary education.
VUB Offers
Free evening College Prep and GED classes
with rolling admissions from September to
August.
Computer skills training, including E-Portfolio
usage to record progress.
Career advisement and college admissions assistance.
Case management, tutoring, mentoring, and
other support services.
Photography: Gary Israel
Inside This Issue
www.lagcc.cuny.edu/veterans

From The Director’s Corner

To the Director

Farewells

Adieu

A Key to Success

And more!
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From the Director’s Corner
by Samuel E. Farrell II
C
ongratulations to students and staff members
who participated in this cycle and did the hard
work of publishing this edition.
This is it: my last contribution to our Veterans Upward
Bound (VUB) Newsletter before my end-of-June retirement. Names come to mind as I think of my first day of
employment as a full-time Math Teacher in our Veterans
Center on 12/29/1971. I was interviewed the week before
by David Speights, the Director, and I joined a staff that
included Florence James (Secretary), David Heaphy
(Counselor) and Milton Sheppard (Intake Counselor) with
David Frieder and Nancy Duggan as Math and Language
Arts Teachers, respectively.
Our student population was comprised primarily of combat Vietnam veterans fresh from the war zone. We were
in the middle of Civil Rights movement, and LaGuardia’s
faculty and staff reflected the ideals and culture of that
generation. Over a 41-year period, VUB enjoyed tremendous success: we enrolled over 4,500 military veterans, of struggles on behalf of LaGuardia veterans, including Trewhich 66 % completed the program with at least 60% en- vaughn Luncheon, Claudia Chan, Valerie Jones, and our
tering post-secondary schools.
own VUB Coordinator, Vicki Bello.
How LaGuardia has responded to our student veterans
has been changing over the years. At first, veterans were
seen as very important partly because they represented a
large percent of the student population. They were
adults, not children fresh from high school. They reflected
the conscience of the Vietnam War with faculty and staff
members on both sides. Today, we have to work harder
to keep military veterans on LaGuardia’s radar.
After 20 years, some of the VUB staff faces are still here.
Dino Garcia was originally a tutor and is now our Fiscal
Monitor/Data Specialist. Joseph Bello is a VUB/LaGuardia
graduate and is our volunteer/consultant. Two of our past
Academic Coordinators are still working in our Division:
Bruce Kurzius (Enrollment and Management Services)
and Eric Melhado (our current VUB Language Arts Teacher).
Veterans Upward Bound Staff
Executive Director
Erick Melhado
Samuel E. Farrell II
Older “Danny” Vera
Program Coordinator
Tutors
Vicki Bello
Garry Israel
Fiscal Monitor/Data
Specialist
Dino Garcia
Raquel Alicia Coy
Program Assistants
Gregg Deveaux
Program Consultant
Fortunately, I see a promising future after my departure.
Our VUB Project has been funded for another four years,
and we have other potential champions to continue the
Everett Jones
Joe Bello
Alejandro Herrera
Instructors
3
To the Director
by Dino E. Garcia
T
years. One thing I learned from him is that the struggle continues no matter what, and, for that, we must be prepared for the
unexpected. It will be very sad when the reality of Mr. Farrell’s
he spring and summer of 1992 was a time of personal retirement sets in. I still have some difficulty accepting this fact,
trials and self-discovery. In that year, an opportunity came along but we must be prepared to do our best part for the community
to work as a tutor for the Veterans Program in LaGuardia Com- that is his legacy.
munity College. It was the best decision I could had ever made.
“May the sun shine, all day long,
After 20 years of services in different programs at LaGuardia
everything go right, and nothing wrong.
Community College that have started and have continued with
May those you love bring love back to you,
The Veterans Upward Bound Program, I must say that the only
and may all the wishes you wish come true!”
constant has been the privilege of meeting a true leader, a true
~Irish Blessing
advocate, and a mentor, Mr. Samuel E. Farrell II. Twenty years
ago I learned how to embrace the advocacy and the struggle for
our veterans. Though the leadership of Mr. Farrell, the VUB Program has been the one-stop service in CUNY, Queens, and most
of New York when it comes to academic advisement and resources to veterans. My tasks and my responsibilities grew with
the trust Mr. Farrell placed upon me, from being a tutor, a
teacher and a computer specialist, and ultimately to a Fiscal
Monitor.
I have so much to be grateful for that I feel the VUB newsletter
would not be sufficient space. I do need a bigger platform to
describe in detail how Mr. Farrell’s help has not only helped me
but the thousands of Veterans that have come through these
doors as well. It’s one of the many qualities he has, being an
academic establishment. As Mr. Farrell has said, “We are all given the opportunity to grow, learn, expand our knowledge and
provide the best help possible to those who need it.” There
were times when there was no funding for our program (19952007). With Mr. Farrell, we still managed to do our part for veterans, and, after a long 12 years, funding was once again provided. I am more than thankful for the opportunity to work in
different capacities in the program whose the main mission has
been to serve veterans. Their academic success is crucial during
these hard times, and I hope we can continue thanking our veterans for their services by giving them the best academic assistance possible.
I would like to thank Mr. Farrell for his leadership, his legacy,
and his vision. I trust that the VUB Program can continue to
bring academic help and success to all veterans in the coming
Dino Garica
Farewells
4
S
I
me so much in such little time, and it’s going to be sad
our brief interactions, I’ve seen that you are funny, engag-
am, It has been a pleasure working under your
am very new to the VUB program, so I haven’t had
supervision and having you as a mentor. You have taught the pleasure to really get to know you, Mr. Farrell. From
seeing you leave. For the longest time I have dreaded this ing, and motivating. During your forty-year tenure as diday only because I still have so much more to learn from
rector of the VUB, you have created a comfortable work
you and now I have no one to talk to, email, or get mad at. environment wherein my fellow-coworkers and I can conI don’t know what the future holds, but my hope is to get
tinue to aid the veterans in this program, and I thank you
a boss as great as you.
for that.
Regardless of how I feel, 41 years is a long time, and I wish
Regardless of our short acquaintance, I do want to extend
you the best. Remember that people never stop working; my congratulations on your upcoming retirement. Fortythey just get a new boss (Lillie Farrell). Good luck getting one years in academia is an amazing feat, and it is one
some time off, and here’s to watching after your grandthat inspires me.
kids. You are going to be greatly missed.
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Raquel A. Coy.
Vicki Bello.
Art by Raquel A. Coy
5
Adieu
by Gary Israel
H
as anybody ever figured out
“why it takes a minute to say
hello and forever to say goodbye”? I would like to use this
Newsletter Edition to bid Sam Farrell
adieu and in the same breath give him
plaudits for all the improvements he has
brought into the life of each and every
student who has come to the Veteran
Upward Bound (VUB) program.
clerk, or, like myself, a tutor. It is because
of Sam that I had to transform myself into
an academic hyphenate. I play multiple
roles at the VUB program: I make recruiting calls, I serve as a bridge between the
office and the classroom, and I am constantly available and ready to meet the
rigors and the needs of the program whatever those needs may be at the moment.
Half the time when I speak to students
and try to articulate to them the program’s vision, I know that in fact I am only
translating for them Sam’s vision and conceits.
because I needed to talk to him about
something. He then told me almost as if
he had rehearsed it all day: “Let’s go to
my office and hash it out.” This to me
shows the nature and character of the
man named Sam Farrell, and this is just
one out of many other examples that bespeak of a man who knows how to make
his employees feel appreciated.
Mr. Farrell, after working onerously so
many years to help veterans achieve their
intellectual best, now the time come for
the VUB to give you your own “Certificate
of Honorable Discharge,” your own DDWorking for Mr. Farrell for the past four
214 as a farewell to arms if you would.
and half years has been very fulfilling,
There is but one thing left to say; it is that
gratifying, and self-revealing. I have had the reason why it takes “a minute to say
bosses before, both good and bad; howhello, and forever to say goodbye.” It is
ever, I have never experienced one with so because, in the words of Alan Alda, “the
much wisdom, fairness, compassion, pro- ideal issues stated come last. Individuals
fessionalism, and a keen ability to inspire will talk for hours saying nothing at all
as Sam possesses. Throughout my time in considerably and then linger at the door
the program, I have never heard him yell
with words that come with a rush from
at anyone. He’s always been eventhe heart.” Farewell Mr. Farrell. Your satempered and respectful towards everygacity, your companionable mien, and
one from the program’s upperyour sui generis leadership skills will be
management on down to the very last
greatly missed. Adieu!
student. He has always
been accessible to everyone, and, in good or bad
times, he always carries
Above and beyond all that, working under
the same inscrutable
Sam’s tutelage took the challenges to a
smile on his face. I rewhole other level. Especially since, in
member how 3 cycles
Sam’s vision of the VUB program, a tutor
ago, after he was done
is far more than a putative teacher’s assisgiving his introductory
tant. For him, a tutor is a factotum capaspeech to the new stuble of helping students understand the
dents, I had asked him
many intricacies of both Math and the
whether he was going to
English language. Sam was so demanding
be in the next day. His
insofar as his vision for the program is
response to me was:
concerned that he was able to draw the
Gary Israel
“Why are you asking?” I
best out of everyone involved with the
replied ad rem that it was
program. Whether you are a teacher, a
I started working as a tutor at VUB after
graduating from college in 2009. This instructing assignment was far from being
my first rodeo. I have taught before. I
taught Latin, Physics, and Math for 8
years. On top of that, I came from a long
line of teachers: My father was a Mathematics and Physics professor in both Haiti
and Africa. My maternal uncle taught History, Latin and French at various schools
in Haiti. My mother tutored kids preparing
to enter high school. My older brother was
a teacher, too. This is to say that teaching
is, in a sense, second nature to me. Tutoring, on the other hand, is a totally different story. It presents its own set of challenges and demands since it involves
working one-on-one with various students
with different levels of understanding and
preparation.
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A Key to Success
S
amuel Farrell, an effective program director,
An American with a vision for our veterans,
Motivated to help those who serve with honor,
Immeasurable, innovative ideas, and plans.
Education and experience are his qualities.
Long term solutions are one of many great proposals.
Four decades hiring super stars with good qualities,
American soldiers be grateful for those grant proposals.
Results he’s shown to preserve his job and the program,
Revolutionary ideas to adapt to the era.
Excellence to teach and help us with the program.
Learning from your experience to a new era.
Leader is one who leads with motivation and excellence
So thanks, Samuel, for leading us with experience.
by Juan Gonzalez
T
Juan Gonzalez
o Mr. Samuel Farrell,
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for all the care.
Thank you for the forty plus years.
Thank you for keeping the dream real.
Thank you for fighting for on our side.
Thank you for your energy and time.
Thank you for your commitment to our future lives.
Thank you for your vision giving us soldiers a chance
to survive.
From Samuel Williams, Jr.
7
The Qualities of an
Effective Director
by
Jeffrey Gallego
T
o be an effective director,
you must have great leadership, administration, and good communication skills. Showing your skills will
definitely keep you looking effective.
The motivation and decisiveness of a
good leader will ensure a steady career as a program director. Administration skills are essential to be a
program director. Knowing how to
budget money, file documents, and
keep things organized is vital. Managing time is also important, for you
want to show your face and give every
aspect of your job the attention it deserves. Communication skills are required. Communicating well among
your peers will have you making
friends and also make your job easier
and more fun. All of these skills are
important traits of an effective director.
There is much to do when it comes to
showing your leadership skills. You
must show proficiency in your position, for you don’t want someone
challenging whether you deserve the
job or not. You must show decisiveness, for many people will look at you
to make tough decisions. You must
show you are educated and always
maintain a professional appearance
because people will take you more
seriously. Even when you’re feeling
down as a
program director, you
must stay
motivated.
Motivation
keeps everyone positive and shows people you are
not afraid of hard work. Every aspect
of leadership plays a vital part of being
a program director, but those I listed
are a few that I feel are important.
A program director must have strong
administration skills. Much of the
work a program director will face will
be administrative. Budgeting money
for events or for materials the program needs is very important. Filing
documents correctly will make the job
easier. Time management is good to
have, for you want to finish paperwork
to see how you can improve your program. As a director, one must set
aside time to interact with other people and see how other people near you
are doing. It improves work ethic, and
showing your face means they know
you’re coming around to see if they’re
slacking off. Administration is the hard
part. Organization will go a long way
as a program director.
Good communication skill is as important as the other skills. A director
must show his peers he is human and
engaging. If someone has a problem,
he must be comfortable to express
himself. Talking to people and caring
for them come with the leadership
position as the program director. People need to know you are there for
them. Having communication skills
means you must be proficient in writing. Emails and letters have to be
proofread. You must be well educated
and communicate well with others.
Social skills will have your position
intact, for your co-workers will speak
highly about you.
To be an effective program director,
you must have leadership skills, administrative skills, and communication
skills. Leadership will assure you stay
in power as a program director. Administration skills will keep you wellorganized, so that you have time for
anything your program needs of you.
Having good communication skills will
have you socializing well amongst
your peers and making sure everyone
knows what you’re expecting of them.
There are many more skills needed,
but those are the most important. A
good example of all those skills is the
program director of the Veterans Upward Bound program, Samuel Farrell.
Everyone will miss him.
8
A Message and a Poem
by Crystal Smith
T
his is a tribute to Mr. Samuel Farrell for his
long-term leadership skills in helping others and his
hard work and commitment and making a change in
people’s lives and careers. Congratulations on your
career-changing experience today.
We appreciate it, and I say we because I’m speaking for
all of the veterans that appreciate your help and commitments.
Thank you, Mr. Samuel Farrell.
S
A
M
U
E
L
for all the soldiers you have helped through their journey of struggles.
for the ability to improve people’s lives and make a
change.
for multitasking, a tool that you are familiar with. I
must add that.
for understanding others and not only thinking of yourself.
for the existing of having you working with us students.
for lecturing others and also listening while being a great
leader.
9
A Successful Director
by Stephen Drgan
W
hat makes a program
director effective? A program director
needs to have many attributes. One
of these attributes is having good
communication skills. Leadership
skills are also needed to be a program
director. Good administrative skills
are sought -after as well. These are
three skills need to be an effective
program director.
Good communication skills embody
the ability to make people understand
you quickly and easily. Tasks get completed faster and efficiently through
good communication. Correct grammar and punctuation make writing
easily understood. Computers make it
quicker to communicate and reach
more people; therefore, computer
knowledge is needed for good communication skills in today’s world.
Good communication includes speaking clearly and directly in layman’s
terms as an added benefit. Being people oriented doesn’t hurt either. If a
program director can master these
skills, he is an effective director.
by a program director, that person
can motivate others. Motivation leads
to a happier workplace in general, and
more quality work is produced.
Good administration skills are needed
to be an effective program director,
and these skills include budgeting and
personnel management. Budgeting is
always necessary since saving money
will bring smiling faces and that money saved can be put to good use.
Christmas parties cost money, and
that money saved can go to gifts or
food for the party. Personnel management means being able to successfully
guide your personnel. Personnel management can be similar to a teacher
lecturing and correcting his students’
work. Personnel management may be
needed in reprimanding or guiding a
worker. Good administration skills
determine
the
smooth
operation
of a program, and
this is why
they are
so important to
have in a
good program director.
Leadership skills are a necessity for a
program director, and one of those
leadership skills is the capacity to motivate. A program director has to be
able to motivate people. Motivation
makes people happy and interested in When a
doing their work. Motivation inspires program
people. When one person is motivated director
possesses these skills—good communication, leadership skills, and good
administration skills—the program
director should be successful, although having these skills does not
ensure the program director will be
successful. It also depends on the
workers under the program director.
The program director may have the
right skills, but if he has belowaverage workers, they may affect his
directing. Even the best and smartest
employees can perform badly. Sometimes, the program director will have
to replace workers by firing and then
hiring more productive employees,
and this may help the program director’s overall performance.
10
With Integrity and Sincerity
by Gladys Perez
I
n today’s society, it is important to have good qualities to be able to maintain a director’s position. For the
most part, you would need patience to deal with people.
Integrity is a quality that one needs to have to make right
decisions, being honest and knowing the value of the position. Also, being sincere and respectful with everyone is
important. Having the courage to stand up for what you
believe in, being reliable in everything that you want to
accomplish, and having confidence in what you do to help
the next generation are also important.
Mr. Farrell has had the potential of being above and beyond what makes a difference. At the same time, he is a
uniting person. He also has had the capacity and
knowledge to manage the institution. The Veterans Upward Bound program has helped a lot of veterans to establish their education; this is one of the many hats that
he handles.
Furthermore, having a genuine way to handle situations in
a pleasant atmosphere and staying calm are crucial. The
sincerity in wanting to help others without receiving or
expecting anything in return, looking out for everyone
that would come to him with problems or questions, having doors open to speak to the colleague and educate the
First of all, it is important to have patience with everyone students are all remarkable. Mr. Farrell has been a great
and to be able to deal with numerous different types of
example of how a director would assist others, being helppeople in the institution. Even though the supervisor is not ful and grateful for the opportunities he has had in this
easy, you make the best out of every situation by staying institution.
calm, making sure that everyone would benefit from the
In conclusion, as a director, Mr. Farrell has made an enoreducational system to be able to manage all kinds of obmous difference in life. This experience has been good for
stacles. For example, Mr. Samuel Farrell has been at
us. Through his patience, people come to understand the
LaGuardia College for 41 years. He has demonstrated to
be the kind of person that did make a courteous respectful importance of getting a better education. Of course, his
sincerity and genuine nature have changed the way peodifference in every colleague.
ple look at life.
Therefore, the influence that the director has had made an
extremely unusual way to handle situations that occurred. .
To have integrity and to be trustworthy are very humbling.
Honesty makes someone significant to his surroundings.
11
Efficient Directing
by
Mark Callender
W
hat makes a program
director effective? A program
director is effective when he brings a
good deal of commitment to that position. A person who is going to serve
as a program director must demonstrate a strong sense and level of commitment and dedication to the position. A director will be responsible for
ensuring a dependable and viable
stream of funding for his program and
will be available to pay rent for the
location, and he will develop programs where the funds can be applied
to hire, pay staff, and purchase and
lease equipment and other miscellaneous items.
A program director should be a person
who is also able to challenge and motivate staff. The staff may or may not
be aware of new funding lines, but the
program director, by his charm and
level of dedication, will be able to influence staff to work hard and even
discover new lines of funding. By
demonstrating his level of commitment, he can task the staff to look in
new areas for additional resources and
new partners for use by the nonprofit.
A program director must also be able
to budget and use the resources available for the organization. A program
director must be able to take whatever amount of funding he has and
stretch it out so it appears that the
actual funds available are more than
what the group raised or received.
A program director must also be a
very good manager, leading and directing the staff to achieve the stated
goals of the organization. By managing people, he allows them to see his
level of commitment and purpose towards the organization. In addition, by
managing them well, he will also allow
them to know that they are part of the
team and that their contribution is
appreciated and even rewarded at
some point. This will bring out the
best in the staff and hopefully allow
the group to function above normal
and reach annual goals as outlined by
the board and senior staff. By showing
appreciation and encouraging personnel, he can work on weak points and
bring them to a higher level in their
work and other areas.
perience should be relevant to the
field in which he will be serving.
A program director must also be an
effective and efficient administrator.
He should be a good analyst, decisive,
and communicative so that when he
makes a request or gives an order,
there is no room for confusion or error. We have seen that Sam Farrell, as
incumbent program director at the
LaGuardia Community College Veterans Upward Bound program, has been
a person who is able to adapt to
changes in leadership here at LaGuardia: changes in technology, even in
staffing in the program and changes in
personalities that come along with
new people in an organization. He also demonstrated that he survives and
thrives in the midst of changes in leadAnother area that the program direc- ership which would impact the world
tor can use to guide is to demonstrate of academia from the federal, state,
care and concern for the staff and its and local levels.
activities. By doing this, the program
director can allow the personnel to
see that his concern is genuine and
not just about work. He is able to
demonstrate humanity, compassion,
and desire to see that all the staff is in
a position to achieve all work-related
tasks. The program director is also a
leader who must show that even he is
accountable to others. An effective
program director is also a person who
must be familiar with the area of his
service or work. It may not be correct
to hire someone with a background in
retail to serve a clientele of veterans
or people recovering from cancer or
those diagnosed with dementia. The
Mark Callender
program director’s education and ex-
12
To Sam Farrell
by Carlos Palomino
T
his will be a short story about a man named Sam
Farrell. I do not personally know him, but I will be able to
tell you what I do know and appreciate with only having
exchanged a greeting with him. I am a U.S Marine Corp
veteran of war and proud to have served. As a veteran, I
cannot begin to emphasize the need for clarity upon discharge from the military. The amount of information that
is needed to transition into the civilian life can be overwhelming to take in. Information comes from the internet,
hard copies, clubs, organizations,
schools, and more. My lovely wife
can testify to the amount of paper I have brought into the house
in the last 6 weeks alone. I am just
a typical example of the thousands of veterans trying to figure
out what to do with their lives.
When we arrive home, we have
the support of our families and
dear friends. These people support us because they know us and
love us unconditionally. They
know us better than anyone else,
and that is why their support is
unconditional. These veterans
are coming from a very strict, organized life to a world where
the Is are not always dotted and
the T’s are not always crossed.
What do we do? Well, if you are
lucky enough to encounter men
like Sam Farrell, you are in a great
position to start the transition.
You see, men like Sam are rare. He has no personal ties
with veterans. He has never served in the United States
military. He has never come into my home and met my
family, yet his dedication, concern, interest, and—yes,
some can even say—love for veterans is evident. Why else
would a man who has never experienced the camaraderie
of soldiers and now veterans dedicate over 40 years of his
life to simply help them transition and try to give them the
very best of any chance they might have to make it in the
civilian world. You cannot fake dedication for 40 years.
Sam, I applaud you for your service to this country. It does
not just take a soldier to serve this country. Your service
and support to those who have served this country is
worth any medal or recognition that soldiers receive. You
have willing served your country, and we thank you.
13
Leadership
by Shane Behavis
T
oday, we discussed the inspiring career of Mr.
Samuel Farrell in class, and it made me wonder. What
does it take to be a great director? Well, being an effective
director takes leadership. A director has to delegate and
choose the right people for tasks. A director must be responsible because he is often held accountable for both
his actions and the actions of those he manages. Being
familiar with the area of interest is also important along
with being a good communicator and good administrator.
Delegation is an important part of being a director. By
Shane Behavis
definition, a director is someone who supervises others
and therefore is unable to micro-manage every single task
in his program. It is up to the director to hire capable people to do the job he requires of them. The director must be
wise in his hiring process and allow his underlings to do
All of these qualities are needed to be an effective protheir jobs. This ability is extremely important in the daily
running of the organization and is an essential quality in a gram director. Good communication helps facilitate many
tasks, delegation allows a director to be efficient, and fadirector.
miliarity with the field of his work permits a director to
Familiarity with the program’s area of interest also makes excel. Clearly, Mr. Farrell must have these qualities among
a program director effective. This means that a program
many others to have survived as director of the Veterans
director should have some experience with or education
Upward Bound program for as long as he has.
about the field of work. Doing research and constantly
reading and gaining new information can make a good
director the truly efficient. Proficiency is essential, and a
director has to also be proficient. Good communication is
important. A director must be able to market and gain
fresh sources of funds for his program. He must be able to
clearly communicate with his employees. Oral communication is only one part of communication though. An
effective director should also have excellent writing skills.
Corresponding with people through email and writing
grants figures heavily into the role of director. Therefore,
good communication is a pivotal quality to have in a director.
14
Parting Tribute
by Steven Allen-McPherson
S
ubtitled: In retrospect, on the Erudite & Scholarly
Genius, of Mr. Samuel E. Farrell II “The Best of the
Best”
“As, it is written… Greater love has no one than this, than to lay
down one’s Life, for his friends (John—15:13).
“His Lord said to him--- Well done, Good and faithful servant;
you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over
many things. Enter, into the joy of your Lord.” (Matthew—
25:21)
Later, Mr. Farrell became Director of the Division’s Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) Program, a title of which he has held for more
than 20 years. Mr. Farrell has earned more status in becoming
Director of ACE’s Center for Community Education/CUNY catch.
That recognition of his wholesome, grassroots contributions reflects his compassion for humanity, as well as commitment and
dedication in service of Veterans.
He has aided and inspired various numerous lives through the
many programs in which he helped initiate. Mr. Farrell has garnered and utilized the learning experiences stemming from years
of working with others, and, most importantly, striving to champion, the plight of the overlooked. Therefore, appropriately, the
The multi-faceted Samuel E. Farrell II has donned multiple caps
long, distinguished career and legacy of Mr. Samuel E. Farrell II
during his distinguished 40-year tenure within LaGuardia Comshould be forever, etched into LaGuardia’s memory by a promunity College’s division of Adult Continuing Education (ACE)
nouncement of “Bravo!” and “Well Done, Good and faithful
Program. However, if there is one distinct quality that stands out servant; you were faithful over a few things, therefore I will
in his remarkably splendid character, it is that he’ll leave no
stone unturned when helping
veterans.
In January 1972, the illustrious
Mr. Farrell began teaching G.E.D.
and college preparatory classes to
returning Vietnam veterans seeking to further their education.
With a strong Mathematics background, Mr. Farrell also later
taught Math classes at the local
Queens House Branch of Detention in ACE’s initial efforts towards establishing education
training services for inmates in
correctional facilities in 1975.
15
Mr. Farrell: A Great Director
by Jose Fernando Cadme
T
here are a variety of programs here at LaGuardia Community College. Each department has its own director.
In order for these programs to function successfully, the directors must have specific skills. A good director
must have good communication, in both oratory and writing skills. Also, a director must have leadership
skills. He must have excellent administration skills to support everything he is trying to accomplish for the
department.
Here at the C-building, there is a program called the Veteran’s Upward Bound. The students have a military background, and the program helps veterans by offering classes and support services. The director’s name is Samuel Farrell. He has been at the program for four decades. He is a great director who has great communication skills. He is able
to convey his intent clearly to his audience. He uses his communication skills to promote the VUB program. He also has
great writing skills, and he is able to help anybody that needs help.
Mr. Samuel Farrell has survived four decades in charge of this great program. He has great leadership skills, and he
motivate veterans to achieve what they couldn’t accomplish before they went into active duty. He has resolved many
issues, and he has become familiar with his field of work. He is decisive and seems to take pride in what he has accomplished over the past forty-one years. He also has shown the initiative for hiring the right people to teach the veterans.
Mr. Farrell possesses a good administration skills. He has been able to budget funds, and by doing so, the program is
allowed to keep running. He also has been able to manage time efficiently. Time management is important making
sure that forms are
completed and deadlines are met. He has
also perfected personnel management by
hiring the right people
to do the right tasks.
Mr. Farrell will be
missed for everything
he has done for all of
us. Farewell and thank
you for all the great
work you have done,
Mr. Farrell.
16
On Charity
by Steven Allen-McPherson
O
ne should donate to charitable organizations. Frankly, had it not been for the
kind, charitable deeds of others, many
would be lost. Primarily, all that one
should reflect upon is the grace and mercy of Almighty God and the love and warmth of kind, caring
parents in order to recognize and understand the
need for giving. Additionally, one should never
overlook the kindness and generosity of others, who
may be in positions of means, regarding available
resources for assistance. Thus, supporting reputable
charities is a worthwhile undertaking which enables
individuals to touch the lives of others in need. In
today’s world, I see so many people who are hurting
and suffering. As a result of various circumstances,
people are looking for a helping hand up out of their
destitution. Therefore, whether financially supporting or volunteering services to reputable charitable
organizations, the aim should be to help alleviate the
suffering of impoverished people. Personally, I feel a
sense of accomplishment knowing that I could be of
assistance to someone in need. Rewardingly, the
end result is the joy and happiness of the making a
difference in someone’s life.
ongoing financial support, Smile Train is helping
communities worldwide to become self-sufficient
one smile at a time. Cleft deformities are a very
serious problem for poverty stricken children whose
parents often lack the economic resources to afford
corrective surgeries.
In addition, the organization has established hundreds of needed programs in the world’s poorest
countries by training thousands of medical professionals. In the most recent fiscal year, the organization’s combined operating expenses were
$133,716,600. Their total net assets were
$134,601,638, and $128,390,810 was gained through
interest bearing investments. The savvy mindset of
Smile Train’s financial consultants illustrates the
organization’s strong commitment and need for
practicality as well as accountability. Equally, the
organization’d astute awareness depicts a levelheaded, common sense approach, which also delineates, fairness, to, its donating partners. The reserve
is in place so that if Smile Train one day were unable
to maintain its fundraising goals at current levels, the
firm would at least still be in a position to fund itself
for another year. Essentially, the Smile Train OrganAlthough there are various reputable charities worization’s Model of fundraising is dependent upon the
thy of supporting, I wish to highlight the Smile Train steady flow of donated finances from its 1,100 memFoundation. Smile Train was founded in 1999. The
bers. Fittingly, the organization is run like a busiSmile Train organization has grown into “The
ness, and as with any other venture, it is often recWorld’s Leading Cleft Charity,” assisting hundreds of ommended that it’s wise to possess some cash rethousands desperately poor children with cleft disa- serves on hand in case of hard times. Financially,
bilities. A cleft is a birth defect and is a common
Smile Train closely monitors their cash reserves to
affliction in many developing countries. A cleft lip is
prohibit stock-piling of generous donations.
an opening in the upper lip area between a newIn order for the organization to qualify for the Better
born’s mouth and nose.
Business Bureau’s (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance, Smile
The Smile Train foundation is different from other
Train cannot have more than three years of operatcharities. Instead of trying to tackle multiple issues,
ing expenses in reserve. However, in Smile Train’s
Smile Train elected to focus solely on one specific
excellent prime position, the charity has enough in
problem that affects children, cleft defects. By focus- its reserves to maintain activities for one year. Furing only on clefts, Smile Train can be more producthermore, Smile Train actively encourages program
tive in working with many cleft surgeons, hospitals,
volunteers. The willingness of Smile-Train’s Voluncharities, research programs, and educational institeer Program to extend possible avenues participatutions around the world. Instead of focusing on
tion and support only enhances my opinion of them.
sending teams of American doctors and nurses
The Smile Train charity encourages and eagerly
throughout the world on numerous medical misinvites volunteerism both nationally as well as intersions, Smile Train empowers local doctors, nurses,
nationally cherishing the involvement of all volunand hospitals to solve the problems themselves.
teers that could hold special fundraisers upon their
This unique approach not only reduces cost per surbehalf. Hence in doing so as a volunteer-fundraiser
gery, but it is also far safer, faster, smarter, and more Smile Train will dispatch to each participant a fundproductive towards aiding children in the long run.
raising - kit as well as provide some helpful advice in
The Smile Train Charity aids ten times more children tips along the way in lieu of set-up guidance.
than mission groups each year. By providing free
Regardless of your volunteer status, the Smile Train
equipment free education and training as well as
Charity appreciates any form of contribution. To
request a fundraising-kit, one must email the organization at info@smiletrain.org. Also available on
their website are ‘Completely Customizable Fundraising Pages.’ Individually one could upload pictures obtain and provide descriptions of your fundraiser, discover who donated to your fundraiser, post
comments and updates, setup a personalized web
address, and to link to your blog or other social networking sites. Creating your customizable online
fundraising page requires a visit to the charities
‘Personal Fundraising Page’ and you will be guided
through the steps. Compared to other organizations,
Smile Train seems to be the best charity to trust.
Steven Allen-McPherson
17
Veterans
Upward
Bound
Like what you see? Come visit the VUB today!
This newsletter is merely a sample of the work our students do.
Come in to learn more information about the Veterans Upward
Bound Program in Room C371.
Give us a call for more information
about our services.
Veterans Upward Bound
29-10 Thomson Avenue, Rm C371
Long Island City, NY 11101
Phone: (718) 482-5386
vets@lagcc.cuny.edu
Visit us on the web at
www.lagcc.cuny
www.lagcc.cuny.edu/veterans
18

Veterans Upward Bound - LaGuardia Community College

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