Stevie

Before I was born, my family was already complete with a mother, father, daughter, and son. My parents had no intentions of having a third child. If it were not for my grandfather, I may never have been born. He encouraged my parents to have a third child because he had a “feeling” that this child was going to be destined for greatness. He knew I was going to be unique in everything I did, which is why he chose my name to be Stevie. Ever since I was a kid, my grandfather always pushed me to be the best I could be in everything I did. He told me that everything I did in life was important, but first and foremost was academia. He has always been my inspiration, and his past as a member of the NYPD is what inspired me to study the field of forensics.

I am currently a rising sophomore majoring in Forensic Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. It has been at John Jay that I have experienced my greatest accomplishments. I finished out my first semester as a freshman with a 4.0 GPA. Then, during my second semester, I was accepted into the Honors Program and New York Needs You, and completed the school year with a cumulative GPA of 3.93. During my second semester, I was fortunate enough to take an independent study course in American Literature with the Director of the Honors Program as my professor. This was, by far, my favorite college course that I have taken. Professor Matteson became more than just a professor to me, but a mentor and close friend as well. I learned more in this course than I have in any other and came to realize that knowledge is the most important thing to me. I want to know everything about everything. I am extremely driven and motivated to challenge myself and learn after this independent study.

After receiving my Bachelors Degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, I would like to attend graduate school, hopefully at Columbia University, and study to receive a PhD in Counseling Psychology. While I am unsure of my long-term career goals, Criminal Psychology and Deviant Behavior are the two fields that interest me the most so I would love to find a career that incorporates both fields of study.

I hope that New York Needs You can benefit me in giving me a clearer goal for my future plans. I believe it will open more doors for me where I can learn more about myself, what I am capable of, and where I can make the most difference. I expect to meet a lot of great people, as well, who I can learn from and keep in contact with for years to come.