Meet Our Students
Tracy Gutierrez
I'm Tracy Gutierrez, a recent Hostos Community College alumna from Brooklyn with Honduran roots. My onboarding experience at Lehman has been incredible. I'm excited to embark on the next stage of my academic journey by pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). My piece of advice to my fellow Lehman peers is: “Step out of your comfort zone and face your fears. Growth takes place when you're challenged, not when you're comfortable.”
Asia Herbert
I’m Asia Renee Herbert. I was born and raised in the Bronx by immigrant Belizean parents. I graduated HS in 2016 but unfortunately shortly after went through possibly the darkest times of my life. Struggling through a mental health crisis, there was no way I was able to prioritize higher education. Thankfully, fully recovering in my mid 20’s, I decided to take my life seriously again as I’ve maintained health stability and will finally start school in Fall 2024 semester at Lehman College. I’m a freelance artist/writer and in my own spare time, I create extremely cryptic work. For now, I decided on majoring in journalism and seeing how I can combine my own personal talents into a new field of expression. Anxious yet excited, I’m happy for all the good things that have come to me as I’ve finally learned to embrace joy in my life and hope that my time at Lehman can rid of any of the insecurities I harbored in my early teen years.
Gabriella Cresti Caetano
My name is Gabriella and I am a transfer student. This will be my first year at Lehman and third year continuing my bachelors in Psychology. I’m half Brazilian and half Italian but I was born here in America. I think what I am most excited for is being able to meet people and make new friends. One advice I would give to my fellow Lehman peers is: you only fail if you don’t try.
Tezha Davis
My name is Tezha, and I am a Belizean National gratefully living my dream as a Lehman College Student. Furthering my education has always been an achievement that I have sworn to myself. Like many goals, there are tests of perseverance and discipline. However, having the opportunity to witness and immerse myself in what is “the other side” is nothing short of a blessing. I am one blessed being, yet behind, beside, and in front of me stand so many faith-filled souls that have encouraged and fueled me throughout this process. I get the opportunity to learn and acquire the tools required, especially as a Performing Arts major. I see the goodness that comes from Art and the many lives it restores. For that, I must take on the responsibility to be an additional voice for the foundation of art that has been laid for me by many greats and to share a discipline that I love. This is a testament to keep going, each step takes you further to your goal!
Shantel Barry-Legair
My name is Shantel Barry- Legair. I was born and raised in the Bronx. After graduating from the HS of Fashion Industries, I pursued further education at Westchester Community College, earning an Associate of Applied Science in Fashion Merchandising. Following graduation, I decided to take a break, and as people like to say now, “life started life’ing.” I found myself working, raising two children, and fully embracing the joys and challenges of the "mom life." As a mother, I have the habit of making sure everyone has everything they need to succeed. Over the years I had a burning desire to continue my education and receive higher degrees. My initial plan was to enroll for the Fall 2023 semester; however, I faced several obstacles, including unresolved holds on my account. However, I was not discouraged, I felt determined. I noticed that the more I made attempts to get what I wanted, all the right people were in my corner at the right time. Slowly but surely things started working in my favor. My onboarding advisor worked with me, feeding me encouragement with optimism. The holds were eventually removed, and I am now enrolled for the Spring semester here at Lehman College and I feel proud thus far. My goal is to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and subsequently enter a minor to master’s program in Early Childhood Education. I am always excited to learn new information and actively practice the knowledge I’ve attained. It’s been about 15 years since I’ve been out of school, so I am looking forward to this experience. I for one know how fast time flies. My objective is to take advantage of the present time. There is nothing more important than the Power of Now. This journey is not only about personal achievement but also about setting an example for my children. I aim to demonstrate the fulfillment that comes from envisioning a goal and experiencing the rewards of steadfast commitment. Perseverance is my word for 2024.
Juan Green
Hi, my name is Juan Green and I’m a 28-year-old veteran transfer student from the Bronx. I completed my associates degree in Criminal Justice at Borough of Manhattan Community College in 2017 with honors with the help of the ASAP program. By the time I reached my senior college in John Jay, the financial aid I was receiving was not covering my tuition. Being a Bronx native means I’ve lived in the poorest borough within the city of New York, like most Bronxites my parents only had money to pay the rent and to eat. There was no college fund saved for me or my two younger brothers. All of these factors led to me enlisting in The United States Navy for the educational benefits veterans’ affairs provide to its service members. After serving four years in Japan as an Aviation Support Equipment Technician Specialist, on board the USS Ronald Reagan CVN 76 warship, I’ve completed three successful deployments. The highlight of my career was being part of the mission to provide support and retreat from Afghanistan in 2021. As my contract came to expiring, I’ve decided not to renew it, instead, I would transition back to the civilian world and utilize my educational benefits I worked so hard for. Currently, my major is Computer Information Systems. The goal is to start a career in the tech sector as an information technology specialist. This career roadmap will lead to a six-figure salary in the supervisor level but also, it gives me the flexibility to work from home if there’s ever another pandemic. Recently, I have been working as a volunteer member organizer with district 37. Canvassing all the CUNY campuses advising college assistants on their benefits as a member with the union which in turn really motivated me to use my benefits to continue my education. In conclusion, my hope is that my fellow CUNY peers take away from my story is that there is no age for education. It’s never too late to start or early to begin.
Dezirae Rodriguez
My name is Dezirae! I am a proud Non-Binary Puerto Rican American heading into Lehman as a transfer student. While I am originally from New Jersey and have previously attended a different college, I am going to attend Lehman by majoring in Psychology and minoring in Dance. My transition into Lehman has been really easy and seamless because of the phenomenal help of my college counselor guiding me along the way and all of the steps to take are online, which makes the process faster and easier. My goal in me acquiring my B.A. in both Dance and Psychology is to be able to be a world-renowned choreographer who specializes in vogue, hip-hop, and floorwork while infusing stories and aspects of queer culture and love within my combos. The feeling that I hope to project to audiences is the feeling of empowerment, fire, freedom, and release. With my background in psychology, I will be able to understand the different ways in which people absorb knowledge and will then be able to teach choreography in various ways to portray the stories of different disorders. I aim to enlighten the public on the effects of mental disorders, as well as promote understanding of them. I am excited about being able to join all of the clubs that Lehman has to offer! Within my major, I am excited to play with different styles of dance to show that I have a solid background knowledge in dance. Additionally, I am excited to be able to be mentally challenged and stimulated by dissecting the information and inputting it into my work from Lehman’s psychology department. From one Lehman student to another: You have got this, and hard work pays off!
Jayren Vasquez
Hi, I’m Jayren, a Dominican born and raised in the Bronx. As a minority born into poverty, my biggest dream is to grow my small business into a known apparel company that spreads the rich culture hidden beneath the rough exterior of the Bronx. I run at every opportunity that gets me closer to giving my family and future generations the chance to go beyond our limitations. I’m excited to continue to make connections around the 5 boroughs with people that have similar stories to tell, so we can wear our identities with confidence and empower others to do the same. I hope my journey at Lehman will lead me to these people and so a better future.
Mamadou Diallo
I’m Mamadou Diallo. I’m currently a freshman attending Lehman College with an undecided major. No need to panic because that’s the whole point of college. It’s not about walking in with a plan. It’s more about figuring out who you are and what interests you which is something I wish I knew earlier. As a young teenager, I always thought that every aspect that I participated in had to have something to do with my future which may be true, but not 100 percent valid. It’s not our mistakes that make us who we are, but the consistency of trying to improve in whatever one may be doing. At the age of 14, I was sent to a small country in West Africa to learn discipline after making many mistakes at a young age. I learned a lot and realized that those mistakes are not what make me. I look forward to making more mistakes, because those mistakes will just teach me more lessons about life. So things like choosing a “wrong” major or other things may be mistakes, but I’ll learn from it. And that’s the foundation of being a college student.
Myla Minaya
My name is Myla Minaya. I am 18 years old, and I am an upper sophomore. During my high school years, I was blessed to receive the opportunity to take college courses at CCNY through the Early College Initiative program. I was engaged in challenging college-level work while in high school and got a jump-start on college readiness. I am beyond thankful for the opportunities that both my high school, CCAA and CCNY has given me. Now that I am attending Lehman College, the onboarding process has been remarkably easy and smooth. Everyone here is extremely welcoming! When it comes to the students and staff, everyone is always immensely supportive and inspiring. For the upcoming students, one thing I can say is that it is okay to doubt yourself. Before attending Lehman, I was insistent on going into the medical field. After taking some courses, I have now switched to something that has nothing to do with medicine! Nevertheless, it is okay to not know what you want; you can always find your passion. It can be scary deciding what to do for your future, but determination takes time and persistence. Your Lehman Advisors will always be there to listen to your ideas and will always be there to guide you in the right direction.
Syncere Clarke
My name is Syncere Clarke, but I go by Syn. I was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx. I’m a freshman at Lehman College and my journey here so far has been fantastic. The professors and advisors are very communicative and always remind you that they’re there to help if and when you’re in need of it. I came into this college super shy and scared to make friends but as each day goes on, I step more and more out of my comfort zone and I’ve already made a small group of friends. When onboarding, I had my fears that there would be many complicating factors but my advisor made my onboarding process easier than ever! Some advice that I would give to the new people attending Lehman is: don’t be scared because in college, closed mouths don’t get fed. While it may be overwhelming due to it being a larger setting, there’s nothing wrong finding at least one person to confide in, whether that may be a professor, an advisor, or a fellow colleague. Your first year of college may be hard to go through alone, so finding that one person you're comfortable enough to talk to can go a long way.
Antonio Angel Cordero
My name is Antonio Angel Cordero, and I am from the Bronx. Overall, I would say that my school journey has been all over the place. I graduated high school 3 years ago, so coming to Lehman seemed a bit intimidating at first. This was because I was out of a school setting for so long, and honestly, I doubted myself. But since I have started here, the experience has been great and I am back to working hard again. I have already made a few friends and I enjoy all of my classes for this semester. The professors are engaging and hands-on with the students. They go above and beyond to ensure everyone understands the material. The professors are eager for students to ask questions and are available after class times for clarifying questions. Overall, they make the class setting a safe space for students to be active participants. One message I would like to send out to all new students is do not be afraid to ask questions. Try new things, even if they seem scary or intimidating. Face it on courageously because what scares us the most is what yields the greatest rewards. If you see me around, please don’t hesitate to ask me any questions, I would be more than happy to share what I know.
Bara Alomari
My name is Bara Alomari, and I'm Middle Eastern. The transition from high school to Lehman College has been an easy journey thanks to Lehman's team of advisors. From their friendly smiles and quickly getting me on track, they've been an amazing help. As a first-year Biology major, they've helped me organize myself and made the start of my journey so much easier, Alhamdulilah. Not only do we have such a beautiful campus but we have plenty of supportive and encouraging students and staff. My message to all the new students is the sky is your limit, and the only thing in the way is ourselves, so get out of your way and let yourself flourish because nothing is impossible. A big thank you to Lehman's team of advisors for showing me that and pushing me to be the best version of myself. I'm grateful for all the support I have and how accepting and diverse Lehman is and hopefully, your experience is just as great.
William Aquino
My name is William Aquino. I am 19 years old and I’m from the Bronx, New York. While my parents are from Paraguay, I was born and raised in the Bronx. Being able to come to Lehman, is such a blessing and an amazing opportunity to enhance my life and the lives of others. Lehman is a great school choice for me because of how close it is, how beautiful the campus is, and how great the staff is. I would not have been here if it were not for the great onboarding team at Lehman. The onboarding advisors really care about students and are very fast and knowledgeable about schedules and student/campus life. Though I am undecided, my advisors are always there to help me explore my options and find what I want. The Lehman campus really represents the elegance and beauty of the school. To all the newcomers, be sure to try your best at everything; whether it’s for a class, or making friends, always put your best work, that way even if it fails, you know you did what you could. I’m excited to learn and build friendships here at Lehman.