Undergraduate Alumni Updates

He plans to continue studying in another master's program focusing on public policy and/or public administration to receive the tools necessary to make a lasting impact on society. Ultimately, he would like to be a college or university president to empower and work with college students, faculty, and staff who are committed to social-justice movements and solutions. 

CUSP will always be a defining and important experience in his life, and has inspired him to commit his life's work to social justice, access, and citizenship. 

Angela Kim, CUSP '05
Intern at New York City Administration of Children's Services              
During her CUSP summer in 2005, Angela interned with the Administration of Children's Services of Incarcerated Parents Program. On a weekly basis Angie escorted foster children to Riker's Island to visit their incarcerated parents. These weekly visits were the only opportunities for these children to build a relationship with their parents. Her CUSP experience had a huge impact on both the direction of her career and her dedication to the field of social justice. She found that she needed to pursue a career path that made her feel she was helping society.

Angie is currently in Washington, D.C., working as a paralegal specialist in the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division Voting Section. In addition to her full-time job, she is a site coordinator for the Homeless Children's Playtime Project (HCPP). In fall 2008 she will attend Georgetown Law part-time, while continuing to work for the Justice Department.             

Angie believes CUSP offers a chance for a student to explore his/her options in the social-justice field. By providing the resources to enable a student to do this, from economic support to resources in finding an internship, CUSP offers a unique opportunity for students. She thinks any student who even remotely considers a social-justice career should pursue a CUSP fellowship. CUSP creates networks, opens doors, and provides a unique summer experience that can change your career path.

Ivy McCottry, CUSP '05
Intern at Enterprise Foundation              
Following her CUSP experience, Ivy McCottry worked for a redevelopment project in Greece and exturned with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She also participated in a Public Policy and International Affairs fellowship program at UC Berkeley. Currently, she works for the U.S. General Services Organization (GSA) with the federal career development program, learning how to conduct federal real-estate activities. The GSA is "the nation's largest public real-estate organization [that] provides workspace for more than 1.2 million federal workers through its Public Buildings Service." As a lease contracting officer intern, she works on workplace solutions for various agencies in eastern Washington and throughout Idaho. She is learning how to conduct federal real-estate activities and in the future hopes to pursue graduate studies in a real-estate program for entrepreneurship and public service. 

Tom Noble, CUSP '07
Intern at Fortune Society               
Tom worked at the Fortune Society during his summer with CUSP. He remembers how badly the clients wanted to turn their lives around and how hard they worked to do so. They asked questions, were attentive in class, and gave Tom an incredible amount of respect. From this CUSP experience Tom was certain of his desire to seek out a career in the nonprofit sector.              

While working in the education department of the Fortune Society, Tom had a real-life teaching experience that prepared him for his current work with Teach for America. In fact, if it hadn't been for CUSP, he may not have applied to Teach for America. Currently, he is also working towards a master's of education from Arizona State University while teaching eighth-grade math. 

Tracy Pugh, CUSP '06
Intern at the Community Health Academy of the Heights (CHAH)                
Tracy Pugh gained insight into the importance of social-justice work while she was a student in CUSP. Her CUSP experience led her to pursue a master's of health sciences from Johns Hopkins University. As part of the requirements for her degree program, Tracy will work at the New York Academy of Medicine in Manhattan as a junior policy associate. Her first project will be to develop a program that provides aging prisoners with a continuity of care when they are released from prison and re-entering the community. She is eager to return to New York, saying that CUSP played a role in her love for the city. Tracy will graduate in May 2009 and plans to continue her career in social justice by working on health policy in New York City.

Jeannine Vaughn, CUSP '06
Intern at Harlem's Children's Zone - TRUCE Fitness and Nutrition Center
Jeannine participated in CUSP as a leader of a young girls' group through the Harlem Children's Zone. She discovered that she is interested in the mentorship aspect of education and that she can be a great role model for young children. Last summer she worked for Cornell's Catalyst Program in the College of Engineering, giving guidance and supervision to a group of high-school students participating in a weeklong residential engineering experience. She is currently teaching at Beverly J. Martin Elementary School (BJM) in Ithaca, NY, where she fills many roles. Jeannine has worked in the kindergarten, and second- and third-grade classrooms, assisted students with conflicts and behavioral issues, and taught classes when the head teacher was absent. This coming school year, Jeannine and the school counselor will work with the girls' group at BJM.           

Back home, Jeannine helped her church create criteria for a new scholarship that was awarded this past June. Her future plans include moving to Boston for work in a new field closer to mentorship, and eventually, to return to school for a master's degree in education.