March 2024 Alumni Spotlight
Marxe Higher Education Administration alumna and Assistant Director, Peers for Careers Program at the Starr Career Development Center at Baruch College, Marlen Fernandez about talks about her passion for helping other first-generation and undocumented students navigate college, the programs she helped found at the Mexican Studies Institute at CUNY Lehman College, and much more.
Why do you choose to work in higher education?
I am a first-generation student. I am passionate about helping first-generation students navigate their college experience and explore the different opportunities after college. I closely relate to the experiences of CUNY students and many of the barriers they must overcome to succeed. I know that both my undergraduate and graduate experiences have had a tremendous positive impact on my life. I am drawn to higher education because it creates opportunities for social mobility, personal and professional development, and the creation of a support network for first-generation students. I wanted to work at a college to create programs where students’ experiences are uplifted and centered for them to succeed. Throughout my career in higher education, I have worked in different areas: including providing workshops on the college admissions process, managing a scholarship program, and now career services. I found myself continuously helping students identify opportunities outside the classroom such as internships, graduate school, prestigious awards, and full-time jobs. I realized I could take my skills and experience to work in career services. I was drawn to career services because I wanted to help students translate their skill sets to the real world. One of my favorite parts of the process to is to see how students can apply what they have learned in the classroom to the real world.
How did you begin helping first-generation and undocumented students?
In New York and CUNY, there are limited resources for undocumented students. I first began to work to advocate for the rights of undocumented students as an undergraduate. I helped to co-found the Lehman Dream Team, a student club that advocates for undocumented students. My first job after college was to promote educational opportunities to this population including providing workshops on how undocumented students can apply to college. I then became the scholarship program coordinator for the CUNY BECAS scholarship program at the Mexican Studies Institute at CUNY. Through this scholarship program, the students were able to receive tuition assistance, internship placement, and workshops on different topics. In my current role, I often advise undocumented students who are trying to find what the best next step is in their professional careers. Undocumented students face more barriers when pursuing their education and exploring postgraduate plans due to the limited opportunities because of their legal status.
Tell us about the programs you helped found at the Mexican Studies Institute at CUNY Lehman College.
The Educational Opportunities initiative was created to promote educational opportunities at the Mexican Consulate General in New York. The initiative seeks to educate the Spanish-speaking immigrant community on the college admissions process and to share educational resources. I worked to promote and recruit students to attend different CUNY campuses. I would also create workshops to target the Spanish-speaking community to learn about the college admissions process, financial aid, and other resources for first-generation students. Every year, the initiative could serve over 1,500 clients. The other program I helped to found at the Institute is the scholarship program CUNY BECAS. The scholarship program serves undocumented students by providing financial support and professional development opportunities. The scholarship program is one of a few opportunities for undocumented students at CUNY. Alumni of the program have successfully enrolled in graduate school, started their own business, work at local nonprofits, state and local government, higher education, healthcare, and other industries. Many students attribute part of their success both at CUNY and beyond to the support they received from the program.
What was your experience like in the Marxe Higher Education Administration program?
The best part of the higher education program at Marxe are the people! My first class, the history of higher education, was taught by then interim provost Jim McCarthy. He had great expertise to share and was passionate about teaching us to have a larger world vision for our work. All my classes had a professor who was an expert in their area and had real-world experience to share. Many of the students who were working in higher education were also encouraged to share and contribute to classroom discussions. These experiences enhanced my learning of many topics covered in class. I also had the opportunity to take some classes in the MPA program. This opportunity expanded my understanding of topics and the intersection between higher education and public policy. Everyone at Marxe brings a vast set of skills, professional and personal experiences that take learning to the next level. I also felt continuously supported by my peers and challenged to think outside the box to create new innovative solutions to current issues in higher education. Outside the classroom, we have built a great support network. I met some of my closest friends during my time at Marxe. I always look forward to returning, sharing my experience, and reconnecting with my peers.
