In recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month and in celebration of the District’s Spanish-speaking student population, members of the Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School group Conciencia Latina hosted a motivational seminar featuring Amaury Muñoz.
During the seminar, which was arranged by advisor Yoleidys Swerdloff, Mr. Muñoz shared his experiences in immigrating to the United States, not speaking the language and overcoming negative influences that prevent academic success. Following the presentation and a question-and-answer portion of the program, the students were tasked with identifying three strategies that would make them successful and presenting them to the group.
Mr. Muñoz is a senior at the University at Albany’s Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy. He moved to the United States with his family at the age of 15 to pursue a better life with more economic and academic opportunities. In the past two years, he has interned with U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. He has been selected for the University of California Berkeley’s prestigious Public Policy and International Affairs Junior Summer Institute Fellowship. He was also chosen as one of only 20 college and university students to participate in the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship and was named a recipient of the President’s Award for Leadership in Justice.“My hope for this seminar is that the students see themselves in Mr. Muñoz’s story,” remarked Ms. Swerdloff, “and that they are inspired to work hard to overcome the challenges they face as newly arrived immigrants and become successful in academics and in life.”
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