Oh my God! When I received the Facebook message about the Rocky Gap Retreat applications for 2010, I stood up and did a "Holy Dance!" I am not kidding. I am one of the recipients of this program and I am ectastic that the Federal Government has not dipped into retreat spending. I still have a chance! Yay!
I also thank God that my letters and email to Congress, President Obama, and Senators has had some impact. As a CSTEP/McNair Scholar, I was recently invited by my undergraduate advisor, Barbara Thompson, of SUNY Brockport to attend meetings with her on Capitol Hill on March 22-23, 2010. I will be participating in meeting with Obama's cabinet, Senators, and Congress[wo]men about the effect budget cuts will have on programs such as PROMISE, CSTEP, McNair, etc. Some people might call it "luck," but I'm here to correct you. I don't recognize luck, but I do recognize hard work. I have mailed letters to both Maryland and New York state senators for the past couple of years, begging them to not cut funding to these programs. I wake up in the middle of the night and get on my computer and send emails to them. I get the same old "generic response" each time, but that is not important. What is important is that somebody sees me working and now I get the chance to discuss my concerns in face-to-face contact rather than in emails and/or letters. My message to my colleagues: Hard work pays off and we need these programs. It is not fair that we reap the benefits and are not concerned about those coming behind us. This is my way of giving back to my community. I hope you will find the time to give back as well. Thank you!
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