Graphic with Thank You! Volunteer Appreciation Week 2025 and Student Leadership Network logo, featuring blue and yellow abstract circles and patterns on a blue background, highlights the spirit of volunteer appreciation week.

Volunteer Appreciation Week

We are grateful for all of the ways that our volunteers share their time and talents with our students. They offer insights about their career paths, share tips from their college experiences, and more. Meet some of our champions below and find out how you can get involved!

group photo of adult volunteers and students in hallway of a school

Volunteers and students at Cool Careers, Potential Paths at TYWLS Queens

two adults and two students are seated talking with "Career Day" screen on left with questions to ask

Career Day at Bronx Envision Academy

volunteers hold up Proskauer sign by Student Leadership Network banner

Volunteers from Proskauer at Cool Careers, Potential Paths

Five adult panelists seated in front of classroom

Career Day at Manhattan Early College School for Advertising

Group of 60 adult volunteers and students seated for photo in a school gymnasium

Cool Careers, Potential Paths at TYWLS Manhattan

Adult volunteer is seated with students at desks talking

Small group conversations at Cool Careers, Potential Paths with Angela Nimoh, Student Leadership Network Board Member

Students and volunteers pose for photo in TYWLS Astoria classroom

Cool Careers, Potential Paths at TYWLS Astoria

alumnae pose for photo by Student Leadership Network banner

Alumnae at Cool Careers, Potential Paths at TYWLS Manhattan

adult sits in round table with six students who are asking her questions

Alumna Sharlim Raysor volunteers at TYWLS Bronx

Rhonda Grant

A graduate of The Young Women’s Leadership School (TYWLS) of Queens, Rhonda returned to Student Leadership Network to volunteer at the Future Success Symposium to share her experiences with high school and college students. From transferring colleges to earning her Master’s Degree at Boston University, Rhonda’s journey and passions took many turns before she landed her current position as a Senior Consultant at EY. Thank you for sharing your advice and encouragement with our students, Rhonda!

Professionally dressed young Black woman with red braids in a dark grey suit jacket

Rhonda volunteered with Student Leadership Network’s Future Success Symposium

Four young women pose in front of panelist screen

Rhonda, on far left, with fellow alumnae panelists

Quote graphic about normalizing that students' college journeys may have highs and lows and that is normal, it does not mean anyone is not good enough.

Jorwell Perez

Jorwell Perez volunteered at Bronx Envision Academy for its first in-person Career Day since the pandemic. He shared about his work as the Director of Public Affairs at the NYC Civic Engagement Commission, and talked about finding roles that combine personal passions and community impact. Thank you for joining us, Jorwell!

Quote graphic about showing youth many career and education possibilities so that they can innovate and match their interests.
young man in a professional button up shirt

Jorwell volunteered at a partner CBI school’s career day

group of adult volunteers stand in front of classroom with "Career Day" on the screen behind them

Volunteers at Bronx Envision Academy’s Career Day

Shakila Khan

An alumna of The Young Women’s Leadership School (TYWLS) of Astoria, Shakila returned to the school this year for Cool Careers, Potential Paths, our signature early career awareness program. She is currently the Community Scholarships Manager at NYC Kids RISE. Thank you for volunteering at your alma mater, Shakila!

Young woman is smiling confidently, and is wearing glasses and a pink headscarf

Shakila returned as an alumna volunteer

Volunteers and students at a school career day event

Cool Careers, Potential Paths at TYWLS Astoria

Quote graphic from Shakila on how returning to TYWLS Astoria as an alum and volunteer lets her reflect on the powerful impact the school had on her professional journey.

Michael Nguyen

Michael is a familiar face at our college and career fairs and has been a longtime volunteer at Cool Careers, Potential Paths events. After experiencing different jobs in the Army and living in different communities, he found that recruitment was a way to help others explore their interest in military service. He shows our students that in addition to working for the Army, he also pursued other goals such as earning a master’s degree, volunteering, and making time for other hobbies and interests. Thanks for expanding our students’ awareness of postsecondary pathways, Michael!

Quote graphic from a volunteer about how rewarding it was to help a student connect with Army ROTC, expressing pride in seeing them start ROTC and college this fall.
Three people stand indoors; one man in a suit holds an ID card with a young woman in casual clothes, while another woman in a dark outfit smiles beside them during volunteer appreciation week.

Michael shares his career journey with our students

A representative at a New York City Army ROTC booth speaks with students at an indoor college fair during volunteer appreciation week, with other university tables and attendees in the background.

Michael shares Army ROTC opportunities at the Collaborative College Fair

An ROTC volunteer with a student guide at a school event

Michael volunteering at Cool Careers, Potential Paths

Our Corporate Partners

Corporate partners have a vital role in creating opportunities for our students to gain early awareness of different careers, receive mentorship and internship opportunities, and more. Many thanks to all of our corporate partners who have hosted students this year or volunteered at our Cool Careers, Potential Paths events!

volunteers hold up RBC sign by Student Leadership Network banner

Volunteers from RBC

volunteers hold up Apollo sign by Student Leadership Network banner

Volunteers from Apollo

panel of adult volunteers at front of classroom while students are seated at their desks

Volunteers from Proskauer organized a panel discussion

volunteers hold up KKR sign by Student Leadership Network banner

Volunteers from KKR

adult volunteer holds up a printout of real estate designs to a table of female students

Volunteer shows interior design plans from GFP Real Estate

volunteers hold up Estee Lauder sign by Student Leadership Network banner

Volunteers from The Estée Lauder Companies

adult volunteers dressed in professional clothes with student who is wearing a school uniform pose for photo in hallway

Volunteers at TYWLS Bronx

adult woman standing with arms gesturing, speaking to a classroom of female students

Volunteer from Citi talks about community programs

volunteers hold up Chanel sign by Student Leadership Network banner

Volunteers from Chanel

  • Apollo Global Management and Apollo Opportunity Foundation
  • Chanel
  • Citi
  • The Estée Lauder Companies
  • GFP Real Estate
  • KKR
  • Proskauer
  • RBC

Want to get involved?

Principal Aisha Shepard and students pose for a photo in the school auditorium

Our last volunteer event of the school year is Cool Careers, Potential Paths at The Young Women’s Leadership School of Staten Island. Join us to share your professional journeys with our middle school students!

TYWLS Staten Island
45 Waverly Place, Staten Island, NY 10304
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 from 8:30-11am

Sign up to volunteer