When Christina Joseph had to take a year off of college, she knew she had to find her way back. With Alray’s support, she graduated from Framingham State with a degree in Liberal Arts. Now, she pays it forward, working as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston, a nonprofit that encourages young girls to succeed through positive mentorships.
“I’ve always been attracted to service work,” She says. “Almost everybody in my family does it. I grew up with some significant mentors, and I’d like to pass that on to another young person who might need guidance.”
Alray’s career services expert Michele Carroll helped Christina find a job after graduation. “Michele is amazing,” Christina says. “She was the one who helped me look for jobs and apply for them. She looked over my resume and prepped me for interviews. She connected me to a large network of people.”
Alray also helped Christina navigate the financial aid process, which is often a hurdle for first-generation college students. “Getting help from Alray made it really clear to me that there were people who supported me,” She says. “Having people dedicate their time to me really helped. It made me feel like I could do it.”
“Alray is just a caring group of people. From the board who listened to me during my interview, to the mentor that they chose, to their Executive Director — everyone there is so caring, and they really want you to succeed.”
