Maria Carrasco
Senior Maria Carrasco is grateful for the assistance her William Frederick Reyers Sr. Community Service Scholarship provides. Being selected “is an honor and extra push to work hard, knowing I’ve gotten this scholarship.” The business administration major has to remain focused in order to balance her studies, internship and volunteer work.
Carrasco currently interns at the NYS Division of Budget in their Health Unit. There she works on HCRA, which ensure that Medicaid and other healthcare assistance programs get full consideration in the state’s budget. She also volunteers as a peer mentor with Campus Bound Scholars, a student organization that pairs upperclassmen with incoming freshmen and sophomores to show them all things UAlbany. Carrasco enjoys advising younger students on everything from study skills and ways to get involved to finding the tastiest spot to eat at the Campus Center.
Carrasco is very civic-minded. After graduation, she is considering joining Teach For America to make a difference in young people’s lives. Ultimately, her career goals involve becoming a financial advisor. Her dream job would be teaching financial literacy to high school students. “If they can see the real world applications of what they learn in class, it could really motivate them and help them succeed,” she says. She would also love to return to UAlbany someday and mentor students like her, who are interested in entering her field.