First Workings provides multifaceted support for disadvantaged students from New York City, including access to internships, mentorships, and trainings. These mentors often occupy senior positions at major finance, media, health, or law firms, and help participants master both work and the social connections that make advancement possible. But the benefits of these internships also extend to the host firms through the diversity and life perspective they provide.

In this third and final episode of our graduation season Mentoring Miniseries, two First Workings mentors, Dr. Jamilia Sly of Mount Sinai Hospital and Matthew Lustig of Lazard, a leading financial services company, discuss their vocational paths and the benefits of these mentoring opportunities for the students, mentors, and sponsoring organizations.

Mentioned in the Episode

Dr. Jamilia Sly

Matthew Lustig

First Workings

First Workings Mentees’ Experience

McNair Scholars Program

Dr. Wanda Lewis

Dr. Vicky Phares

University of South Florida

Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service

Chase Manhattan Bank

David Rockefeller

Real Estate Lending

Drexel Burnham Lambert

Lazard

Kevin Davis

Mount Sinai

Dr. Eyal Shemesh

First Workings alumni

Noncognitive skills

Code-switching

Lazard New Visions Academy

Mount Sinai’s Center for Scientific Diversity