News & Events
City Tech Alum Maria Batista Comes Full Circle
Batista (left) with Donsky
Photo credit: Michele Forsten
Maria Batista couldn't speak a word of English when she came to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic in 1987. For 10 years, she worked as a home attendant, trying to figure out a career path for herself. When she decided to try taking a college course, disaster struck.
“I was simply unable to keep up in class,” she confides. “No matter how hard I tried to do the work, I failed. It seemed that I had nowhere to turn. By a stroke of luck,” she continued, “I found my way to City Tech (New York City College of Technology) and once I enrolled, everything changed for me.”
In short order, Batista’s advisor arranged for her to register in the College Language Immersion Program. After two semesters of concentrated English instruction, she found that not only could she participate with other students in general coursework, but she was earning A’s for her efforts. “I’m so, so grateful to City Tech,” she says, “for not only putting me on the right path, but for actually changing my life.”
Now the 37-year-old has her bachelor's degree in Health Services Administration. She works as an administrator in the College’s Immigration Clinic three days a week, helping other immigrants overcome the many hurdles they face as they try to navigate through the bureaucratic maze and deal with other challenges confronting them. She will participate in the February 13 'Family-based Immigration Training' in the College's Atrium Amphitheater at 300 Jay Street, Downtown Brooklyn.
“I spent three years in the clinic when I was a work-study student,” she says, “and now I’m working at the clinic as a college assistant. I love this job,” she adds, “because it enables me to help other people. It’s a wonderful way to give back.”
As part of her job, Batista works with student volunteers to enable them to provide a wide array of services: they inform clients of naturalization requirements, give assistance in completing forms, review with them answers to sample civics and history questions, provide lists of free legal service providers and explain fee requirements. They also help applicants deal with Lawful Permanent Resident Status and such related matters as visas and green card eligibility. In many cases, they take the applicants’ photographs required by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).
Clients come to the clinic from many sources -- some from the College’s human services and paralegal studies programs, others from the outside community and a good number referred by City Tech’s COPE (College Opportunity to Prepare for Employment) office. “Throughout 2005,” says Batista proudly, “we served 1,513 clients, a significant increase over the previous year.”
As part of her job, Batista visits English as a Second Language classes and explains to students the many steps involved in applying for U.S. citizenship. Following her presentations, many of the participants come to the clinic for hands-on assistance.
“Many people have helped me along the way,” says Batista, “but my father has been my main inspiration. Many years ago, he showed me how, by reading the newspaper, you can travel the whole world. He often shared with me the wonderful experiences and people he read about.” When she first came to the United States, in fact, Batista’s father enabled her to get along by providing her with financial support from the Dominican Republic. “He is my role model,” she declares.
With her degree in hand, Batista envisions a bright future for herself. Now a resident of Richmond Hill, Queens, she is married and the mother of two children, ages 9 and 11. “I have been thinking that in two or three years, I would like to apply to dental school,” she says. “I think that my ability to interact and work with people of all ages, ethnicities and races at the Immigration Clinic should serve me well in any career I decide to pursue.”
Law and Paralegal Studies Professsor Mary Sue Donsky, clinic manager, says that the facility serves immigrants from all over the globe. “A great many come from the Caribbean and the West Indies,” she states, “and a good number come from China and India, among others. We’re open five days a week and provide all of our services free of charge.”
Giving clients the practical tools to cross the bridge from “immigrant” to “citizen” is, for both Batista and Donsky, the most gratifying experience of all. They are looking forward to sharpening their skills when they participate in an afternoon of “Family-based Immigration Training” being hosted by City Tech in the College’s Atrium Amphitheater, 300 Jay Street, on Tuesday, February 13, from 1 to 4 p.m.
Attending the training session will be people who work in not-for-profit organizations that are devoted to empowering New York City’s immigrant community. In addition to a variety of staff members from The City University of New York -- the sponsoring organization -- the audience will include counselors from city-wide community-based organizations, attorneys, students from City Tech’s paralegal studies program and students from the School of Professional Studies at The CUNY Graduate Center, among others.
The session will be devoted to clarifying the ins and outs of immigration law as it pertains to such family issues as marriage, adoption, childhood status and the like. The ultimate goal is to better prepare these workers to enable immigrant families to learn and use the procedures involved in getting a green card.
“Helping people make that transition is what we’re all about,” says Batista, “and if this training session enables us to help more people, so much the better.”
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