One of the reasons my grandfather, Sol Niego, loved the Brotherhood was because of the people. Throughout his life, he created strong friendships and a network of connections. As one of the youngest members on the Central Council, I was worried that I might not build these community connections so soon, but fortunately I was wrong.
When each of the Central Council members introduced themselves at one of our first meetings, on a whim I mentioned that I was on the pre-Occupational Therapy track. Before introducing herself, Andrea Werner mentioned that she was an occupational therapist and was happy to connect with me. I reached out to her shortly after, and our informal mentor-mentee relationship began.
Navigating graduate school applications is difficult, and I am thankful to have found someone from the Brotherhood to guide me through the process. Andrea told me about her experiences as a Doctor of Occupational Therapy student at WashU St. Louis including the research she did, her clinical education, and life in St. Louis. Additionally, Andrea reviewed and gave me advice on my personal statement and knew what questions to ask me to help me make a decision on which grad school to choose. Ultimately, I will begin pursuing my Doctor of Occupational Therapy at WashU St. Louis this fall. As excited as I am to continue my education at WashU St. Louis, this was a big decision for me as I have never traveled to St. Louis and do not have family in the Midwest. Knowing that I did not have any connections in St. Louis, let alone Jewish connections, I appreciated Andrea reaching out to her friends at the Chabad house on campus on my behalf. This has made me feel more comfortable moving to a new city.
From connecting with Andrea, I have learned how beneficial it can be as a young person to mention your professional interests, because you never know who you will meet. I am grateful for having connected with Andrea. I value her input and know I can reach out to her about anything regarding occupational therapy, or Jewish life in St. Louis. I hope other college students and young adults in the Brotherhood can make connections with professionals in their field as well, and eventually, I hope to give back and lend a hand to younger members of the Brotherhood the way Andrea has supported me.
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