Alumni News
Effi Uziel came to Mary McDowell Friends School in 1999, the same year 20 Bergen Street opened its doors for the first time. He was one of the first 100 elementary school students to go to school there. After graduating from the 8th grade in 2008,* he moved on to Winston Preparatory School in Manhattan, and then attended Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island, where he majored in Sports Entertainment/Event Planning.
Effi chose to attend Johnson and Wales University because he felt the faculty there provided the support needed to follow his chosen career path. They had real world experience in the sports industry, and Effi found that he could rely on their experiences while paving his own path. Effi’s love of sports stems from attending sports games as a child and following his favorite sports team, the New York Yankees. “I loved going to sporting events, and I played sports as a young child,” he said. “I’m a huge sports fan so I thought I could thrive in that industry. My teachers at Mary McDowell will definitely remember me being a huge Yankees fan.” Many Johnson and Wales alumni have succeeded in the sports industry, and Effi can now consider himself part of that group, as he is living out his dream of working for the Yankees as a Premium Host in the Suite Division. He describes his job as “a great way to open my doors in the sports industry.”
Effi spent last summer abroad finishing up his degree while studying International Sports Venue Management and Nature Based Tourism in Australia. He feels that this experience has provided him with a well-rounded view of the sports industry and he plans on continuing on this career path.
In remembering MMFS, Effi notes that the community had a huge impact by preparing him to face new challenges and spread his wings. “From being at Mary McDowell for almost 10 years, I’ve learned that teachers are like family,” he said. “They’re very supportive and there to help you no matter what. Always take their advice; you can learn something from them.” Effi thanks Beth and Debbie for being so supportive and remembers Deborah Edel’s time at MMFS with fondness.
Although it has been almost five years since Effi has applied for college, he still has some sound advice for rising seniors when choosing which school is right for them: “Always be optimistic and follow your dreams…you need to be motivated and happy wherever you go, because happiness is the most important quality to have.”
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