Alumni Spotlight: Josephine Wong

MMFS alumna Josephine Wong’s story is one of determination, optimism, and a readiness to grasp new opportunities as they appear. After graduating from MMFS in June 2016, Josephine took two years off to consider her next steps. During that time, Director of College Guidance Amy Salomon-Kohn was a source of support.

When Josephine’s family moved from Brooklyn to Queens in 2018, she decided to attend Queensborough Community College (QCC) to get a taste of college life, while staying close to home. She began the CunyStart program with the intent of enrolling in the Medical Assistant program. However, her advisor suggested that she enroll in Office Administration and Technology, which also had some medical office-related classes.

With dedication and hard work, Josephine graduated from QCC in Spring 2022. During her time in college, she faced many challenges, but she overcame them with the help of her classmates and professors. She joined a disability club called CCSD (CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities) to make friends and to advocate for more funding for students with disabilities.

In April of her last semester at QCC, she was chosen to join the New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, and Asian Legislators to support the disability community and advocate for disability funding. She learned about the struggles and successes of Mayor Eric Adams as a person who has dyslexia, and found inspiration in his story.

Josephine’s advice to college students is to make time to join a club of their interest or to explore something new. In her experience, club members can be a support both when you are striving for your goals and when you may be going through struggles. “The overall message I have for people with disabilities,” Josephine says, “ is to embrace your disability while showing others that you are more than just your disability. Also college is not for everyone and that is perfectly okay.”

Looking back, Josephine believes that MMFS helped prepare her for college by imparting the importance of seeking help from a teacher, even if it is just asking for clarity on an assignment. She also parlayed her mastery of assistive technology, gained at MMFS, to help her excel in school. The Quaker values learned at MMFS, especially Integrity and Community, continue to guide Josephine. She says, “I enjoyed how our school had buddy reading days when the upper school would go to the lower school and read a book to students to build relationships.” She also values the power of taking 30 minutes out of the day to be silent to reflect and relax.

After graduating college in June 2022, Josephine completed a certification in Medical Administration Assistance in July 2023. She applied for several jobs, and although she did not find work in her field, she was offered a position as an assistant teacher at a daycare center. Josephine reflects that, “Even though I didn’t get the job I wanted, God had a better plan for me so he gave me a job where I met friendly and supportive people.”