Nicki Maher has supported Year Up's mission and young adults in various ways, including mentoring students, hosting interns, and hiring graduates. Hear from Nicki to learn why she's been a long-time Year Up supporter and what she's learned along the way.
In what ways have you been involved with Year Up?
I have mentored Year Up students, hosted Year Up interns, and hired Year Up graduates as full-time employees. When I was working at a Year Up corporate partner, the department I led won the Community Impact Award during Year Up Rhode Island's Winter 2018 graduation ceremony.
Why do you support Year Up and our mission to close the opportunity gap?
My biggest blessings in life came from the power of one single person believing in me. I hope to do the same thing back for others, whenever I can.
What was your experience like working with Year Up young adults?
Many of the Year Up young adults I worked with just needed that extra nudge to tread forward to understand what a bigger dream for themselves could look like.
Why should people get involved with Year Up?
The ability to lift someone else's life up is just as inspiring to the mentor as it is to the student.
What's a moment from your Year Up experience that sticks out for you?
In 2015, we made a full time job offer to our Year Up intern, Christian, during the graduation ceremony; tears were shed.