Brianna Sanzone, 18, has always enjoyed connecting with and helping others, but she never imagined it would lead to her first job. As a student at Queens High School of Teaching, Liberal Arts and the Sciences (QHST), she was highly active—serving as student government president, playing softball, and volunteering in the college office. Because of her dedication, Brianna was offered a position as a Bridge Coach at QHST’s college office before starting her freshman year at Queens College in the fall of 2023.
Now, Brianna is part of a three-person team supporting about 200 juniors and seniors in their postsecondary planning at QHST. She’s one of the Bridge Coaches who benefit both from CARA’s mentorship and job opportunity.
What has your experience been like going from student to Bridge Coach?
It’s an interesting position to be in because just last year I was a senior in high school getting help from my College Bridge Coach, who is now my co-worker. As a Bridge Coach, I get to see all the behind the scenes work. I understood the basics of college applications, but this year’s FAFSA process has shown me all the work required to support students, even when we don’t always have the answers.
What have you learned about supporting students who want to pursue postsecondary opportunities?
There has to be a balance between encouraging students’ dreams and providing them a reality check. A lot of students want more than they can accomplish whether it be because of their grades or finances, and I’ve learned that my job is to be their cheerleader. I’ve had a lot of students lose hope, slack off and delay doing the work out of fear – fear about not knowing how to fill out an application, fear about what’s happening next in their life, or fear about asking for help. I’ve learned to be 100% honest and transparent while lifting them up in the process by providing them options, resources and a different perspective on the fears they are facing.
How has being a Bridge Coach at your high school while also having a Peer Leader as a freshman in college impacted you?
Getting a job straight out of high school feels like a blessing. This experience has opened my eyes to more opportunities and paths in life, showing me that there’s a chance for everyone. I was worried about many things as a high school senior, but I always felt supported because of my advisors. And even now in my first year of college, I am taking 5 classes, working two jobs and I always find myself in my advisor’s office. It puts me at peace knowing that I have support. Being able to have someone help me with my schedule and pick my classes alone is helpful. I’m helping others while I am learning and it feels really good to do that at my own pace.
How has your experience helped you think about your future?
I started college undecided because I really did not know what I wanted to do but now I know I want to major in media/communication studies. I’ve always been pretty social but what I realize now is how being able to talk to people and make them feel comfortable is a skill. It’s helped me a lot this year working with students who just don’t know how to ask for help or don’t trust speaking to anyone. I think it’s something that will help me in the future as I look for jobs at places that need someone to help them communicate with specific people.