Success Stories

There is no "typical Grace student." Women attend Grace Institute immediately after high school or after their fiftieth birthday. Grace Institute students are women young or old, women with limited work experience or with a great deal of experience, women with good skills that need some refinement, or women who need to acquire basic office or computer skills.

Regardless of where they come from, Grace students are united by a wish to succeed, a desire to move ahead, and the genuine willingness to work hard to improve themselves. After finishing the program, Grace alumnae have found jobs and started careers at many types of New York area organizations including law firms, financial service companies, universities; hospitals, large insurance companies, schools, and many others.

Sophia, a 24-year-old single mom, had been on public assistance, in shelters with her young daughter, and without steady work for three years. She knew that she had to move herself and her daughter forward. Sophia recognized that she needed a position that provided stable earnings, stable hours, and decent benefits for both her and her daughter’s sake. When she came across a story about Grace Institute and attended an Open House, she says she was hooked.

Sophia came to Grace Institute with a strong focus. Despite many hardships, she studied hard, earned good grades, and graduated with a great job. Sophia’s time in the program brought lasting friendships as well—after Grace, she was a bridesmaid at a classmate’s wedding. Graduating Grace Institute, Sophia “realized for the first time that if I pushed myself, I could really finish what I start. It was a great feeling and great life lesson.”

Grace provided her the tools she needed. Today, Sophia works as an associate secretary at a large law firm. Living in their own apartment, she and her daughter are on their way to the future that Sophia imagined for them.

Although she had held various jobs in retail, Nicole, a 37-year-old single mother, and her three-year-old daughter lived in a shelter when she came to Grace. Nicole saw attending Grace Institute as a crucial step in getting things back on track. “It gave me an opportunity to see where I really needed to develop, and I felt productive because I had somewhere to go to every day. I was preparing for the real work world.”

Nicole worked hard, always had a good attitude and a bright smile, and impressed the faculty and staff. After the Grace Job Fair, Nicole quickly landed a temporary job, which soon turned into a permanent receptionist position at a marketing consulting firm. Nicole reports that her job goes far beyond answering phone calls. She is learning about accounts payable and receivable, and she manages schedules, appointments, and travel arrangements.

Along with her new job, Nicole reveals an even happier ending to this story: after living in a shelter for over a year and a half, Nicole and her daughter have a brand new apartment. “Grace did a wonderful job in preparing me for challenges in the office. I am very grateful for those lessons. It is because of Grace Institute and its knowledgeable staff that I am where I am today. Because your doors were open to me, I am back on the map and I have an opportunity to go to work and to grow. My best and many thanks.”

Margot came to Grace Institute after having had many jobs—and a bout with cancer that took her out of the workforce for five years, changing her from a woman who could provide for herself to someone whose savings were low and who felt nearly hopeless. For Margot, Grace Institute was "My last hope for aid in re-entering the workforce." Grace represented the possibility of having a full life again and overcoming the financial restraints her illness had imposed.

After Grace, Margot hoped to find a full-time job with a Wall Street law firm, get better healthcare coverage, live in her own apartment, and take a real vacation. Those dreams, along with her friends and her faith that things were going to get better, kept her moving forward and helped her graduate from Grace.

At Grace Margot not only picked up new computer skills, but also learned that she was still a very productive worker—just not quite as fast physically as she used to be. Her work experience also served her well when it came time to interview for jobs. Even though at 58 she was the oldest student in her class, Margot was the first student to be hired after the February 2007 Job Fair. Her dream came true: she landed a position as an administrative assistant with a Wall Street law firm, a job she still holds. Her job provides excellent healthcare coverage, and Margot has gotten her own apartment. And her vacation? She’s still planning that.