Frank Never Saw Himself in a Corporate Office. Then Someone Opened a Door.

Frank didn’t grow up imagining himself in a glass-walled boardroom or stepping into a Fortune 500 office tower. The idea of “corporate” felt like another world, one that wasn’t made for someone like him.

He was raised in a working-class neighborhood in New York, where most people were just trying to make ends meet. There weren’t professionals in his family. No built-in networks. No examples of someone “making it” in business. By 15, he had dropped out of high school, convinced that a future in corporate America wasn’t even a possibility.

Years later, after earning his GED and an associate’s degree from Kingsborough Community College, Frank transferred to Hunter College. He was looking for direction. He just didn’t know where to begin.

That’s when he walked into the Cooperman Business Center and met Elise Harris. She listened. She offered support. And she handed him a list of opportunities, including a link to The City Tutors.

He didn’t overthink it. Just clicked the link, filled out the form, and signed up for his first event.

Then everything changed.

The First Glimpse Into a New World

Frank’s first City Tutors experience was an office visit to PwC. Walking through their space didn’t feel like a networking event. It felt like crossing into a place he was never supposed to access.

“It was like visiting a country I never thought I could live in,” he said. But he remembered how it felt to be invited in.

So he kept showing up. He attended trivia nights, hikes, mentor meetups, and speed networking events. With every experience, the gap between “this isn’t for me” and “I belong here” started to shrink.

Mentors Who Helped Him Believe

Ashutosh from American Express was Frank’s first mentor, and the start of something meaningful. Ashutosh shared practical tools like Excel and SQL tutorials, tips for technical interviews, and guidance on data prep. But he also showed up consistently. They stayed in touch, met in Central Park, grabbed lunch, and went to games.

“Ashutosh was the one who told me no one’s going to come find you. You have to be the one to start,” Frank said. “That changed everything.”

Melanie Newberg from Bloomberg gave him a different kind of support. She pushed him to step forward. “Join clubs. Be visible. Make yourself stand out,” she told him. She helped him treat LinkedIn like a portfolio, showing off his projects, leadership, volunteering, and personal journey.

Melanie’s advice led to something big. Frank helped launch the ALPFA chapter at Hunter College, a student-led community for professional growth and connection. He built a diverse leadership team, hosted events, and encouraged others to access the same tools that had helped him.

“She sparked the lightbulb,” he said. “She helped me realize I already had something to offer. I just needed to show it.”

Joe Iallonardo helped Frank focus. “Joe made me think like a strategist,” Frank said. “He told me to stop trying to do everything and instead figure out what I actually wanted.” Joe helped him connect his goals with concrete next steps.

Belonging, One Room at a Time

At one event, Frank sat at a table with five professionals and asked himself, what am I doing here? He felt out of place. Then one of the mentors turned to him and said, “You’re doing something right. Keep going.” That quiet reassurance stuck.

At another event hosted by Okta, a mentor recognized him from a previous virtual session. “Frank, I remember your questions,” she said.

“That meant the world,” he recalled. “It made me feel like I wasn’t invisible.”

Even the social events, like the group hike and trivia night, played a role. “You saw people outside of a professional setting, just being real,” Frank said. “It wasn’t student meets mentor. It was people connecting.”

Still Reaching, Still Rising

Frank is now in his final year at Hunter College, majoring in psychology and minoring in economics. He’s continuing to explore long-term paths that align with his interests and goals.

What’s clear is that the preparation, clarity, and confidence that got him here were shaped through his mentors and the City Tutors community.

“The people I met through City Tutors helped me build the skills and belief I needed,” he said. “They helped me start.”

Creating Space for Others

Frank is not just a mentee anymore. He is a connector.

Through ALPFA, he helps other students find the same support he did. He shares opportunities, encourages students to attend events, and offers advice to those starting out.

“I can only do so much,” he said. “But I always tell people, this is where it started for me.”

“City Tutors was the foundation,” Frank said. “Everything I’ve built stands on that.”