[ad_1]
Americas News, New York, NY, Monday, July 15, 2024: Jamaican-born engineer and community leader Lesleyann Samuel has been recognized for her lifetime of volunteerism with the latest honor — the Community Leadership and Philanthropy Award from the Kingston College Alumni Association (KCOBA).
Lesleyann Samuel received the award from Rainford “Perry” Bloomfield, past president of the New York Chapter of the Kansas City Old Boys Association. (Photo courtesy of Leonard McKenzie）
The award is one of several given annually by the New York Chapter of the Kingston College Alumni Organization to individuals who have made significant contributions to the community in the United States. Samuel, an alumna of Immaculate Conception High School (ICHS) in Jamaica and past president of the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (USA) (UJAA), was recognized for her contributions to the ICHS Alumni Association and for her achievements during her eight-year tenure as president of UJAA from 2014 to 2022.
The award, presented in May at KCOBA USA’s annual gathering and awards gala at Antun’s in Queens Village, New York, is the latest in Samuel’s nearly four decades of volunteer and philanthropic community work.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica to R. Karl and Olga Samuel, Lesleyann’s passion for community service was inspired at an early age by her aunt, the late Dothlyn Joyce (“Dotty”) Campbell, former Director of Dance for the Jamaica Festivals Commission (now the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission – JCDC).
“Besides working, my aunt volunteered at multiple organizations and was always helping others. That’s when I understood that life is more than just our daily jobs. Life is about taking on responsibility. For me, that meant doing what I felt I was supposed to do and being there for those who might need any help I could give,” Samuel shared.
Samuel immigrated to the United States at age 13 and attended Samuel J. Tilden High School (now Meyer Levin Junior High School) in Brooklyn. She won a scholarship to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, an engineering school in upstate New York, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. This achievement made her one of a small but growing number of black female engineers employed by major communications and technology companies in the early 1980s. She landed a job at New Jersey Bell, which later became Bell Atlantic and eventually Verizon. After more than a decade at Verizon in Maryland, she returned to the tri-state area with a strong desire to “give and take.”
“My involvement with my alma mater, Immaculate, began as I am the fifth generation in my family to attend the school. My mom had always been involved in the alumni association, first in Jamaica and later in New York, so my sisters and I followed suit. By 2012, I had served extensively on the UJAA Board and thoroughly enjoyed traveling to Jamaica and contributing. So, in 2014, I decided to take the next step and run for UJAA President, following in the footsteps of my sister, Karlene, who was President before me.”
Karin encouraged Lesley Ann to “step up” and supported her throughout her journey.
“Most of us are actively involved in the Alumni Association because we attended great schools with great teachers. By giving back (I purposely never use the word ‘giving back’ because that is not our orientation), we demonstrate our patriotism – our love for Jamaica – by helping to ensure that our future generations have experiences as good as or better than ours,” Samuel explained.
Her term as UJAA president was extended due to the coronavirus pandemic, and by the end of her term in 2022, UJAA membership had grown from 32 to more than 60 alumni organizations during her presidency—an achievement she is particularly proud of.
With a background in engineering, Samuel has been a major force in UJAA’s support for robotics in Jamaican schools, and in recent years she has led delegations of Jamaican students to international robotics competitions. Her latest project with her Immaculate Alumni Association includes expanding the robotics program to Immaculate Preparatory School, which participated in the FIRST® LEGO League Jamaica program in late June.
See also
Samuel has discovered that one of the greatest ironies of her life of service is that her community volunteering has influenced her career, not the other way around.
“Oddly enough, my leadership and communication skills were developed through community work and helped develop my career as an engineer, not the other way around. I am committed to high standards of performance in both. I also understand that working with volunteers is very different than working with people who are paid to do the job. And I also keep a positive attitude and keep going as if success is inevitable.”
In addition to his recent KCOBA award, Samuel has received numerous other awards including the Bob Marley One Love Leadership Award from the Coalition to Stop the Violence, the Caribbean Life Impact Award, the Founder’s Award from the ICHS Alumni Association, and a U.S. House of Representatives proclamation from Congresswoman Yvette Clark.
As for the future, Samuel isn’t ready to slow down just yet.
“I want to get a doctorate in organizational leadership,” she said, “so I’m currently looking for a program that’s right for me. I also want to do more work in Jamaica and am always looking for ways to contribute in new ways. But overall, I’m open to possibilities—as I’m always prepared to step through the door when it opens.”
[ad_2]
Source link
