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Gabriel MacDonna '20
Veteran Gabriel MacDonna ’20 Buys His Family Their First Home

Graduate School: M.B.A. from the College of Mount Saint Vincent, M.S. from Lehman College M.S. from Lehman College
Major:
B.A. Criminology
Programs: Accelerate Complete Engage (ACE), Urban Male Initiative (UMI), Military & Veteran Services
Military Rank: United States Army Sergeant (retired)
Mentor:
DeLandra Hunter, ACE Director; Berlyn Morales-Witten, ACE Associate Director

Internship: Lower East Side Family Union Fellowship
Hometown: Bronx, NY
Career Aspiration: School Counselor and Educational Founder

What was life like before John Jay College?
I grew up in the South Bronx. My mom kept me and my younger brother, Justin, busy with activities to keep us off the streets. We were encouraged to do any sports that interested us, but she was serious about one rule: We had to be home before the streetlights came on. My mom was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and came to the States when she was 23. So, the weekends were filled with salsa, bachata, and chores.

Why John Jay?
I always heard that John Jay was an advocate for educational equity, social mobility, and justice reform. Also, the College is a Hispanic and Minority-Serving Institution. That made the school appealing to me because I knew there would be peers who could relate to my experiences. Luckily, DeLandra Hunter, the ACE Director, saw my application and personally reached out to me. He let me know that ACE could help me achieve my educational dreams and offer me significant financial assistance. That was it. I knew John Jay was the right place for me.

What compelled you to serve in the military?
When I was in high school, I was in the Junior Reserves Officer Training Corps. So, it was always in the back of my mind to serve my country, but I knew I wanted to get my degree first. While I was at John Jay, my mom was struggling to pay the rent. She was working day and night, tired and overworked, but the bills kept piling up. While at John Jay, I was taking odd jobs to help out, but it wasn’t enough. I knew I had to step up. That’s when I enlisted and started sending money back home. First, I was sent to Fort Jackson in South Carolina for basic training. Then I did advanced training at Fort Gordon in Georgia. After a couple of years in training, I was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait and worked as a Signals Communications Sergeant setting up satellites to communicate on the battlefield. I spent six years in the military.

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Gabriel MacDonna_family

At John Jay, how were you supported as a veteran?
At first, when I came back to John Jay, I was worried that I might not be able to access the same programs and support I received before I left. Nothing could be further from the truth. When I came back it was a seamless transition with all the benefits I had before I left. It’s amazing how much John Jay truly values military and veteran students. 

What sparked your passion for education and criminology?
Before she came to the United States, my mom was a teacher. While she was raising us in the Bronx, she worked as a pantry worker during the day and security guard at night, but she also earned her associate and bachelor’s degrees. Throughout our childhood, she made sure that Justin and I loved reading and learning.

Growing up in the South Bronx, you can’t help but see how over-policing negatively impacts Black and Brown communities—including children’s education, parental stability, and community resources. It inhibits young people’s aspirations and impedes the success of families. That’s why I wanted to study criminology.

What was your experience like with ACE?
I had one-on-one counseling with my advisors on a weekly basis. We had workshops throughout the month on everything from resume writing to group bonding meetings where we could talk about our experiences. As a cohort, we were very connected to each other and uplifted everyone in the group. From the beginning, Berlyn Morales-Witten, ACE’s Associate Director, showed me how important it was to network both within school and beyond. She was the one who connected me to the Urban Male Initiative, the veteran’s association, and my fellowship with Lower East Side Family Union. When I applied to grad schools, she was excited to write my recommendation letters.

How did your John Jay education help you in graduate school?
My statistics classes gave me crucial skills for my M.B.A. and I took a lot of counseling courses at John Jay that prepared me for the work I’m doing toward my master’s degree in counselor education. Courses like conflict resolution showed me how to think about education, counseling, mediation, and multicultural conflicts at a graduate-school level.  

What family goals are you particularly proud of achieving?
When my mom came to the States, her dream was always to own a home. To make that dream a reality, I saved up money for four years. Every check I got, I put a little bit aside to pay for a house. It was a long process, going from house to house, and speaking to different real estate brokers. We’d be in talks to possibly get a house, then the talks would suddenly end, but I never gave up hope and kept trying. This past September, I was able to buy my family’s first home in Yonkers. When we finally got the keys, it was really emotional. My mom spun around in the living room and my brother turned up the salsa music. We had a party that night in our new home and finally felt secure knowing that we were building generational wealth. I was proud to make my mother’s dream come true.  

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Gabriel MacDonna Robin Hood

You were recently named a 2024 Robin Hood Hero. What did this honor mean to you?
When I applied to John Jay and the ACE program, never in my life did I think that an organization as prestigious as Robin Hood would reach out to me and ask me to speak on behalf of the program. Before I made my speech—explaining my mother’s struggles, my time in the military, and my ACE experience—I was a little nervous. Then, I looked out into the audience and saw DeLandra smiling. I could feel his confidence and pride in me and the anxiety subsided. I tried to deliver the best speech that I could. Afterwards, President Karol Mason and Provost Allison Pease warmly greeted and congratulated me. And, just like my ACE mentors taught me, I networked, meeting SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr., donors, and Robin Hood leadership. It was an experience I’ll never forget.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I want to build my own school. I hope to create a learning environment where teachers have the space to develop comprehensive and culturally inclusive curriculums. I want the students to learn about Black and Latinx history year-round—not just in February and half of September and October. I dream of establishing a school where Black and Brown students learn about their history and feel secure being their authentic selves.