Tatiana Parish took on a new challenge this past summer; a job in her adopted community of Westchester County and she really made a difference. Parish, a senior member of the women’s basketball team at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., is from Los Angeles, Calif., by way of Mt. San Antonio Community College. Parish was recommended to East Coast Conference Commissioner, Dr. Robert Dranoff, by her Head Coach, Rashidi Aikens, and Mercy Athletic Director, Matt Kilcullen. She was then chosen as the first ECC student-athlete representative in a new partnership created between the league and Westhab Inc., a non-profit organization headquartered in Yonkers, N.Y.
After working with Up2Us and Coach Across America over the past four years, the ECC moved to an arrangement with Westhab to provide an ECC student-athlete with the opportunity for career, professional, and personal development while working with a community based organization serving a diverse population in need. Westhab is the largest nonprofit provider of affordable housing and supportive services in Westchester, N.Y. and has helped countless homeless families and at risk youth with housing assistance and academic, enrichment, and recreational activities and programming.
Tatiana, a Communications major at Mercy who hopes to pursue a career in Sports Broadcasting, began her experience with Westhab by participating in professional development trainings as well as learning the Positive Youth Development program, a best practice-based youth development model implemented in each Westhab youth center. Working with children from various grades and age levels, Tatiana taught participants fundamental skills in various sports and assisted on field trips and study skill activites. Active on campus in areas outside of athletics, (she is a Vice President for the Mercy College Student Government Association), Tatiana also focused on helping the children gain teamwork and motivational skills.
ECC Commissioner, Dr. Robert Dranoff stated: “We are very pleased to have created this new relationship with Westhab, an organization that makes such an important contribution to families and children in the city of Yonkers.“ Dranoff continued, saying, “We really have to thank John Parssinen, Communications Coordinator at Westhab, for helping us put this program together and for helping support Tatiana in finding a spot to learn. The ECC continues to strive to help students achieve academically, athletically and in service to their community. Tatiana clearly was able to grow from this opportunity in all these areas and we are proud of the work she did.”
“The most important aspect of our work with disadvantaged young people is our staff,” says Parssinen. “Our participants need positive, caring adult role models who bring energy and charisma to the youth center each day, which is exactly what Tatiana did. Westhab is excited to launch this partnership with the East Coast Conference and we look forward to hosting more student athletes from the ECC in the future.”
Tatiana has already asked Mr. Parssinen about continuing her work with Westhab during the year and would encourage others to become involved. “I highly recommend this experience to other ECC Student-athletes. This was a new experience for me and one of the most rewarding parts was being able to serve as a role model for the children I worked with. I learned so much at Westhab and thank them for the chance to work and grow,” said Parish
For more information about Westhab go to www.WESTHAB.org and for more information about the ECC/Westhab partnership, contact Bob Dranoff at rdranoff@eccsports.org.
