Press Release

For Immediate Release
#40-20


NYC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT’S LATEST ‘PREP TALK’ PODCAST: JOHN D. SOLOMON FELLOWSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE



September 22, 2020 — You will gain more than you give. That’s the message guests on the latest episode of “Prep Talk” want you to know about NYC Emergency Management’s John D. Solomon Fellowship for Public Service. Founded in 2012 in honor of the late John D. Solomon, an accomplished journalist who dedicated much of his time to helping his community through volunteerism, the program provides 10 graduate students in the New York City area the opportunity to complete a nine-month, paid fellowship in a New York City government agency or nonprofit organization. The program embodies John’s commitment to serving others.

“Basically, John was about, ‘how do I make my team better?’ And that is the spirit of this fellowship; how do I make my team better, and how do I make my city better?” said James Solomon, John’s brother.

“This fellowship allowed me to have that hands-on experience and network with folks that I would not have had access to otherwise,” said Amanda Krawczyk, an alumna of the fellowship who now works as deputy director of strategic partnerships at NYC Emergency Management. “I was able to speak with leaders [and] commissioners at City agencies about how they got to where they were, what their career path looked like.”

“This fellowship seemed like a great opportunity to learn about the city from the inside, to meet the people who keep the city running, and really to help people,” said Andrew Wasserman, a current fellow at NYC Department of Environmental Protection.

The New York City Emergency Management Department sponsors the John D. Solomon Fellowship for Public Service, the first student fellowship in New York City devoted specifically to emergency management.  Since it has started, more than 70 alumni and fellows have contributed close to 27,000 service hours to New York City agencies and nonprofit organizations. The agencies and partners participating in the 2020-21 fellowship are NYC Emergency Management, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Department for the Aging (DFTA), New York City Police Department (NYPD), Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), NYC Department of Education (DOE), and American Red Cross Greater New York. Family and friends of the late John D. Solomon established the fellowship. You can listen to the latest episode on SoundCloud, iTunes, and Spreaker.

Profiles

James Solomon is John’s brother. Together with their parents, Dick and Ann, and John’s wife, Abby, and daughters, Sara and Rebecca, James worked with the team at NYC Emergency Management to establish the John D. Solomon Fellowship for Public Service in 2012.  In doing so, John’s family, friends and former colleagues wished to perpetuate his passion for public service and seminal work in emergency preparedness, along with John’s love for New York City.  Actively supportive of the Fellowship, in all ways, over the past eight years, John’s extended circle looks forward to the continuing impact the Fellowship will have on the agencies and the city it serves, thanks to its remarkable fellows and mentors.

Amanda Krawczyk is the deputy director of strategic partnerships at NYC Emergency Management and an alumna of the fellowship. Amanda focuses on enhancing the preparedness of New York City’s business community through information sharing, partnership building, training, and education. Under her management, the fellowship has enhanced its alumni engagement to include initiatives like “Coffee Connections,” which pairs current fellows with alumni for mentoring and networking sessions.

Andrew Wasserman is currently serving as the John D. Solomon Fellow at the NYC Department of Environmental Protection. He is pursuing a Master of Urban Planning degree from Hunter College with a focus on environmental sustainability and climate change adaptation. Andrew received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Binghamton University. Prior to returning to school, he worked for nine years in various audit and financial reporting roles in the private sector, and is looking forward to shifting his career toward public service.

Census 2020

The 2020 Census is ending on September 30, and it is critical that all New Yorkers are counted.
New York City stands to lose billions of dollars in federal aid every single year for schools, hospitals, health clinics, affordable housing, transportation, and more, as well as our representation in Congress and in Albany if we do not achieve a complete count.

The census is easy, safe, and confidential. It can be completed online or by phone. It is just 10 simple questions that can be answered in under 10 minutes. By law, all responses are completely confidential and cannot be shared with anyone — not immigration, not the police, or your landlord. There are no questions about immigration, citizenship, criminal history, or income. Go to my2020census.gov or call 844-330-2020 to complete your census today. New York City’s future depends on it.

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