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You are here: Home / Archives for Alumni Center

Alumni Center

Dr. Keisha Mack ’84 credits Link with empowering her to fill mental healthcare gaps for unserved communities

January 22, 2020 By Sharon Machrone

Link recently caught up with Dr. Keisha Mack ’84 who truly lives a life following Link’s Core Value of “caring for others” by giving back to her community. Upon graduating from Link, Keisha attended Mt. St. Dominic Academy and continued on to Howard University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, followed by a Masters of Education in Counseling Psychology. After her time at Howard, Keisha continued her education at The George Washington University, earning a Doctorate of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology. Keisha, a licensed clinical psychologist, has used her education to give back to others.

As a founding partner of The MECCA Group, LLC, a private psychological and rehabilitative services consulting firm in Washington D.C., Keisha and her partner have focused on providing care to under served youth and families who live in D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia. Inspiration for the company came during Keisha’s time as a post-doctoral clinician in Washington, D.C., where she and her colleagues acknowledged the need to better serve minorities and under served youth within the area. Recognizing this, they took matters into their own hands and formed the company which works with charter schools, the majority of which serve youth of color, to provide care to students with special needs whose mental health needs might be otherwise overlooked or not adequately met. They use a holistic approach to counseling and behavior support, which emphasizes the importance of accounting for one’s individual culture and cultural identity. Former Link teacher Ms. Kathy Rehack, a language arts instructor, helped Keisha see the importance of this early on. Keisha said Ms. Rehack was one of her favorite teachers at Link in part because of how sensitive and aware she was of the importance of respecting the cultural backgrounds of her students. In particular, Keisha fondly recalls when Ms. Rehack, a white teacher, taught the Black National Anthem (Lift Every Voice and Sing) in sign language to her class.

Along with giving back to the community in her professional life, Keisha also serves others in her personal time. As an active member of the charity Twelve Days of Christmas, Incorporated , where she currently serves as Parliamentarian on the National Board, Keisha helps provide Christmas presents and school supplies for underprivileged children in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. In addition to this, Keisha also sits on the Board of Directors for the Williams Franklin Foundation which gives students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) academic scholarships as well as mentoring and internship opportunities. Finally, she is also a very active member of the Howard University Alumni Club of Greater Washington DC, where she has served as vice president, supporting students attending Howard University through programming and scholarships.

When asked what part Link played in all of her success Keisha responded, “Link instilled the idea that I could do whatever I wanted, and that college and beyond was not a choice; it was a given.” Furthermore, Keisha said Link not only provided her with an environment which encouraged her to become her best self but also gave her the tools and support to do so. Through Link, Keisha participated in programs, such as the Prudential After School Enrichment Program, where she was exposed to different cultures and opportunities that made her want to grow as a person by embracing all the world had to offer. In addition to all this, Keisha emphasized. “Link was more than a school; it was a community – a “safe haven” in a tough area where you always felt supported.” It is for this reason that when Keisha meets up with her two lifelong friends, Monique Outerbridge and Crystal Fedd Tolliver, whom she met on her first day at Link, they still recite the Link cheer, “Linker! So proud to be a Linker! So proud to be a L-I-N-K-E-R!”

Keisha Mack headshot (1)
Keisha Mack MH Fair 2019 (1)
Keisha Mack ScholarAwardCeremony 2
Keisha Mack WF 2018 Fundraiser
Keisha Mack Emerging Leaders Graduation (1)
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Filed Under: Alumni Center, Alumni News, Uncategorized

Keyshawn Phelps ’11 sets up scholarship for high school students

October 29, 2019 By Sharon Machrone

Keyshawn Phelps providing advice to students at his HS alma mater, University Heights HS.

“Always go for it and don’t shy away from your goals.” This is the motto of Keyshawn Phelps ’11, who recently reconnected with Link. Keyshawn graduated from University High School (2015) and, this past spring, graduated from Virginia State University (2019) with a degree in mechanical engineering. Currently, Keyshawn works as a systems engineer for Northrop Grumman in Melbourne, Florida and will begin to pursue a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Florida Tech in January 2020. He landed his job by “going for it” – pitching himself to a Northrop Grumman executive during a chance encounter on an elevator at a networking conference. Whether it be breaking into the engineering field where only 4.1% of degree earners are African American (ASEE, 2017), or landing a job with one of the biggest government contractors in America, one would be correct in saying that Keyshawn has taken his own advice and “gone for it.”

Keyshawn discovered his passion for engineering in the sixth grade through his participation in an after school robotics club and decided he wanted a career in the engineering field. He put in the hours, both inside the classroom studying and outside of it networking, to make his dream a reality.

In addition to his tremendous work ethic and opportunistic outlook, Keyshawn largely attributes his success to his education, saying “education is everything.” The cornerstone of Keyshawn’s education was laid during his time at Link as he states, “Link showed me the way to be successful in education; it showed me the blueprint.” In addition to providing a solid educational foundation, Link also helped Keyshawn learn the importance of giving back. Keyshawn recalls that at Link the teachers and staff always went the extra mile and created a school climate where kids were constantly challenged and rewarded for their efforts and successes. In particular, Mr. Michael Wilson ’94, Link’s former basketball coach and also a Link alumnus, impacted Keyshawn’s life. Mr. Wilson became Keyshawn’s mentor during his time at Link and the two remain in contact – talking on a daily basis. In addition to Mr. Wilson, Keyshawn’s mom has also played a huge role in his life. She has showed him firsthand what hard work and dedication look like day in and day out. Keyshawn has himself gone the extra mile to give back to the community, founding the “Just Want to Inspire” scholarship, which gives two Newark residents (one male and one female) $500 each for their college education.

Link could not be more proud of Keyshawn and his achievements. We hope that Keyshawn continues to inspire others and that you follow his words of advice to “never give up.”

Filed Under: Alumni Center, Alumni News

Link Alumnus to speak at A Taste of Newark

September 27, 2019 By Sharon Machrone

Link is pleased to announce that Khalid Jordan, Link Class of 2006, will be the Alumni Speaker at Link’s Annual gala fundraiser, A Taste of Newark, to be held on Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at NJPAC in Newark. Khalid, who is pursuing a career in the entertainment industry, will speak to the impact that Link had on his life.

After graduating from Link in 2006, Khalid Jordan attended Science Park High School for his freshman year before transferring to and graduating from Arts High School, where he was following the family legacy and majored in Television Production. During high school, Khalid played football for Malcolm X. Shabazz High School which led to an athletic scholarship to play football at Howard University in Washington, D.C. While at Howard, Khalid procured various internships with companies such as Sesame Workshop as well as  BET (DC and NY) and other Viacom companies. After graduation from college, he moved to California to work in the entertainment industry, beginning his career in the mailroom at William Morris Endeavor talent agency. After three and a half years working in the Television Literary and Digital Department, Khalid gained employment as a manager at Mass Appeal and then landed his current position as a Creative Development Executive at Warner Brothers Television.

We are thrilled that Khalid will share his reflections with our guests at A Taste of Newark, and hope that his fellow Link alumni come out that evening to reconnect with him and with Link!

Filed Under: Alumni Center, Alumni News, Uncategorized

Link Alumnus gives back to his community

September 19, 2019 By Sharon Machrone

Jeremiah serving breakfast to those in need.

“It’s not about the accolades that you earn. It’s about inspiring those around you to do better. It’s your job to uplift people.” Link alum, Jeremiah McElroy ’08, recently updated us on what he’s been doing since graduating Link. Jeremiah attended Immaculate Conception High School before going on to get his ABA (Associates of Business Administration) from Essex County College. Currently, Jeremiah is working towards getting his bachelor’s degree in Accounting in the coming years. He noted that Link not only prepared him for high school, but also for college. When attending Immaculate Conception High School, he noticed that “all of the students who came from Link were placed in the top math classes.” The skills that Jeremiah learned at Link, carried through to the college level.

Outside of academics, Jeremiah continues to live Link’s Core Values each day. Specifically, he has found a passion for serving his community. Jeremiah, a Newark resident, has begun to serve the homeless population around Lincoln Park. He stated that “there are always people asking for food and money. I was tired of seeing the same issues with little to no change. I wanted to do more than just give the change that I had in my pocket; I wanted to do something bigger that would have a lasting impact.” This is how Jeremiah got the idea to hand out breakfast platters to those experiencing hardships. The first time he set out to serve the community in this way, he fed over 60 people. As friends and neighbors learned of his service, they began to gather donations to support his efforts. The second time Jeremiah served breakfast, he fed over 100 individuals. He said that his goal is to continue to grow and help more people in his community.
“I was surprised that Link wanted to reconnect with me. I wasn’t in the top of my class and I got in trouble a lot; but, I did something small and made a lot of people, including myself, proud.” Jeremiah is and continues to be a great role model for our current students and alumni.

Filed Under: Alumni Center

Alumnus donates art to Link

August 21, 2019 By Sharon Machrone

Thomas Johnson, Link Class of 2010 donated a podium to Link that he created in Graphic Design class during his senior year at Rutgers University-Newark.  His class was tasked with creating art within the theme of “Stood at the Border: Im/migrant Voices & Stories Retold,” wherein students were to develop “individual statements addressing issues of im/migration and belonging.  Inspired by American novelist Toni Morrison’s statement, “I stood at the border, stood at the edge and claimed it my central,” the art students conducted research and then demonstrated their findings in art in their own unique media platform. Thomas chose to depict African American history and narrative on vinyl that was wrapped around a podium.  The art features line portraits of famous African Americans and organizations. Thomas’s art, and that of his peers, was exhibited at the Project for Empty Spaces gallery in Newark last spring, and then he delivered the piece to Link where has been used for Black Lives Matters week and other school events. Link appreciates both Thomas’ talent and his gift to Link, and wishes his well as he graduates from Rutgers U.

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Filed Under: Alumni Center

Link’s Class of 2015 heads off to college!

August 8, 2019 By Sharon Machrone

What exciting news we have from Link alumni – the Class of 2015 – who graduated from high school this past June! We have already reached 60% of the class and ALL have enrolled in college for the fall of 2019! Link has made a tremendous effort in locating our alumni and in making connections and we will continue to report on connections made.

We congratulate the Class of 2015, which was first class to graduate from Link after the conversion to a public charter school and wish them well on the next leg of life’s journey. Here is the list of colleges and universities the Class of 2019 will attend in the fall:

4-Year Private Institutions
Bloomfield College
Caldwell University
College of Saint Elizabeth
Drew University
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Felician University
Hastings College
Loyola University (Baltimore)
Rider University
University of Rochester
Vassar College

Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Bowie State University
Delaware State University
Howard University
Jackson State University
North Carolina A&T State University

4-Year Public Institutions
Georgia State University
Kean University
Montclair State University
The Pennsylvania State University
Rowan University
Rutgers University
Stockton University
William Paterson University

2-Year Public Institutions
Chattahoochee Technical College
Essex County College
Union County College

Filed Under: Alumni Center, Uncategorized

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