GRADUATE PROFILE
The Yearning to Learn Mariana Beshai-Ascander, MSM ’21 Mariana Beshai-Ascander’s desire to help others was cultivated in her formative years and modeled by her parents. Mariana Beshai-Ascander’s Master of Science in Management (MSM) degree is helping her build bridges in her community. “I saw firsthand the struggles people faced in the area of Jersey City where
I grew up,” noted Beshai-Ascander, a December 2021 MSM in Public Service Administration and Leadership graduate. “In my private life, I’ve always provided support to others – whether through helping them to complete paperwork, create resumes to land jobs or by locating community resources that best matched their needs. My continued work in the public sector has broadened that capacity to help.” She selected the TESU program with the encouragement of her husband and parents because she wanted to become an effective manager in the public sector. She is utilizing the knowledge gained in her studies to encourage and motivate her staff in her current role as coordinator of Employment and Training for the New Jersey Department
of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL). “I wanted to be effective in my job while gaining knowledge that will help further my career,” she noted. “Doing so will also have an impact on the individuals our staff members serve. My TESU degree provided me with a better understanding of what motivates leaders to make certain decisions. It also gave me an expanded perspective on many aspects of my role – including human resource management and financial administration, and a better understanding of the nonprofit organizations we partner with daily.” Beshai-Ascander focuses her efforts on two of her employer’s programs: The Pathways to Recovery program that provides employment assistance to those
“MY TESU DEGREE PROVIDED ME WITH A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MOTIVATES LEADERS TO MAKE CERTAIN DECISIONS. IT ALSO GAVE ME AN EXPANDED PERSPECTIVE ON MANY ASPECTS OF MY ROLE…AND A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WE PARTNER WITH DAILY.” Mariana Beshai-Ascander
impacted by the opioid epidemic so they can reenter the workforce; and the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) designed for lowincome wage earners who are 55 years of age and older. The SCSEP program assists older adults by providing them with training and hands-on job experience in nonprofit organizations to help them obtain the necessary skills
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