Like many working women with family responsibilities, Eileen Muller, president of Brooklyn Library Guild Local 1482, had to put her college plans on hold. Beginning her career as a Clerical Aide in the city’slibrary system, Muller had always planned on working her way up the career ladder to become a Librarian. That plan required an advanced degree and a college that can relate to the older working student.

“The College of New Rochelle fit into my schedule,” said Muller, who graduated in 1995. “It’s a great school, they really work with the students.”

Once she completed her degree, she was able to become a Librarian Trainee. After completing her degree, Muller then enrolled at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, where she received her master’s degree in library science.
A committed union activist, Muller has served as the local’s treasurer and in 2002 became the president.

Eileen Muller
President Local 1482

Norman O. Davis, who has been a member of DC 37 for 52 years, was one of the first students to enroll in the College of New Rochelle back in 1972 when he was 50 years old.
After receiving credits for life experience, a program he helped develop, Davis graduated with a degree in psychology in 1975.

“My college experience made me realize and brought out things in me that I didn’t know that I had,” said Davis. Like most of the CNR students Davis appreciated being able to go to school in the evenings and during the weekends while he worked during the day. Later on he helped establish another college program, the master’s degree program in public administration at Long Island University in Brooklyn. He was 64 when he received his master’s degree.

Davis began his career as a city worker with the Parks Dept. served 11 years as a shop steward with Laborers Local 924, and was vice president of Uniformed Parks Supervisors Local 1508 from 1980 to 1988. “It’s never too late to learn,” said Davis, who is the vice president for publicity and public relations of the Retirees Association of DC 37.

Norman Davis
Retirees Association

Michelle George, a member of Local 371, was actively searching for opportunities to advance her career.

“I applied for a position at a city agency and the interviewer asked for my college transcripts,” George recalled of that day when she decided to earn her degree. “At that moment, I made up my mind that I was going back to school so that no one would ever ask me for that again,” she said.

George, who is divorced and the proud mother of daughters Jasmine and Makia, enrolled in the College of New Rochelle in 1995 and graduated in 2000 with a degree in social services. For her, CNR was the perfect fit.

“It’s the best program available for adults who work because I was not only able to go to school in the evenings but also get six credits per class,” said George, who works as a Community Associate at Community Board 8 in Brooklyn. Inspired by her mother, Jasmine recently received an accounting degree from Monroe College, where she graduated with honors, and now works at an investment firm.

Michelle George
Local 371

Zachary Ramsey should be well known to many members of DC 37.

A graduate of the College of New Rochelle in 1987, Ramsey began his career as a Tax Assessor with the Dept. of Finance. He was also a committed union activist who served as a shop steward and in 1988 became president of Local 1757.

Like others he returned to school “in order to move up.” Move up is indeed what he did: After graduation, he joined the Research and Negotiations Dept. at DC 37 as an assistant director and later became the union’s deputy administrator from 1998 to 2002, when the national union put DC 37 under a trusteeship because of corruption and a fixed vote on a contract.

He continued his study of economics at Columbia University, where he was a resident fellow.

Currently, Ramsey works at the headquarters of DC37’s parent union, AFSCME, in Washington, D.C., as a labor economist, and he participates in contract negotiations with several locals around the country.

“The benefit of going back to school is not just for oneself,” said Ramsey, “but for our families and the community at large as well.”

Zachary Ramsey
AFSCME