Meet the Team

Sherrill-Ann Mason was appointed Director of the Percy. E. Sutton Search for Education Elevation and Knowledge (SEEK) Program at Medgar Evers College in 2016. Prior to that appointment, she served as the Academic Support Coordinator for 9 years. She has also worked as an adjunct lecturer and advisor for the Freshman Year Program and the SEEK Program. She was recognized in 2009 as the college’s Higher Education Officer of the Year. As part of her duties at the college, Ms. Mason has overseen the provision of tutorial services, supplemental instruction, student development, and leadership activities and was instrumental in developing the program’s Professional and Learning Skills workshop series and a Peer Mentorship Program, called “Mission Possible”, on which she has presented at conferences across the Tri-state area.

Ms. Mason holds a Bachelor of Arts (honors) in Sociology and Radio Broadcasting from the City University of New York Baccalaureate Program, and a Master of Science Degree (M.S.) in Urban Affairs, from Hunter College with a concentration in Community Development and Social Policy. In 2008 – 2010, she was awarded a Thurgood Marshall Pathways Fellowship and earned a post-graduate certificate (2010) in Strengths-based Education from Gallup University’s, Clifton Strengths School. She is currently a doctoral student in the Department of Instructional and Administrative Leadership at St. John’s University’s School of Education. Her research focuses on the success of immigrant students in higher education.

Sherrill-Ann Mason is also a community organizer in the St. Vincent and the Grenadines diaspora in New York. Prior to migrating to the United States in 1999, she worked in communications and was heavily involved in community development and youth work. She attended the 1998 United Nations World Youth Forum in Portugal and was later awarded an internship with the United Nations Youth Program in New York in 2000. Currently, she serves as Chairperson of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Diaspora Committee of New York, and formerly served as its Public Relations Officer and Coordinator of the Leadership Development Workshop Series. Most recently she was appointed as Coordinator of a multi-regional Vincentian Diaspora alliance, SVGDRIP, that brings together Vincentians and their organizations across the world that focus on disaster relief and preparedness.

Derek Lujan-Brooks is a Graduate of Medgar Evers College as a SEEK Student. Graduated with a Bachelor in Accounting and currently pursuing his Master Degree in Public Administration with an emphasis on Policy Analysis and Evaluation at Baruch College. As a student, Derek serve as a Tech and Peer Mentor for 4 Years, 3 years as the Enrollment Specialist, and 1 year as the Enrollment Specialist/Assistant to the Director of the Percy E. Sutton Search for Education Elevation and Knowledge (SEEK) Program. As a peer mentor and SEEK Enrollment Specialist, Derek has done an outstanding job by meeting and exceeding the program goals at a faster rate than it was done before. He has implemented new recruitment systems to benefit the program and also designed the program’s promotional material which has been perceived as great work by the students.

Mr. Lujan-Brooks migrated from Panama at the age of 12 and is a first-generation college student. He holds a Bachelor of Science with honors in Accounting from Medgar Evers College. Currently pursuing a Master of Science Degree (M.S.) in Policy Analysis and Evaluation at Baruch College. He was a multiple Dean List Recipient and awarded SEEK Student of the Year in 2014. Also, Mr. Lujan-Brooks is involved with many community services non-profit organizations like Aspira Leadership and others. Derek is a proud SEEK student that loves to give back to the community that once gave him a chance denied by many others.

Dr. James received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology (APA-accredited) from Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Brooklyn College where she co-led an interpersonal process group, supervised Master’s level students in their clinical work, and met with clients for weekly individual therapy sessions. Her research interests focus on the academic and career aspirations of women and students of color. For over seventeen years, she has taught in the Percy E. Sutton SEEK educational opportunity program at the City University of New York’s Medgar Evers College and has presented at numerous conferences on her work as an academic counselor. In addition to teaching as an academic counselor in the SEEK program, she has also taught classes in Lifespan Psychology, Career Counseling, and Abnormal Psychology.

Dorla Grant, a former graduate of Medgar Evers College, received her Bachelors of Science in Business Administration. She later pursued a Masters of Arts Degree in Labor Relations at the CUNY School of Professional Studies.

Today, Dorla Grant, works with the SEEK Department, as the IT Academic Coordinator. In this role, she collaborates with and provides support to: students, tutors, and faculty/staff in the use of instructional systems and software programs.

Her personal philosophy in life is to “keep her eyes on the prize”. This philosophy has helped her to stay focus and drives her passion. Specifically, her passion as a lifelong learner is to be committed to understanding the ever-changing advance in technologies. In doing so, she keeps up-to-date with current digital technologies and trends, to effectively equip students, tutors, and faculty/staff consistently.

Takisha Randall obtained her bachelor’s degree in 2017 here at Medgar Evers College. Prior to earning her degree, she worked as a Peer Mentor, College Assistant, and Social Work Intern. She graduated from Nyack College 2019 and earned her MSW. It wasn’t until she fostered two children in addition to having her own that her desire for social work evolved. After accepting an internship with the Jewish Child Care Association (JCCA) where she co-facilitated groups of at-risk youth she became even more aware of the social injustices toward black and brown youth.

Currently, as an Academic Support Specialist and Lecturer/Counselor in the Percy E. Sutton SEEK Program, and former seek student, her goal is to make sure future students of MEC are equipped with the resources and program knowledge to help them succeed in obtaining their degree.

Jessica C. Rivera, a graduate of Medgar Evers College (MEC) within the City University of New York system, received her Bachelor of Liberal Arts with a concentration in Social & Behavioral Sciences. She later pursued a Master in Public Administration from John Jay College, followed by a brief attendance at Pace Law School. However, she later changed schools and graduated from Walden University, thus earning her Doctorate in Education in August 2021. Presently, she is pursuing a post-doc Certificate of Advanced Education Leadership at Harvard University.

Currently, Jessica is serving as SEEK’s Academic Support Services Program Manager at MEC. As an alumna of SEEK at MEC, she learned the virtue of tenacity. Being tenacious has helped her develop the moral courage to undertake what seems to be impossible in life. This virtue has become the backbone of Jessica’s life mission.

As a native of the South Bronx, she has seen poverty, addiction, and abuse up close. Because of these experiences, she strives to educate others, especially the youth, about their options in life. Her daily mantra includes seven words, “you are who you want to be.” Moreover, her message is simple “an individual is not defined by others or circumstances; but rather by the virtues they practice.”

Dr. Rebecca Cenatus, Ph.D., LMSW, holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Medgar Evers College at the City University of New York (CUNY), a master’s degree in Social Work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College-CUNY, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University. She is licensed in her profession and is SIFI certified, which has permitted her to provide professional mentorship and field supervision to graduate students from various social work programs.

Dr. Cenatus is an Academic Support Specialist, Lecturer and Counselor in the Percy E. Sutton SEEK program at Medgar Evers College-CUNY. In addition to providing academic and counseling support services, she teaches group-counseling courses with a holistic approach to enhancing the personal, and psycho-social development of marginalized students from a social justice, and anti-oppressive lens. She also teaches courses as an adjunct professor in the Department of Africana Studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice-CUNY.

Her passion to serve underrepresented communities stems from her role as an intern at STEPS to End Family Violence; an Alternative to Incarceration (ATI) Program, dedicated to providing counseling services and legal advocacy to women facing criminal charges related to their history of domestic violence and/or abuse and trauma. Dr. Cenatus’ weekly visits to Rikers Island, and working closely with the courts and attorneys, opened her eyes to the discrimination and disproportionate number of people of color represented in the Criminal “Justice” System.

As a servant leader, Dr. Cenatus hopes to inspire her students to overcome adversity and encourage them to build resilience on their journey to academic success. Her mission is to “Educate, Elevate, and Empower” individuals to fulfill their highest potential in life.