Artist Sadja Montesir is a fashion influencer who graduated from SUNY Old Westbury in 2022 with a B.A. in Psychology. Montesir enjoys expressing her creativity through art, design, and fashion. She shares her unique outfits on Instagram. Montesir said that her time at SUNY OW reminded her of the song “Ngozi” by Crayon & Ayra Starr, which expresses gratitude and love.
After earning an associate degree at Fulton Montgomery Community College, Montesir left her hometown of Johnstown, NY, and transferred to Old Westbury. Her time on campus shaped her career path she said, “being here definitely made me more independent and self-sufficient.” She continued, “I found myself opening up to people more and learning that it is okay being on my own, away from my family.”
Although Montesir had positive experiences at school, there were some aspects that she did not particularly like, including “the food options, the community bathrooms, and the dorms.” She made the best of her experience, especially for meeting friends. “My proudest moments at OW were the friends I’ve made,” she said. “I found my forever friends here.”
She advises incoming students that “before attending any college, make sure it’s what you really want.” When you do attend, she continues, “make friends with your OW professors. Some of them are actually cool, easy to talk to, and you should always take advantage of their office hours.”
After graduation in 2022, Montesir started her career using her degree in psychology. Today, she works at the Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology as a Post-Secondary Coordinator. She supports students in developing and implementing plans that are specific to their needs, interests, and strengths as they transition from high school towards their post-secondary goals.
