Rosemary Mazzo, a well-loved and committed volunteer, encountered Cathedral High School after her retirement by way of an online search through VolunteerMatch; providentially, Ms. Mazzo was matched with Cathedral, a school which she had lived directly across the street from for years.
After graduating from Fordham University with an English degree, Ms. Mazzo student-taught English in a high school, but with the surplus of teachers at that time, open teaching positions were few and far between. For this reason, Ms. Mazzo pivoted to begin a career in business. In the corporate world, she soon realized that, just like in the world of education, she could still learn so much, challenge herself, and meet so many new people. For many years, Ms. Mazzo worked for Fox, the major television network, and even created the position of Senior Vice President of Sales Systems and Operations; this role pulled together the skills that she recognized in herself, and from this experience she encourages students not to look for the immediate reward for their work, but instead to do their work well firstly for the sake of doing it.
Under the direction of Ms. Peg Kiely, who taught at Cathedral for fifty years and created the school’s business department, Ms. Mazzo first taught business classes to Cathedralites such as “Organization and Management,” “Introduction to Entrepreneurship,” and “Pathways to Careers,” before working one-on-one with students. It was the perfect match, combining her initial love for teaching with her vast experience in business. She soon joined Ms. Cynthia Garcia and Ms. Danielle Tourdo in the Guidance Department, and she still continues to support the department and our students today!
One of the most impressive ways that Ms. Mazzo has served Cathedralites is by helping them to secure internships at BlackRock, the world's largest asset management company. For many years, Ms. Mazzo has helped to prepare our top students not only for the intensive interview process but also for success during the summer internship itself. Each year, the company only chooses 50 out of 400 applicants, and each year since Ms. Mazzo began to prepare Cathedralites, 2 students have been chosen annually for this incredible opportunity.
When looking to determine which students have the most potential, Ms. Mazzo looks for students who have an interest in themselves. She helps them learn how to find their voice and continue learning from life’s disappointments, and she has learned so much from the students in return! Ms. Mazzo challenges her students by asking them, “What motivates you?” In response, she will encourage them to “always find a need that you can serve.”
Over the years, Ms. Mazzo is still in touch with many of her past students, and she continues to receive good news from students who decided to study business in college or who got the job at an interview. This year, Ms. Mazzo will work with freshmen and sophomores to teach guidance classes that relay skills such as resume writing,interview skills, presentation skills, and other life skills like financial literacy, time management, and conflict resolution. She even makes herself available for one-on-one appointments during lunch. Cathedral High School is deeply grateful for Ms. Mazzo’s incredible energy, wisdom, and commitment to helping Cathedralites to learn the skills necessary to succeed professionally and personally after graduating. Thank you, Ms. Mazzo!