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IAM General Secretary-Treasurer Dora Cervantes and Women’s and Young Workers Department Director Julie Frietchen were recently featured on the cover of the spring 2024 edition of SUNY Empire State University alumni magazine, “Connections.” This honor highlights their significant contributions and leadership in their respective fields.
Both alumni embarked on their professional journey at SUNY Empire, where they graduated in 2019 with a master’s in work and labor policy and advanced certificates in women and gender studies. This academic foundation has not only propelled their careers forward but also intensified their passion for championing labor rights and gender equality in the workforce.
The featured article in “Connections” delves into the myriad challenges Cervantes and Frietchen have faced throughout their professional and academic journeys. More importantly, it sheds light on the opportunities that have nurtured their growth, enabling them to ascend to leadership positions within the IAM and beyond. Their stories stand as a testament to the empowering impact of SUNY Empire’s education, shaping them into thought leaders and change-makers.
“I always looked at the extra study as an advantage for me if I wanted to climb the ladder,” said Cervantes in the article.
The spring 2024 edition of “Connections’ is more than just an alumni magazine; it’s a celebration of how SUNY Empire State University continues to play a pivotal role in producing leaders ready to tackle today’s challenges with innovative solutions.
“We want to see more women in leadership positions because we do better when there’s diversity in our contracts, our bargaining units, and our leadership positions,” stated Frietchen.
Cervantes and Frietchen were among the first group to earn their master’s degrees, thanks to the partnership between Empire State University School for Graduate Studies and IAM. This partnership offers a path toward the Master of Arts in Work and Labor Policy degree. The program is offered in cooperation with the William W. Winpisinger Education Center. It provides a curriculum focused on organized labor’s historical and contemporary role in the United States and American labor within a broader global context.
Click here to learn about the IAM/Empire State College degree program.
