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This is the first in a series of blog posts revisiting the lives of Row New York’s graduates as a part of our 10th Year Celebration.

Simone D’Abreu
Row New York Class of 2008
Smith College Class of 2012
Economic Research Assistant, FCC

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Transitioning from college to the working world has been a challenging, yet exciting journey. What I miss most about my life before my move to Washington, D.C. is also what I miss the least. I no longer have to wake up at 4:40 AM to row in freezing temperatures nor do I have to endure the torture of another 2K. On the other hand, the camaraderie that came along with those shared, tired mornings of painful 2Ks is an aspect that I miss. The fun-loving teenage girls that I rowed with at Row New York are now ambitious young women. Some of my former teammates are now attending law school, are physical therapists, and are pursuing other ambitious endeavors. As for myself, I’m an Economics Research Assistant at the Federal Communications Commission and plan to continue my education in the next year.

Simone graduating from Smith College.

Without a doubt, Row New York has mentally and emotionally prepared me for life’s transitions. One of my fondest memories is of former coach Previn Chandraratna helping me find an ideal college crew team. When searching for suitable college teams, I knew that even though I had a competitive erg score, I did not have a competitive height; therefore, my prospects were limited. Noticing my concerns, Previn, along with my teammates consistently reminded me that I was a beast on the erg and on the water despite my 5’4 frame. Row New York encouraged me to row and walk as if I were six feet tall. Previn and former assistant coach and Academic Director Austin Phillips Kupke helped me find a school that had the academic and athletic qualities that I desired. I decided on Smith College. Although the program was not full of six foot tall rowers, I felt I was just as tall as the tallest girl on the team because I refused to allow my height to be a hindrance to my athletic ability. The Smith College crew team thrived off of the theme that we were not a “cookie-cutter team”; we all came in different shapes and sizes. The undying support that my Row New York teammates, coaches, and staff gave me developed the confidence I needed to transition to a collegiate program.

Simone with her FCC nameplate.

Row New York also made me stay focused on my goals. The coaches at Row New York would always tell us, “Control the controllable”. Living by that phrase has saved me a lot of time and stress. While training in college, I found it useless to worry about how the other team trained or whom they had in their stroke seat. Worrying about the other team only took away from my time and energy during training.

Through Row New York, I learned the importance of humility. The organization left such a significant impact on my life that with every positive change that occurs in my life I can easily connect it back to Row New York. It opened up doors of opportunity that allowed me to step out of the box society designed for me. It amuses me when I inform people that I rowed for seven years and that I was not a coxswain; they always have a look of confusion on their face. I guess they wondered how a short, black girl from Queens, NY was able to row for seven years and be successful at it. I laugh and remind myself that it’s because I didn’t allow my lack of height to stunt my success, and I controlled the controllable. With the lessons I learned from Row New York, I can now confidently live my life while focusing on the aspects of greatest importance.

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