Networking and Professional Development event for Legacy Mentors
Author: TAPS
Robert Pycior is a social worker who, when not working, is most comfortable in gym shorts, jeans and a T-shirt. “I’m not the most well-dressed guy,” said the 25-year-old New Jersey resident. “I carry a backpack, not a briefcase.”
Last spring, he participated in the TAPS Legacy Mentor New York City Experience where he and a group of other young adult survivors met with personal stylists at Macy’s who helped them select business attire for a series of networking events in the Big Apple. “It was good to learn how to present yourself professionally,” Robert said. “I think it’s important to look as good as you feel.”
Photo Courtesy of Robert Pycior
Robert is the surviving son of Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Joseph Pycior, Jr., and is a TAPS Legacy Mentor—an adult surviving child who has gone through Good Grief Camp, and volunteers at TAPS events to mentor younger children who have a more recent loss.
With generous support from the NFL, another group of Legacy Mentors will be selected to participate in the program this spring. The TAPS Legacy Mentor New York City Experience is a four-day, intensive event that brings Legacy Mentors together for networking and professional development.
“I met so many people and learned so much about different industries,” Robert said. “We got career advice, pointers, tips from professionals.” The purpose of the New York City Experience is to open pathways to future career choices, broaden cultural experiences and network with leaders in finance, communications, sports and entertainment, and the consulting industries. Also on the agenda are visits to New York's iconic landmarks, such as the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, Times Square, Broadway, the Metropolitan Museum and the 9/11 Museum complex. There also will be time for Legacy Mentors to connect with each other to honor and remember their fallen heroes.
“Getting professional experience, getting to meet leaders who are at the height of their careers, you don’t get to experience that all the time,” Robert said. “Meeting all those people and making connections with other survivors was such a wonderful opportunity. I would encourage anyone to take advantage and apply.”
APPLY NOW
If you are a Legacy Mentor and interested in participating in the TAPS Legacy Mentor New York City Experience, April 10-14, 2019, fill out the online application form by February 1. Application details and eligibility guidelines are available to review before your apply.
As a survivor and Legacy Mentor, Robert Pycior said mentoring younger children has been a blessing. “In helping others I am also helping myself,” he said. Photos Courtesy of Robert Pycior