NYCHA-CUNY Scholar: Natasha Crump

Several years after starting work and later giving birth to her son, NYCHA resident Natasha Crump knew she needed to go back to college to fulfill her true career potential. 

The Sumner Houses resident had briefly attended college following her high school graduation, but decided at the time that she would instead focus on steady employment. While Ms. Crump continued to work in the years after giving birth at age 23, she set her sights back on her education in her early 30s, knowing it was the best path toward achieving her career goals. 

“I knew I needed to have more skills, more education, so I decided to go back to school,” said Ms. Crump, a lifelong Brooklyn resident who also lived at NYCHA’s Roosevelt Houses as a child. 

She earned an associate degree in liberal arts from Brooklyn’s Boricua College in 2016, when she was also working as a case manager at a women’s shelter. Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree at New York City College of Technology (City Tech) to further her career in the human services field, Ms. Crump was recently named a 2021 NYCHA-CUNY Scholar, along with 34 other NYCHA residents.  

She was selected for a National Grid Scholarship, a new award from the Fund for Public Housing that provides $1,000 for education-related expenses, including tuition, books, and fees. 

“I was very surprised and happy,” Ms. Crump said about receiving the NYCHA-CUNY Resident Scholarship. “It just pushes me and motivates me more.” 

The years working at the women’s shelter inspired her to dedicate herself to helping others improve their lives and to pursue a profession in which she can “be that driving force to motivate others.”   

“I wanted to be the motivating factor to let them know that it’s okay to be in the shelter, and as long as you continue to stay on the right path and continue to stay motivated, you can get to that next chapter of your life,” she said of her work as a case manager. “The more I worked, the more I began to love what I do. It was no longer a job; it was my passion.”  

Hoping to make the most of that passion, Ms. Crump decided that her ultimate goal would be to open up her own nonprofit organization focused on social services. In 2019, she took the next step toward that career ambition by enrolling at City Tech to obtain a bachelor’s degree in human services. 

Currently serving as a nonprofit case manager in Brooklyn, Ms. Crump has had to balance taking evening college classes with working full time and supporting her son, who is a 16-year-old junior in high school.  

While she has successfully navigated online classes (virtual due to the pandemic), she noted that the past year has been a struggle, especially because of the deaths of both of her grandmothers, who were longtime Sumner Houses residents.   

Still, she won’t let such challenges hinder her plans, and she expects to graduate with a bachelor’s degree by the end of next summer, which “would mean the world” to her.  

“I think it would open a lot of doors for me,” said Ms. Crump, who is also planning to eventually pursue a master’s degree.  

By continuing to chase her dreams, the NYCHA-CUNY Scholar hopes she can serve as a model for her son and others of how they don’t have to let adversities affect what they can achieve.  

“I just want to continue to be that encouragement to someone,” she said. 

To learn more about the NYCHA-CUNY Resident Scholarship, click here. 

To see the full list of 2021 NYCHA-CUNY Scholars, click here.