Maritza Crespo-Trahey is originally from Colombia and came to the United States 30 years ago. She started working for Premier Home Health Care in 2013. From a very young age, Maritza was given the responsibility of caring for her grandmother. Through this experience, she discovered that she loved to work with the elderly, and so she became a home health aide and embarked on her career path. Maritza is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing at the New York City College of Technology (City Tech), and her long-term goal is to become a surgical nurse. She is expected to graduate in fall 2018. About the scholarship, Maritza said, “Being selected for the Basil Paterson Scholarship was the most important accomplishment for me so far, and I felt astonished when I heard the news.”