“I’m grateful.” A Thank You from a Graduating Destler/Johnson Rochester City Scholar | April 2026
“I’m grateful.” A Thank You from a Graduating Destler/Johnson Rochester City Scholar
Being inspired by his professors. Gaining public speaking skills. Building his resume. Studying abroad in Ireland. Making life-long friends.
Damien Kostiw says he is grateful for all of his experiences as a Destler/Johnson Rochester City Scholar. He is one of 16 RCS undergraduates who will receive diplomas during commencement ceremonies next month.
Destler/Johnson Rochester City Scholars, founded by former RIT President Bill Destler and his spouse, Rebecca Johnson in 2010, offers full tuition for eligible first-year full time students from public and charter schools in the Rochester City School District, and the Urban Suburban Interdistrict Transfer Program.
Kostiw says, “My major here at RIT is individualized studies, within the realm of social work in the School Of Individualized Study. I selected this as my major because of my interest in the sociology classes I had taken with Dr. Makini Beck. She is someone that sparked my interest in the field of social work and now I am pursuing it as a career.”
He appreciates all of the support he’s received from so many faculty and staff members and now plans to go to SUNY Brockport to earn his master’s degree.
Will Walker, associate director Rochester City Scholars says he is proud of all of the graduates and their academic achievements. His team sees first-hand what it takes for scholars to get to this point.
“Our students continually rise to higher levels of expectation. Many come to RIT carrying the weight of the hopes and dreams of their families, friends, former teachers and counselors from high school. Similar to their peers, they've taken on the gauntlet of a rigorous institution and program. On their journey here, they've encountered deficit mindsets, naysayer, and/or that inner voice that plants seeds of imposter syndrome. In spite of all that, they carry on, unknowingly blazing a trail for future RCS hopefuls.”
Kostiw has some wisdom to share for those “future RCS hopefuls.” It’s the same wisdom he’s shared with in-coming first-year students in the AES Summer Experience.
“Do not be afraid to explore your options in college. Do not feel committed to one major and that you must stick with it. Also put yourself out there. The more you stay confined in your safe space, the smaller it will get. But the more you poke and prod at it, expand it even little by little, the more you will grow, the more chances you’ll have to further your college career.”
Also receiving diplomas, former RCS graduate student Jovan English who is completing his MS in hospitality business management and Davitt Scholar Maurice Bryan will receive an MFA in industrial design, thanks to the Mark and Maureen Davitt Graduate Education Endowed Scholarship, established in 2018.