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McDermott, a student at Westchester Community College, recently won the “Grow Your Value Bonus Competition” at the "Know Your Value" event held at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston hosted by MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski.
And it all started when the Tuckahoe resident was waitressing for a group of women not much older than herself. When the women mentioned they worked at NBC, McDermott told them how she was hoping to get into radio. (Go here for previous Daily Voice story.)
The conversation turned more personal with McDermott telling them how her father died when she was young and how hard she's had to work as a result as money has always been tight. "I love my family and helped as much as I could, but I have been taking on adult responsibilities for as long as I can remember," said McDermott.
When the women told her about the competition where participants submit a 60-second video telling Brzezinski why they deserve a bonus, McDermott applied her heart and soul.
She admited she was nervous just before the Friday, Oct. 23 event and already thought of herself as a winner, just for applying herself.
But then, not long after presenting her pitch live, she heard her name called as the winner. (See clip here.)
"I'm speechless," McDermott told the Daily Voice. "I don't even know what to say."
The “Know Your Value” event is part of a nationwide movement to empower women in the workplace.
The “Know Your Value” tour continues in Orlando on Nov. 20. Go to msnbc.com/knowyourvalue for more details.
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