{"id":227329,"date":"2026-01-12T08:00:51","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T13:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=227329"},"modified":"2026-01-12T13:08:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T18:08:13","slug":"she-almost-joined-the-navy-then-she-built-a-life-of-leadership-and-service-at-bloomfield-college","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2026\/01\/12\/she-almost-joined-the-navy-then-she-built-a-life-of-leadership-and-service-at-bloomfield-college\/","title":{"rendered":"She Almost Joined the Navy. Then She Built a Life of Leadership and Service at Bloomfield College"},"content":{"rendered":"

Back in 2021, college wasn\u2019t even on Lisha Brito\u2019s mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was going to go into the Navy,\u201d she says. \u201cBut circumstances changed, and I decided I wasn’t ready to leave home. I wanted to be around my family.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She started looking at local schools, including Bloomfield College of Montclair State University<\/a> \u2014 then still Bloomfield College. But walking into orientation, her heart was still with the Navy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cI was kind of discouraged,\u201d she admits. \u201cI went in like, I don’t want to talk to anyone. I’m just in it for the school. I’m not here to make friends.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Everything changed when a student ambassador \u2013 known at Bloomfield as a storyteller<\/a> \u2013 noticed her sitting alone and invited her to join a table.<\/span><\/p>\n

That one moment of connection was all it took. \u201cEver since that day, Bloomfield became home to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“They Gave Me Advice My Parents Couldn’t Give Me.”<\/h3>\n

As a first-generation college student and the daughter of Dominican immigrants, Brito had to figure out a lot on her own. \u201cFilling out my FAFSA? I couldn\u2019t lean on my parents for that. They didn\u2019t know how any of this worked.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s where Bloomfield\u2019s EOF<\/a> and TRIO SSS<\/a> programs stepped in. \u201cEOF really helped me a lot. My counselor was very supportive,\u201d she says. \u201cThey gave me advice my parents couldn\u2019t give me \u2013 academic, financial, and emotional.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She also found support in unexpected places. \u201cEven the people in the mailroom and the dining hall \u2013 they made a huge difference. They always noticed if I was there, and asked how I was doing. When I was a pescatarian, they\u2019d make sure meat never touched my plate. And when I started eating meat again, they all noticed!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

Cheer, Sisterhood, and Showing Up for Others<\/h3>\n

Brito joined the cheer team as a freshman and eventually became its president. \u201cMy coaches really do run a strict program,\u201d she says with a laugh. \u201cBut Cheer helped me hold myself accountable. It made me a better public speaker, helped me handle criticism, and made me less afraid of life in general.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That confidence laid the foundation for her next big leap. \u201cI don\u2019t think I ever would have joined Sigma Gamma Rho if I hadn\u2019t done cheer,\u201d she says. \u201cBeing on the team taught me how to show up, how to be seen, and how to lead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In Fall 2024, Brito crossed into <\/span>Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc<\/a>.,<\/strong> drawn by its mission and community service. \u201cOne of their main partnerships is with St. Jude\u2019s, and my family has been donating to St. Jude\u2019s since I was in high school. I took that as a sign.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, she mentors younger girls through the sorority\u2019s affiliate programs. \u201cWe go to high schools, do tabling events, even slumber parties and etiquette dinners. I never had that kind of guidance growing up, so I love being part of it now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After Graduation: Generational Wealth and Giving Back<\/h3>\n

Graduating with a degree in accounting and a minor in Africana Studies<\/a>, Brito plans to open her own business and a nonprofit for financial literacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI want to help minorities, emancipated minors, and small businesses really start building generational wealth,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Eventually, she hopes to become both a financial advisor and a college professor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Advice to Her 18-Year-Old Self<\/h3>\n

\u201cIf I could go back, I\u2019d tell myself: go to the events. You\u2019re not just getting free stuff \u2013 you\u2019re building relationships and knowledge.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And if your friends don\u2019t want to go? \u201cGo by yourself. Don\u2019t let anyone hold you back. The party will always be there. Take advantage of every opportunity. Bloomfield\u2019s always doing something. Just show up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This story is part of a series celebrating Montclair State University\u2019s graduates \u2013 students who embody the University\u2019s mission to broaden access to exceptional learning opportunities and contribute to the common good.<\/em><\/p>\n

Story by Jayda Brown<\/a>. Photography by University Photographer Mike Peters<\/a><\/p>\n

Ready to Start Your College Journey?<\/h3>\n

Prospective Students or Parents:<\/strong><\/em> Learn more about Bloomfield College of Montclair State University<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Journalists:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Contact our Media Relations<\/a> team to request assets or schedule an interview with a member of the Class of 2026.<\/p>\n