It’s been a busy few months for Frida Shamie ’20, a John Jay alumna and Brooklyn, New York native. Since March, she’s enhanced her skills by participating in two different mediation internship opportunities; earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a certificate in Dispute Resolution (becoming the first in her family to graduate college); and, got married. Shamie has also put her John Jay Dispute Resolution courses and internship experiences at James Madison High School and at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) to good use by launching her own business, Dispute Resolutions by Frida. “Participating in these two very different internships taught me the power mediation can have on everyone’s life. I was able to see the different kinds of mediation work that are out there in the world—family mediation, school dispute mediation, and court mediation. Learning from my mentors during my internships has changed my world for the better. It’s what gave me the courage and confidence to open my own business.”

Mediating Disputes at Home
As the middle child in her family, Shamie always saw herself as a natural-born mediator. “When I was a kid, I remember being the one resolving everyone’s disputes,” she says. “Anytime my siblings or my friends were fighting, I would step in, make them talk, and they’d find a resolution. Mediating and resolving disputes has always felt natural to me.” Her ability to stay neutral, listen, and create a safe space for those in her life to resolve their issues sparked something in Shamie, a deep desire to help others. “When I was growing up, my biggest dream was to go around the world and help people, but that kind of philanthropy work is very expensive, and I couldn’t afford it. So, I decided to help on a more local level,” she says.

Coming to John Jay
When it was time to choose a college, Shamie wanted to go to an institution that put the needs of others first. “John Jay’s public service reputation is well known and it’s what initially drew me to the College,” she says. “I majored in Sociology because I wanted to deepen my understanding of human behavior. At the time, I didn’t realize that mediation was closely linked to the sociology field. It was at John Jay that the connection between mediation and observing human behavior was made crystal clear.” To get a greater understanding of mediation, Shamie enrolled in dispute resolution courses at the College, where she learned just how vital mediation was to businesses, public institutions, and individuals. “The dispute resolution courses at John Jay really opened up a world of possibilities for me. I learned negotiation skills and about emotional intelligence. I learned the value of remaining neutral during mediation, and how to speak to people and understand their feelings.”

Advocating for Students
Having previously worked as a paraprofessional for autistic children and adults, Shamie was aware of the important role dispute resolvers have in schools. So, when an internship at James Madison High School, her alma mater, opened up, she jumped at the chance to get in-field mediation experience. “My mentor was the mediator at the school, and she was the one helping students get through their disputes and situations. To see how she built and nourished her connections with students each day was a first-class educational experience,” says Shamie. “She had a very unique way of connecting with each of the kids, speaking with them in a way that made them open up and trust her. That’s exactly the kind of connection I’m hoping to have with the people I work with.”

Interning at SDNY
After completing her time at the high school, Shamie, who was eager to strengthen her skills and understanding of the field, actively searched for opportunities to gain more mediation and dispute resolution experience. “I had a great time interning at my alma mater and learned a lot, but I didn’t want to stop there,” she says. “I wanted to be confident in my ability to successfully mediate and resolve disputes, because if you don’t have complete confidence in yourself, in your skills, and what you bring to the table, you won’t achieve your goals.” So, when Professor Maria Volpe, Ph.D., Director of the Dispute Resolution Program at John Jay, suggested a virtual internship with the Southern District of New York’s Mediation Program, Shamie immediately applied. “I knew an internship at SDNY was a once in a lifetime experience, especially for a Sociology major like myself,” says Shamie. “I wasn’t going to let this life-changing opportunity pass me by.”

At SDNY’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Program, or Mediation Program as its more commonly known, Shamie sat in on cases via Zoom, observing mediators, plaintiffs and defendants, which gave her in-depth knowledge on the mediation process. “During each mediation I would observe and take in as much as I could. Afterward, a lot of the mediators would ask for my advice. That was so validating. Their appreciation of my insights gave me a boost in confidence and affirmed to me that mediation is my calling,” she says.

Looking back at the last few months at SDNY, a moment that deeply resonates with Shamie is when SDNY mediator Michael Kreitman applauded her strengths as a mediator. “Her assistance with the Zoom mediation was invaluable,” he said in his note to Rebecca Price, Director of the ADR Program at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, thanking her for suggesting Shamie for his case. “I was also very impressed with Frida’s insights about the parties, their positions and arguments, and more importantly, her read on people—Frida is a student of human behavior and motivation—an invaluable skill for a mediator.”

Going After Your Goals
Crediting her internships with inspiring the launch of her own business, Dispute Resolutions by Frida, Shamie is hoping to bring alternative dispute resolution and mediation services to all New Yorkers. “My internship work really has helped push me to make this business possible. I’m hoping to provide services to those seeking help with divorce mediation, business dispute mediation, and family mediation,” says Shamie. “I’m also planning to provide school-age special education dispute resolution services for free. I would never charge for school mediation services, especially for students with special needs. It’s so important to give back and that would be my way to give back.”

Thinking about current John Jay students, Shamie hopes they continue to apply to internship opportunities—even during the current Covid-19 pandemic. “Every mediator I talk to speaks so highly about the internship they had 20 or 30 years ago. Internships, whether they’re in person or virtual, are a great way to get a deeper understanding of a career field. Internships provide students with memorable, firsthand work experiences that help shape their future,” she says. “It’s really important to have an internship during your undergraduate years, so if you’re presented with an opportunity, and it’s in line with what you want to do, take it. You can gain so much from the experience—a strong work ethic, a renewed sense of confidence, and a career mindset that paves your way to success.”