Success Stories: Amazing Makeovers

MONIQUE FIELDS

BEFORE

Fields, an intern at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's IT department, discovered Year Up shortly after taking a break from college. At the time, both her stepfather and grandmother had been diagnosed with cancer, and she decided to help care for her family. Four months later, when a neighbor told her about the program, Fields realized it could be her chance to get back on track: "I had been a lazy student, but knowing they could kick you out if you didn't do the work motivated me

MONIQUE FIELDS

AFTER

You would never know it from this picture, but Fields, 22, hadn't worn a dress in four years. After zipping this one up, she says, "To actually wear a dress that looks good feels awesome." So did the day's beauty moments: "I really like the hair length," she says. "I feel different, but a good different." Now she's confident about landing a full-time job. "After today, I see I don't always have to dress down. I'm usually behind the scenes, but now I can actually put myself out there."