7/31/19
Pamela Applebaum has long understood that the vitality of our communal organizations depends on leadership – particularly, an inspired cadre of “professional” leaders.
The creation of the Applebaum Program for Non-Profit Internships at the University of Michigan was formed with this essential goal in mind.
The Applebaum Internship program, through the University of Michigan LSA Opportunity HUB offers hands-on experience, funding, and professional development to undergraduate students to have paid summer internships in non-profits and cultural organizations in Detroit. The students are provided pre, midpoint and post-internship professional development and workshops, professional mentoring and engagement opportunities with industry area professionals based from philanthropy and local government to education and arts.
Set on a summer evening, in the backdrop of the Detroit Institute of Art’s Kresge Court, members of the 2019 cohort – a total of 18 students – were welcomed by leadership from the University of Michigan and Applebaum Family Philanthropy. Students were greeted with personal name tags and “conversation mixer” cards which were used to facilitate three “speed conversations” between students and leadership. Speed themes ranged from greatest challenges and opportunities they faced during their internship to unknown facts about each student.
Image: Students engage in “speed conversations” mixer in Kresge Court.
During dinner and dessert, students were able to socialize as a cohort and share stories, ideas and experiences. Three students who interned at Motown Museum, Detroit Institute of Arts and Detroit Symphony Orchestra offered their respective experiences with the audience.
Image: Taylor Grier shares her experiences at the DIA.
Pamela Applebaum provided the capstone remarks for the evening, reinforcing the purpose of her family’s creation of the program:
“I heard from you earlier, what some of your goals for this summer are. My goal was to expose you to the exciting potential you can have to make a difference working for a nonprofit. The hope is to showcase the sector as a future career path or more inspirationally educate you to the needs of various organizations so you can give back in the future.”
Pamela further linked the students as participants of the larger cohort of Applebaum Fellows – a network of connected leaders who have received opportunities to be challenged, to reach their goals and maximize community potential.
She knows from the family’s history of philanthropy, these students will lead our community in the future. If one is inspired, then others will follow.
Image: Interns Jordan Brown, Elizabeth Williams and Molly Wyett at the event.
Images courtesy of University of Michigan LSA
Learn more about The Applebaum Program at U-M:
