A Conversation about Equity and Cultural Wealth: Preparing Employers for Community College Interns

November 16, 2020

Nearly 200 people joined the Boston Foundation and Bunker Hill Community College for a webinar highlighting the data and experiences that show the powerful impact of internships for community college students as a tool preparing and connecting employers to the next generation of workers.

The program opened with a research presentation from two Bunker Hill Community College administrators, Dean of Professional Studies Austin Gilliland and Lee Santos Silva, the Director of BHCC's Center for Equity and Cultural Wealth. They presented research into the impacts of programs like Bunker Hill Community College's "Learn and Earn" initiative, which connects students seeking experience with employers in paid internships that can open the door to full-time employment down the road.

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After the presentation, Boston Foundation Program Officer Juan Cantu led a panel discussion of current and past BHCC interns in the Learn and Earn program, who shared their experiences and perspectives in and after the program. Afterwards, Bunker Hill's Stephanie Bryszkowski, the Director of Internships and Career Development at BHCC, moderated a discussion of the impact these internships can have for employers.

Agenda

Welcome
Paul S. Grogan, President & CEO, The Boston Foundation

Presentation
Austin Gilliland, Dean of Professional Studies, Bunker Hill Community College
Lee Santos Silva, Director, Center for Equity and Cultural Wealth, Bunker Hill Community College
Antoniya Marinova, Assistant Director, Education to Career, The Boston Foundation (Moderator)

Student Panel Discussion
Juan Cantu, Program Officer, The Boston Foundation (Moderator)
Victoria Luchi, Program Coordinator Intern, Strong Women In Action
Fabiola Mayen Vital, Event Sales & Management Intern, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Pedro Russell, Senior Strategy Analyst, Cengage
Elidijon Tafa, Navigate Marketing Intern, NECEC

Employer Panel Discussion
Stephanie Bryszkowski, Director of Internships and Career Development, Bunker Hill Community College (Moderator)
Jamie Banks, Sustainability Consultant, Sustainserv; Former Learn and Earn Intern and Graduate, Bunker Hill Community College
Kelly Flentie, Lead Microbiologist, Selux Diagnostics, Inc.
Florette Louissaint, President & CEO, Strong Women In Action
Molly Phelps, Academic Programs Manager, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum