Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City’s Leadership Tomorrow summer internship program recently wrapped up its ninth year.
Over the course of the nine-week program, seven interns worked with nonprofit organizations in the Kansas City area, including Alphapointe; Youth Ambassadors; Jewish Family Services; Jewish Federation; Support KC; the Mitzvah Garden; The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah; and Jewish Experiences.
Leadership Tomorrow is a paid internship program offered to Jewish college students through the Jewish Federation. It was founded in 2013 by a group led by Irv Robinson to expose students to different ideas around entrepreneurship, leadership and philanthropy, and to encourage strong Jewish leadership in future generations.
Working closely with mentors throughout the summer, the 2022 summer interns gained a more nuanced understanding of life in the professional world.
“I absolutely loved my mentor,” said Madeline Abrams, who was mentored by Jim Klein. “Every conversation we had, I learned something new, or he provided some amazing guidance/tips on how to continue my networking experience and skills as I continue with college.”
Interns also participated in projects that have a significant impact on the Jewish community’s wellbeing, all while learning the ins and outs of working in an office.
“I chose this internship because I was looking for a well-rounded experience that could both boost my confidence in the professional world and provide me with a new experience that would add value to my life,” said Leadership Tomorrow participant Ethan Herman, who interned with Youth Ambassadors.
Each Friday, the interns participated in Development Days, which provided them with opportunities to discover their values, priorities, and ways to act on them throughout their lives and careers. Guest speakers offered their wisdom on finding success and fulfillment in life, each presenting their own unique perspective on bringing Jewish values to the professional world.
“I have gotten to listen to some incredible speakers, including a state senator who provided me with a shadowing opportunity at the State Capitol,” Herman said.
Through this process, interns discovered their own leadership style. Working in a collaborative environment allowed them to discover that everyone takes a different approach to leadership and provided them with valuable experience in finding balance as a diverse team.
The interns’ leadership styles were put to the test as they split into two groups to write grants and create presentations for two local nonprofits. This collaborative exercise enabled the interns to draw connections between their own core values and the values and needs they identified in the greater Kansas City metro area. The grant writing process, one intern shared, “taught us how to advocate for causes we care about in meaningful and persuasive ways.”
The interns gave their final grant presentations at the Leadership Tomorrow luncheon. MOCSA (Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault) received $6,000, and the Urban Ranger Corps received $9,000.
Sierra Debrow, the Community Planning Associate at Federation who helps facilitate the Leadership Tomorrow program, said, “The interns blew my expectations out of the water. Each of them showed immense dedication to not only their own growth this summer, but to the organizations and community agencies with which they worked. I couldn’t have asked for a better cohort.”
More information about Leadership Tomorrow can be found at jewishkansascity.org/leadershiptomorrow.