Caption: Left to Right UA Executive Director Alphonso Amos, UA Senior Director of Programs and Partnerships Victor Robinson, Executive Director Destined for Greatness Shadora Ford, UA Intern Program Lead Morgan McIntyre, Nonprofit Partner of the Year Jerry Grayson with 2 Times Focus, and Rocket Community Fund Program Manager Jonathan Pulley
Urban Alliance Detroit celebrates a banner year, closing the 2023-2024 program with a remarkable 31% boost in impact. This year, 110 Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) seniors gained invaluable real-world experience through internships with 45 dynamic employers, marking a significant leap in connecting local students with professional opportunities.
Urban Alliance recently introduced a program tailored for 11th-grade students, which successfully engaged 45 students through a collaboration with Detroit Edison Public Schools (DEPSA). In addition, they established a summer bridge program in partnership with Henry Ford Health and Grow Detroit’s Young Talent.
Alphonso Amos, the Executive Director of Urban Alliance Detroit, expressed his admiration for the students’ impressive dedication to their internships and education. He emphasized that the students consistently demonstrate an unwavering passion for learning, which never fails to impress both the organization and its job partners.
“The incredible growth in the number of students we serve would not be possible without the steadfast support of our employer partners, who invest in their training, placement, and mentorship, ” Amos said.
“Thanks to this program, we can empower Detroit students to explore exciting career pathways with hands-on, real-world experiences in diverse fields such as finance, healthcare, and IT. Together, we are shaping the future and unlocking endless opportunities for Detroit’s young talent.”
Urban Alliance provides high school students with paid work experience, mentorship, and professional development to help them access equitable and inclusive career opportunities. The organization operates in Detroit and greater Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Baltimore, collaborating with schools and employers to tackle systemic barriers to economic mobility for young people of color and narrow the divide between education and workforce development for all youth.
The high school internship program is designed explicitly for 12th-grade students and offers a comprehensive year-long experience. The program includes professional development training, paid work opportunities, and personalized support. Before starting their paid internships, students undergo six weeks of pre-employment job skills training.
During the school year, interns work part-time, and during the summer, they work full-time. Each intern is matched with a dedicated Urban Alliance program coordinator and a workplace mentor who provides individualized support to assist the intern in their professional growth and post-high school planning.
Jonathan Pulley, the Senior Program Manager of the Education and Employment Team at Rocket Community Fund, emphasized the transformative impact of internships on skill development and economic mobility. He specifically highlighted the substantial contribution made by Urban Alliance in the past year.
“Together, we’ve helped develop leadership skills, organizational abilities, punctuality, college decisions, and life navigation. I believe deeply in the power of partnership and am excited to continue to make Detroit an even better place!” Pulley said.
Urban Alliance Detroit held a year-end ceremony to honor the achievements of its students and mentors. Outstanding individuals and organizations were acknowledged for their valuable contributions to the program.
Jobsite Pathway Partner of the Year Award: Henry Ford Health
Nonprofit Partner of the Year Award: 2Times Focus
Flagship Partner Awards: Rocket Intern Akia Eashi, Crocket Midtown Rocket Mentor Laura Allen, Business Area Fashion and Merchandising
Mentor of the Year Award: Laurie Washington, DTE Energy
Intern of the Year: Sydney Robinson, Renaissance High School
Intern of the Year: Angela Hartwell, East English Village High School
Intern of the Year: Elijah Hollis, Southeastern High School
Caption: Mawrese Morris Jr.
This year’s featured intern speaker at the celebration was Mawrese Morris Jr. He recently graduated as salutatorian from Southeastern High School and is now interning with Rocket Companies. Mawrese has also enrolled at Michigan State University, where he will start his studies in Psychology this fall.
“Joining the Urban Alliance program in my senior year has been a transformative journey. It not only paved the way for a paid internship, providing me with invaluable professional experience and opportunities to interact with high-level individuals, but it also taught me the importance of little things that could mean a lot, such as dressing for success or navigating the highs and lows of the professional world,” Morris Jr said.
“Additionally, the program helped me make long-term connections with peers who share my aspirations, uplifting me and guiding me toward the next steps in my professional development.”
Amos expressed his anticipation and enthusiasm for his team’s efforts to cultivate a highly skilled pool of young talent prepared to contribute to the forthcoming wave of professionals in diverse industries.
“We are excited about the number of young people we have coming in. We’re still currently looking for more employer partners to join us to place those young people by January, but very hopeful that we’ll have all of our placements, as long as folks join our movement of helping build equitable workforce.”
To learn more about the program, visit https://www.urbanalliance.org/, or contact Alphonso Amos at aamos@urbanalliance.org.
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