267.687.1172 126 West Dauphin Street, Philadelphia PA 19133

An internship is more than education— it’s transformation Internships are a singularly transformative educational experience. At el Centro, we believe in our Learning Through Internships (LTI) program so deeply that we devote almost two full days every week to it. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, students spend most of their time at an internship of their choice, not in class. In the right place and with the right people, el Centro student-interns display all of the drive, tenacity and curiosity that their mentors could ask for. Because of this, and because our students have shown us time and again that a successful internship lays a strong foundation for success after graduation, the LTI program is the centerpiece of el Centro’s model. After searching for the right place, conducting interviews in the field, and completing a set of Shadow Days, students are matched with professionals in a field of their choice. We believe:

• Students learn best by being with caring, knowledgeable adults who are invested in their intern’s success and well-being.

• Expertise is available in the wider world—not only in the classroom. No one can be in expert in everything, and our advisors know that matching students with true experts in their fields will enable students to progress intellectually at a more rapid rate.

• Guidance and mentorship are invaluable. Professionals who choose to share their vocation with a young person are naturally well-suited to a successful mentorship; they want the best for their intern both for the sake of it, but also so that it benefits their organization. This results in high expectations for our interns.

LEARNING THROUGH INTERNSHIPS

Internship Fact Sheet

I love this experience the school is giving the students. I wouldn’t change anything.— Naiymah Sanchez, mentor“ ”

267.687.1172 126 West Dauphin Street, Philadelphia PA 19133

Keys to a successful LTI Every trimester, el Centro’s entire student body finds professionals in their community under whom they work as student-interns. Student-interns learn from these experts, then use their new skills to give back to their mentors in the form of authentic individual projects. Over that same time period, we have learned that there are a few keys to internship success:•Meaningful work: Student-interns engage in meaningful and consequential work, including an independent project.•Goals and communication: The student, mentor, and advisor form common goals and engage in consistent communication around goal fulfillment.•Regular attendance: A student attend her internship regularly.•Support from the school: Every advisor is highly invested in their students’ internship success, and keenly aware of the types of support a student might need. Advisors contact their students’ mentors every LTI day, and visit in person every third week. •Finding the right match: Perhaps most importantly, the

advisor facilitates a deliberate process of matching a student and a mentor, starting with an Informational Interview, a Shadow Day or two, and a Setup Meeting.

Become our newest mentor today!

Please contact our Director of Internships, Matt Prochnow, at 267.314.7671 or at mprochnow@bigpicturephiladelphia.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Who is a mentor?

Since 2009, more than 400 Philadelphia professionals have served as mentors for our students. Here are just a few of them. Please see our website for a more complete list.

The Academy of Natural Sciences The Art Sanctuary Aztec Design The Career Wardrobe Cedar Point Bar and Kitchen Community Bikes and Boards Ethel Allen Promise Academy The Free Library of Philadelphia Friends Center GALAEI Greensgrow Farms G-Team Racing HACE Hunter Elem. School Beacon Center The Institute of Contemporary Art Jamonera Live In Color Motivos Magazine Nonprofit Technology Resources Oteri’s Bakery Pegasus Riding Academy Penn Home PhillyCAM PHMC New Pathways Project Progress Physical Therapy Taller Puertorriqueño Youth Health Empowerment Project Youth United for Change Zoom Room

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