(CBS DETROIT) – The Menternship isn’t your average internship experience.
It’s a first of its kind focusing on personal and professional development founded by Detroit native, Alexis Wilson.
At the age of 24, Wilson is a CEO, founder and social entrepreneur with a heart to serve.
Her vision for The Menternship — which runs through Exalt management, a brand management firm that specializes in high performance for athletes and entertainers — has allowed her to expand the program to different cities around the country since its inception in 2017.
“As a Black woman, I know personally that women of color who are interested in business, management, and other similar fields are significantly underserved in our communities and society. I founded The Menternship to address the urgent need for more inclusive, holistic professional development for aspiring women of color. The Menternship will continue to serve women of color with the goal of sparking a positive shift in access and opportunities for them across the country,” she said.
This year’s program was hosted in Los Angeles, California for seven weeks where the menterns have led and supported projects for elite business partners including The Oprah Winfrey Network, the LA Sparks, Magic Johnson Enterprises, VaynerMedia and BET in brand strategy, creative marketing and operations and more.
“Our society doesn’t teach young women to value self-care or how to process and center their emotions. We take time in The Menternship to cultivate skill in things like self-preservation and mental fortitude because those are the skills that will make them versatile professionals and help them to overcome the obstacles they’ll face in the future,” said Wilson. “Our society also doesn’t teach us to value human relationships. We value things like money and housing, but we often overlook the power of having a strong network as a resource.”
The Menternship ended with an all-expenses-paid business trip to Detroit from Aug. 25 to Aug. 31 where they met and toured company grounds of the Detroit-based partners: Quicken Loans, The Detroit Tigers, The Lip Bar, The Yunion and more.
The 2019 menterns are Jasmine A. WIlliams, Julissa Romero and Jasmine N. Williams.
Jasmine A. Williams is a senior at Cal State University studying Business Administration and Management with a minor in Real Estate.
“One valuable lesson that I’ve learned from the program is that to worry is to pray for the things you don’t want. Before the program, I would always focus on the negatives and worry that the negative things would transpire. And they always did, because thoughts become things! If you always focus on something negative you can’t expect to receive positive outcomes. You attract the type of energy you put into the atmosphere. So be positive and always give gratitude for your accomplishments so that many more great things will transpire, as it has for me during this program,” said Williams.
Romero is a 21-year-old senior studying Communications at the University of Southern California.
“In my college career, I have had four internships, nothing comes close to the experience this internship has provided. Over the past eight weeks, we have worked on personal development. No other internship has ever taught me about the power of gratitude, affirmations, and meditation. Practicing these things daily has changed my mindset which has allowed me to perform better in my work and our projects. Another thing that makes this internship stand out is the network among executives. Alexis has also taken us on company visits to places like Magic Johnson Enterprises, Oprah Winfrey Network, Bedrock, The Lip Bar, and many more. We’ve gotten to sit down with high-level executives and ask them anything we want and in return, they offer to help us in any way they can. As a first-generation college student, I’ve never had access to executives at major companies, but this internship has been the bridge to creating a large network for my future career,” said Romero.
Jasmine N. Williams is a 21 year old rising senior at UCLA majoring in Psychology with a minor in Spanish.
“Every day, I plan to start my mornings expressing gratitude, affirming a successful day, meditating, and making my bed. I plan to navigate my life with love power and gratitude. I will use The Menternship’s lessons of network and business to create and facilitate long-lasting relationships. I will also use The Menternship’s lessons of branding and digital strategy analytics to increase brand awareness and increase sales in a job or internship setting. Just any company will not do – I want an experience with a company that follows The Menternship’s ideals of community, character, and resilience. For me, the “real world” has already begun in the sense that I have already begun to instill these practices,” said Williams.
The menterns’ business trip to Detroit has presented a unique opportunity. It’s allowed them to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they’ve developed over the past two months, while allowing them to see Detroit as a viable next step as the girls pursue their career goals in business, branding and marketing.
“This program was created to cultivate distinguished young women of excellence who value their character as much as they value their careers. I’m a firm believer that internal hard work leads to external success. If we teach girls to nourish their mental, emotional, and spiritual health, they’ll be better equipped to succeed and achieve their career goals in the future,” said Wilson. “The Menternship isn’t just preparing women to make millions, but also to make an impact as future world leaders with integrity, wisdom, and conviction.”
For more information on The Menternship, visit here.
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