SOA Participates in the Association Forum’s Internship Program for Underrepresented Populations
September 2021 -- This summer, the SOA took part in a new internship program created by the Association Forum in partnership with National Louis University (NLU), to introduce under-represented undergraduate populations to the profession of association management. The program consisted of a ten-week internship, comprising a minimum of ten hours per week.
The Association Forum chose NLU to pilot this new program, as they are the third most frequently attended four-year college by Chicago Public School graduates and was ranked number one nationally in 2019 for increasing the percentage of the under-represented populations it serves. NLU’s first-time first-year undergraduate population consists of 80 percent first-generation college students, 72 percent Latino and 17 percent African American students.
Spearheaded by the Association Forum’s task force, which included SOA CEO Greg Heidrich, the internship program is designed to create greater awareness of the association management profession among undergraduate students, as well as creating a direct channel to future employment opportunities for under-represented populations. The program also demonstrates the commitment of Illinois-based associations as good corporate citizens and assists in the professional and economic development of the future workforce. Choose Chicago sponsors the internship program.
“Greg Heidrich’s vision and leadership in driving this program provides first-generation and diverse college students, like Jasmine, the opportunity to develop business skills and the exposure to a whole new industry in association management. It also builds SOA’s diverse talent pipeline,” says Solskin Gomez-Krogh, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Lead at the SOA.
Over the summer SOA welcomed rising senior and first-generation student Jasmine Irizarry to work closely with the Member Engagement Team on numerous projects. Within the first three weeks of her internship, the Computer Science, and Information Systems major expressed her happiness about the connections made and confidence she gained during her time at the SOA.
“This is the most comfortable team I have ever worked with,” said Irizarry. “This internship experience was one of the best professional experiences I have ever had. I’ve learned so many skills and I cannot wait to use them in future jobs.”