The Girl that Reminds Me Why I Do This Work: Our Partnership Manager on the Importance of our Mentorship Model
Every member of the Girls Inc. of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey team plays a part in ensuring all participants are inspired to be strong, smart, and bold. This goes beyond the facilitators that lead Girls Inc. programs to the administrative and executive staff, our Board of Directors, our Career Exploration partners, and beyond. And in turn, every member of our team is inspired by the girls who walk through our doors. For Partnership Manager Lily Knoerzer, one of those girls is alumna Imani R.
A major part of the Partnership Manager’s job as our lead corporate liaison is the Project Accelerate internship program. Lily develops a deep understanding of how each of our corporate and community partners fit into the work we do,maintaining the same level of understanding for all Project Accelerate participants: their experience, education, and career goals. For Lily, Imani is a participant that solidified why she does the work that she does.
“She has left a huge impression on my heart and career,” Lily says. “As a participant in our Eureka! STEM program , Imani successfully completed three internships through the Project Accelerate initiative, growing into her strengths and leaning on the girls in her cohort as well as her Girls Inc. mentors through both extreme adversity as well as big personal wins.”
Over Imani’s high school years in Girls Inc., Lily has had the privilege of having a front row seat to watch Imani’s growth into the young woman she is today. Moments throughout their mentor/mentee relationship continue to inspire her.
“When Imani courageously applied and was accepted to Howard University following two successful internships at DPR Construction and during a difficult time for her family, it was a perfect reminder of the importance of empowering girls to take charge of their own lives. With her Eureka! cohort to lean on as well as the Girls Inc. and DPR mentors and connections she’d made along the way, Imani felt safe and secure to make this huge decision about her education and knew she’d have the support needed to carry it through.”
Lily and Imani with Imani’s internship host, DPR Construction
“Imani’s fortitude and grace through such a huge and important year of her life were very inspiring to me,” Lily says. “Her perseverance was a great reminder of what we’re all capable of and how important support systems can be in our day-to-day lives.”
It’s an important reminder that at Girls Inc., every team member is a part of the circle of support that all participants should feel safe to lean on.
As for Imani’s future, Lily is optimistic and excited to continue to be a part of it. “I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know Imani through Girls Inc.,” she says. “I hope to stay in touch with her and cheer her on through her next chapter!”
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At Girls Inc., we believe that girls have inherent strengths and abilities, and our job is to help develop them, uncover new ones, and tell the world to be ready for what’s coming. Your donation today will play a pivotal role as we move forward into the new year and continue our work of uplifting the new generation of leaders.
