Student Career Empowerment a non-profit organization is dedicated to assisting underserved students find customized internships in their field of study. Our underserved students face many challenges when considering a career for example, uncertain career goals and aspirations, lack of a professional network, financial hardships that prevent them from accepting unpaid internships, and little commun
ity support and accountability. On the other end of the spectrum, many businesses do not have the resources to recruit and train a highly skilled and diverse workforce. We bridge the gap between students and businesses to find customized internships that fulfill the needs of both parties. Students are given the opportunity to learn specialized skills for their chosen career path and business are provided with well-qualified candidates that fill their individual staffing goals. Ideally, these individualized internship experiences will lead to full-time employment after graduation, whether that be within the current company or at another business made available to the student through the connections they make while interning. Furthermore, research has indicated that many students are challenged when transitioning from academia to post-graduation employment. Students experience challenges with time management, negotiating workplace environment, dependability, taking initiative, networking, building relationships, and working independently. To help prepare students for these challenges, we take a unique holistic career coaching approach giving students the tools they need to achieve not only professional success, but also psychologically, physically, financially, and socially. As a Human Services Case Worker for the State of Illinois, Arsemiris Galva-Batista has had the privilege of providing resources to individuals to ease the challenges that come with being disadvantaged. Through her job, Arsemiris has been placed on the front lines observing the challenges the undeserved youth in the city of Chicago face regarding education and employment. Many of them don't have the support they need and fall through the cracks, burying their dreams and hopes. For Arsemiris, working in the field of social services has opened the doors to build something to help Chicago's youth. In 2010, Arsemiris Galva-Batista began strategizing ideas on how to assist students obtain the hands-on experience needed to enter the job market, while increasing their probability of acquiring employment right after college. During the summer of 2010, Mrs. Galva-Batista, started her study with her younger sister who at the time was a sophomore in college. Mrs. Galva-Batista provided mentoring and coaching services to her sister in addition to helping place her sister in two paid, part-time internships, one during her sophomore year and a second internship during her senior year. After her sister graduated college in the summer of 2012, her second internship was so pleased with her work that she was offered a full-time position. It was then, when Mrs. Galva-Batista, knowing that she could have an impact, started planning on how she could extend her services to other needy students in Chicago. With the desire of empowering and helping students reach their highest potential; Mrs. Galva- Batista assisted students with mentoring, holistic career coaching and customized internship placement. With the help of her co-founders, Arsemiris Galva-Batista founded and incorporated Student Career Empowerment (SCE) in the state of Illinois in 2013. In 2014, SCE obtained Fiscal Sponsorship from Goodcity Chicago, a non-profit organization. To date, Student Career Empowerment (SCE) has 11 board members representing all sectors and community leaders. The organization has helped match over 15 students with internships in the city of Chicago. Student Career Empowerment (SCE) is a non-profit organization which mission is to serve as a bridge between students and the business community. By working hand-in-hand with businesses and underserved students to identify their individual career development and staffing needs, we’re able to place students in customized internship experiences, thus delivering well-prepared individuals for our community’s workforce.
