Celebrating 44 Graduates from Mercy Works’ Synergy Internship
On Friday, August 4, Mercy Works held our 2023 Synergy Graduation at The CNY Biotech Accelerator in Syracuse, New York. After completing a 10-week paid internship experience targeted toward their field of study, 44 college students presented their final projects and crossed the stage to accept their certificates of completion.
Synergy offers young scholars the development, training, and exposure they need to succeed in their future careers. They underwent rigorous pre-professional training that included modules on self-discovery and vision-based learning. It’s no wonder that 29% of the students that participated in Synergy this summer were returning students.
But we didn’t do it alone. Our community partners rallied around our students to bring transformative simulations and experiences to heighten personal development. We are so thankful for our returning worksite partners and for new organizations that understand what we are trying to accomplish. This summer we welcomed seven new organizations to the Synergy worksite family: Aspen Dental, Cooperative Federal, Fire Water Group, Hey Alec Productions, Jubilee Homes, Michael Sgro Leadership Consulting, and Wildebeest Publishing.
Our partner worksites understand that we are intentional when it comes to developing well-rounded young professionals while securing opportunities for underrepresented populations of young people within all industries. They provided real-life work experiences and shadowing opportunities that catapult our students’ drive in their upcoming academic year. Synergy graduates' futures are bright and they will do great things because collaboratively we sowed seeds of vision and purpose into their lives.
70% of our Synergy scholars graduated from a Syracuse City School District high school and live within the radius that we want to impact. Too many students don’t get offered the same life-changing opportunities. Syracuse.com reported the city’s child poverty rate is 42%, far higher than the state average of 19% and almost triple the National average of 17%. This translates into more than 12,000 children in Syracuse living below the poverty line.
Together we can change that. At Mercy Works, we are not just about providing pathways out of poverty. We are about providing on-ramps to purpose. We are meeting the very real needs of our city’s youth by empowering their personal growth and development. Through programs like Synergy, we engage students in ways that validate, encourage, and prepare them for the Syracuse workforce.
To provide access and equity to education for our students, we rely on donors to provide funding and structure to our programs while addressing systematic barriers to education. You can take action today to help the young people of our community. Your gift of any amount will give college students in our community a fair chance to accomplish their dreams.
Remember, thanks to our matching giving program, your gift will double until we reach $50,000.
Become a difference maker and donate today.