A recent graduate of the College of Saint Benedict and a current senior at the school have gotten the chance to make a real impact on the community around them while also gaining valuable professional experience as a result of completing summer leadership fellowships at the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota.
The state-wide community foundation – based in Minneapolis – “invests in ending systemic inequities and driving innovation for gender and racial justice.”
The Summer Leadership Fellows Program at CSB and SJU provides opportunities for students to engage in 10-week summer internships with nonprofit or governmental organizations.
Janett Jimenez, who graduated early from CSB in December of last year, was already interning with the foundation before beginning her fellowship there this summer. Jackie Chavez ’25 began her fellowship this summer as part of a year-long internship that will continue through the coming school year.
“What they do as an organization just seemed like a perfect fit,” said Chavez, a sociology major. “It ties into what I value and what I want to do.”
Chavez has already been able to work in multiple areas, experiencing everything the organization entails.
“I was able to help out with an event in rural Minnesota, working in Rochester and the surrounding communities,” she said. “I’ve been able to help with the programs they offer for women and persons of color. I’ve helped in the communications department and with providing a blog for their website.
“They’ve been really intentional when it comes to my professional development. They’re letting me dabble in every department to get a sense of where the best fit for me might be. Do I like the finance side of things, working with grantmaking? Or would I rather be helping to plan events or one-on-one meetings? It’s all been really valuable experience for me.”
Jimenez, meanwhile, has primarily been working as a project manager with the foundation’s Young Women’s Initiative program, launched in partnership with the Governor’s Office in 2016.
Specifically in two areas: The Young Women’s Cabinet and the Innovators Program.
“The Young Women’s Cabinet is a way to empower and encourage young women across the state to advocate for social issues they see in their communities and in areas where they want to make change,” said Jimenez, a double major in sociology and Hispanic studies at CSB with a minor in Latin American studies.
“The Innovator’s Program helps to offer grant funding to young women innovators across the state hoping to start businesses and make change in their communities.”
Both Jimenez and Chavez said being involved in the summer leadership fellows program helped connect them with the Women’s Foundation.
“The program not only exposed me to this opportunity, but it helped me get the funding for my fellowship throughout this summer,” Jimenez said.
“There’s a sense of belonging and giving back that’s really encouraged here and a program like this helps you find an area where you can see yourself working in the future,” Chavez added.