meet the interns: From College to City Leadership with Micah, Abbey, and Mary
“Memphians are amazing, the culture is amazing, and experiencing southern hospitality has been so refreshing. Everyone’s really welcoming. It feels like home instantly.”
This Summer, City Leadership is hosting interns from all over Memphis (and even Arizona!), each with different stories, motivations and dreams, but the common interest in bringing hope to our city.
Today we’ll be spotlighting CL’s self-initiated interns, who joined the team this Summer to learn the functions of an innovative work environment as well as the factors that contribute to non-profit success. Whether balancing life as College Students or engaging with their communities, our interns are eager to give back to the city of Memphis and grow as young professionals.
Meet Micah Cooper
Micah Cooper is a rising Junior at the University of Arizona with a major in Business Management. He joined City Leadership through LX (Leadership Experience) - a Phoenix-based program tailored for aspiring and wizened business leaders alike as a way of uniting professionals of similar work-ethics and leadership approaches. After a period spent working with LX’s marketing team, Micah got involved with City Leadership via a family connection and the network he had fostered during his time with LX. Currently, he’s working closely with City Leadership’s CEO, John Carroll, who’s been a direct influence on Micah’s enthusiasm for non-profit.
Why are leadership and community engagement important to you personally?
“Leadership matters to me, because it coincides with the start and endpoints of a workplace hierarchy. People who look up to you might end up rising to a similar position, and more will follow suit. So it’s important that you get leadership right because it’s a continuous chain. I’d say for community engagement, all the social and economic problems we face today hinge on community engagement, and a lot of those problems could be fixed when those people connect.”
What tools, strategies, or ideas have you observed at City Leadership that you might apply in your future career?
“I'd love to learn as much as I can about just like the operational side of a non-profit. Working a lot with Clayton [COO] has been interesting because I’m seeing how people thrive in areas they are well-versed in. I think that's definitely something you could learn a lot from. And then just working with John, his excitement for everything. And just his drive to make an impact is inspiring. And the way he formulates ideas and tackles problems is super interesting.”
Meet Abbey Brennan
Abbey Brennan is a sophomore at the University of Tennessee Knoxville majoring in English with a concentration in creative writing. She was introduced to City Leadership thanks to a family connection, but was immediately enticed by the organization’s hope-centric mission of encouraging a new generation of potential leaders. Abbey aspires to fuel change with the power of storytelling, whether through local small business owners, Choose901 Alumni, or her fellow Memphians. She has been working closely with the Marketing and Development team, curating blogs, getting to know her coworkers, and highlighting community members on the City Leadership website.
Why did you choose to intern with City Leadership this summer?
“I love this city and was drawn to the optimism of this organization. It can feel bleak living here, and there is a stigmatism about the area that follows you wherever you go. I want to help contribute to City Leadership's mission to create positivity and encourage new leaders to rise through alumni communication and awareness.”
Describe Memphis in one word — and explain why you chose it.
“Potential. Memphis has the potential to be a place where people from all kinds of backgrounds come together to lift each other up, whether through small businesses, non-profits, or even just neighborhood get-togethers. The community has reason to hope because we have each other.”
Meet Mary Rowland
Mary Rowland is a rising senior that also attends the University of Tennessee Knoxville. She is majoring in communications, and learned about City Leadership through Choose901. A Memphis local, Mary is excited to learn more about her hometown and be a light to its community. Her interest in the Communications industry has put her right at home with City Leadership’s Marketing and Development team, where she is putting her social media skills to work creating unique content for the campaigns. As she sees it, social media is a great way to bring awareness to local events and inspire more people to take initiative in their community.
What are you hoping to learn during your internship at city leadership?
“I’m hoping to learn more skills and strategies that I can use to amplify my marketing skills. I have already learned so many tools, websites, and apps that have upped my social media game. I want to learn how to communicate and connect with multiple people and places in Memphis.”
what do you love most about memphis?
“I love how everyone is connected. The city and people are so intertwined. Everyone knows everyone or knows a friend of a friend. It honestly makes Memphis feels small. I feel so loved and involved in my city.”
