Allies Engage with Communities

 

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When Emilina Mojuta graduated from high school in May, she knew she wanted to be a pharmacy technician, but was unsure where to start. Then ASU’s Public Allies, in partnership with Communities in Schools, visited her school and helped Mojuta connect with the necessary resources to allow her to continue her education.

 

Public Allies’ mission is to advance diverse, young leaders to strengthen communities.  The program provides a non-traditional approach to preparing students for the challenges of managing nonprofit organizations.  During their 10 months in the program, “Students spend 40 to 50 hours a week in the field, working in leadership positions,” said Michelle Lyons-Mayer, director of the program. “We like to think of it as an apprenticeship, because unlike a typical internship, the allies direct and pilot service projects that help communities grow.”

 

For Mojuta, working with Public Allies meant receiving the help she needed to connect with the right programs and to navigate through the tech school admissions process. “It was incredible how they arranged for everything,” she said, “not just for me to get my pharmacy tech training license but to get paid for it too. Because they know where to go and what to do, they can change lives and make everybody reach their goals. I’m really grateful for them.”

 

When ASU student and ally Matt Besenfelder made the decision to focus his education on social justice, he found he was in the right place.  “If ASU hadn’t had a program, I probably wouldn’t be here doing what I’m doing.”  Basenfelder is working on a project for Helping Hands Housing Services in Phoenix conducting resident interviews at one of their properties.   He is collecting information on the residents’ needs and using the information to compile a resource guide of social services available within a two-mile radius.

 

The project places him directly in the center of the community it serves. Because of the close interaction with the residents, Besenfelder feels a responsibility to learn the history of the area and its demographics. “I grew up in Phoenix, but I am learning that to come in and empower a community you have to understand it.” 

 

Monica L. Stigler oversees Matt’s work at Helping Hands. “I’m really excited to have Matt here.  He’s only been here two weeks but he’s done a lot of good stuff already.”  In addition to the resource guide, Basenfelder works with Stigler on program conceptualization and development and building links between nonprofits.

 

Because the allies are dispersed around the Valley, they have developed a community of their own. They network among their different organizations in order to connect people and services. Ally Elizabeth Celaya of Communities in Schools agrees the program is a model for community cooperation. “We need to work with other nonprofits not against them,” she said. “We’re lucky because through the allies, [the resources of] thirty other organizations are available to us.”

 

Participation in Public Allies Arizona is open to all community members and does not require affiliation with ASU. Students are not required to use the education stipend they earn to pursue a degree at ASU, but most do because of their invaluable experience. Celia Williams, Public Allies alum, stayed as a part of the program’s leadership. “There is so much more to learn and to do,” she said. Growing up, Williams always thought she would become a Wildcat but realized “ASU has the programs and support necessary for me to meet my career goals in social change.”

 

Since the program’s inception a year ago, requests from community groups doubled as word spread throughout the Valley’s nonprofit sector about the allies’ dedication and initiative. Cassandra Hilpman with Communities in Schools sees a bright future for the young leaders in the nonprofit sector. “Our first ally did a tremendous job, so we hired her for a permanent position and were lucky enough to get three allies this year,” she said. “We want more.”

 

Lucia Bill, ASU in the Community feature writer
Lucia.Bill@asu.edu
480-727-8339

 

To learn more about how ASU is engaged with the community, please visit ASU in the Community’s Program Database which connects you to a wide variety of specific ASU outreach efforts.