July 1, 2024

Virgil Sheppard – President and CEO, Hope Partnership for Education

On Friday, May 17th, Hope Partnership for Education hosted its first Career Day since 2019. This event was one component of our graduate support and workforce development programming. Forty volunteers representing a wide array of professions attended the event and discussed their career paths with our middle school students and alumni community members. Our volunteers were realtors, educators, aviators, engineers, doctors, and so much more. They brought together hands-on activities to demonstrate common projects in their respective fields, answered questions about the essential skills required to succeed in obtaining a qualifying degree, and inspired students with words of encouragement.

The event started with Keynote Speaker Mek’hi Strong, Hope Partnership School Class of 2017, who shared wise words with the entire middle school and volunteers. “Everyone knows the saying that ‘if you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life’. I didn’t believe that until I started working at the Maleek Jackson Boxing Gym as their Social Media Manager. No matter where you start in your career, if you have a passion, don’t stop pursuing it because there will always be a door for you somewhere.”

This event was sponsored by the Hope Partnership for Education Board of Trustees and planned by the emergent Hope Partnership Young Professionals Committee members. Career Day would not have been possible without their belief in the Hope mission.