MOUSE Corps

MOUSE Corps is MOUSE’s New York based youth development program that provides opportunities for high school students to apply their skills and broaden their professional experience through shadowships, internships, mentoring and in-depth technology projects. Shadowships, which were the focus of this project, offer students an afterschool opportunity to “shadow” professionals and develop 21st century skills for today’s information society. The MOUSE Corps’ staff decided to leverage The Community Corps to match students with corporate volunteers working with technology.

The Community Corps connected MOUSE Corps’ students with 11 passionate mentors and a wonderful point person from New York Life Insurance Company. For several hours during a two week span, the MOUSE Corps’ students shadowed the New York Life volunteers, gaining valuable first-hand business experience.

Sean Mulligan, Corporate Vice President of Emerging Technologies, New York Life explains that, "having the opportunity to experience a real world business setting in an open and friendly manner provides the student with greater insight into their potential future. Some of the experiences during the Shadowship will provide them an awareness of what they can expect and should strive for." Krizia Sapida, MOUSE Program Manager, agrees with him, adding that, "the bridge between education (non-profit world) and the for-profit world is so vital and can open up so many possibilities, so I am very happy with how The Community Corps is leveraging these relationships because there's certainly a need for it!"