Two Fellows Join CFES Brilliant Pathways for a One-Year Fellowship

Two recent college graduates have joined the CFES Brilliant Pathways team as new fellows for 2018-2019. They started one-year internships at the CFES central office in Essex, NY, in July as part of a program designed to advance career readiness — a key aspect of the CFES model.

Elisabeth Heyde is from Park Ridge, Illinois, and is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. With the experience gained from working with CFES, she hopes to attend graduate school in September 2019.

Mabel Whitchurch is from Somerset, England, and graduated from the University of Oxford in June. She studied Classics, focusing on Ancient Roman history, and is aiming to work for a non-profit organization upon her return to England.

“The CFES Fellowship offers valuable learning opportunities for recent graduates,” said Rick Dalton, CEO and president of CFES. “By contributing to special projects and by visiting schools integrating the CFES model, the fellows can see how our Core Practices — Essential Skills, Mentoring, and Pathways to College and Career — are implemented. We are excited to have both fellows here in Essex, and look forward to helping them advance into the 21st-century workplace.”

“I am really looking forward to learning corporate practices while making a true difference in the world at the same time,” Whitchurch said. “The fellowship is also a great opportunity for me to experience American culture first-hand and be part of a close-knit community in Essex.”

Heyde is excited to gain professional experience working for a non-profit and to learn more about CFES’ core practices. “The fellowship is such an unique opportunity to see how CFES builds students’ Essential Skills to prepare them for success at college and in the workforce,” Heyde said.

Two new fellows are chosen to join CFES Brilliant Pathways every year. Students graduating from college in 2019 are eligible to apply for the 2019-20 Fellowship, with selections announced in May.

CFES Brilliant Pathways is a global leader in helping K-12 underserved students from rural and urban communities become college and career ready, giving students an opportunity to forge their own route to a bright future. For 29 years, CFES has worked closely with schools, colleges and businesses in urban and rural areas to help students become college and career ready through mentoring and by equipping them with the EssentialSkills that include perseverance, agility, goal setting, networking, teamwork and leadership (www.brilliantpathways.org)