Nurturing Leaders Program
The Nurturing Leaders Program is an internship and career development program for adolescent and young adult students at the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education (BIAAE). This program provides selected students from the BIAAE with:
- paid internships at the BIAAE;
- career readiness classes; and
- mentoring.
Paid internships are one–two hour weekly jobs that students will participate in during the Saturday arts programs. In their internships, Nurturing Leaders Program students will put into practice the skills they develop in their career readiness classes. Each intern will be assigned a supervisor and given one of three roles: greeter, administrative assistant, or teaching assistant/assistant director. Internships will begin in the spring 2022 semester.
Career readiness classes are biweekly, hour-long sessions focused on building and expanding important work and collaborative skills. The fall 2021 sessions focus on professional, soft, and self-advocacy skills. Classes are taught by BIAAE staff and held online. Students also get the opportunity to lead self-care activities and engage in whole group discussions.
Mentoring is an important support component of the Nurturing Leaders Program. Students are paired with a mentor (a BIAAE instructor they are familiar with) who provides support for their mentee. Mentors and mentees meet for approximately 30 minutes at a time, based on a schedule that works for both of them. Mentors guide their mentee when they are seeking resources or clarification in their internship or about the class.
Fall 2021 Nurturing Leaders Program Students

Zachary Jacobson
Assistant Director, Inner Harmony Ensemble

Brendan Reibel
Assistant Teacher

LaWren St. Germain
Assistant Director, Rock Band

Sai Pitman
Greeter

Leonardo Urbino
Administrative Assistant

Shania Ward
Greeter
Spring 2022 Nurturing Leaders Program Students

Christopher McGowan
Greeter

Kai Levin
Administrative Assistant

Danilo Lima
Assistant Teacher
Spring 2023 Nurturing Leaders Program Students

Alexander Abdullah
Greeter

Emily Portnoy
Greeter

Michaela Stringfellow
Greeter

Ravi Burtner
Assistant Teacher