July 20, 2018 • EPE Related News
El Paso Times: El Paso Electric summer interns launch project to renovate recovery facility
As El Pasoans start to enjoy the summer season, 21 local interns will be getting ready for the project of a lifetime. Every summer, El Paso Electric (EPE) selects college and high school students to participate in a 12-week internship program that helps them gain valuable job experience while giving back to the community. Apart from working closely with different departments across EPE, students develop a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, in which they plan and execute a project that aims to benefit the El Paso area.
The internship, apart from being a career development opportunity, allows students to also give back to their home and community. Through the CSR initiative, interns learn valuable lessons about teamwork, leadership and project management that will help them in college and beyond.
“My favorite part of the internship program is being able to collaborate as a team, both with the high school and college students. I like to get to know the college interns, hear about their experiences, and ultimately learn a lot from them,” said Daniel De la Cruz, a returning high school intern from the 2017 summer program who works in EPE’s human resources department.
This year, the students will be developing a project that works to address the issue of substance abuse through the refurbishment of Aliviane, Inc., a nonprofit that offers treatment and recovery programs to the El Paso community. The students will be working through the summer to meet the goal of raising $12,000, to be donated to Aliviane, for the renovation of their facility. Among the activities the interns are developing is Awareness Week, which will be held at EPE’s Stanton headquarters throughout the week of July 16 and consist of informative events that focus on educating EPE employees about a wide range of topics related to overcoming substance abuse and promoting mental health.
“I hope to impact our community in great ways this summer through our CSR project,” said Alejandra Acosta, a college intern who works in EPE’s resource planning department. “By choosing a cause that is truly important to all of us, I hope to better educate the community about a prominent issue that affects El Paso and make a tangible, lasting difference.”
In the past, interns have raised money to help furnish a new building for the Center Against Sexual and Family Violence (2017), and built the first Born Learning Trail (2016) in Northeast El Paso, located at Veterans Park.
To learn more about the Summer College and High School Internship Program, as well as EPE’s year-round internship programs, visit epelectric.com.
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