When Lina Yousef joined our Workforce Prep Mentoring Program during the 2023–24 school year at Community High School in Sterling Heights, she was preparing to graduate and thinking about what would come next.
Today, she is entering her junior year at Oakland University, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a minor in Artificial Intelligence. Her volunteer Career Mentor is Carmen Gaines of Turner Construction. The Turner Construction Foundation is a sponsor of students in our Workforce Prep Mentoring Program.
“I was preparing to graduate from high school and trying to figure out what comes next,” Lina said. “Today, I’m proud to be a college student, entering my junior year at Oakland University.”
Through hard work and dedication, Lina earned multiple scholarships. She is a two-time recipient of our Cupp-Hamilton Scholarship and a recipient of our Melvin Akins Memorial Scholarship.
While scholarships have helped support Lina’s education, mentorship and professional connections have played an equally important role in her growth.
“One of the most important lessons I have learned is that building relationships in your field is about more than networking,” Lina said. “It’s about finding your community. Making even one genuine connection can open doors, offer guidance, and remind you that you are not on this journey alone.”
Those connections recently led to an exciting opportunity.
Our Career Connections Program is a new initiative designed to connect our business partners with our students for internships and employment. Through this program and her mentor, Carmen, Lina landed a 2026 summer internship at Turner Construction.
According to our Chief Program Officer Bryan Howard, Lina’s journey demonstrates what can happen when students are given the right combination of support, opportunity, and determination.
“Lina has embraced every opportunity available to her and continues to challenge herself academically and professionally,” Howard said. “We’re excited to see where her talent, determination, and curiosity take her next.”
For Lina, the support she has received through our program and her mentors have made a lasting difference.
“I learned how important it is to have people who genuinely believe in you,” she said. “There’s a quote that says, ‘Believing is contagious. When someone believes in your potential, it becomes easier to believe in yourself.'”
As Lina continues pursuing her goals, her story demonstrates the power of mentorship, opportunity, and believing in what is possible.
Learn more about our Workforce Prep Mentoring Program and being a volunteer Career Mentor.