A Pitt internship will give students valuable business experience — and community groups a helping hand

Created with support from the Elsie H. Hillman Foundation and named for one of the region’s most impactful civic leaders, a new annual internship through the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute of Politics and Elsie Hillman Civic Forum will offer students valuable mentorship, marketable entrepreneurial skills and the opportunity to positively impact their local community.

Each academic year, two student recipients of the Doris Carson Williams Internship will work and produce professional projects for a community organization or public agency that supports entrepreneurs and small businesses. These students, selected through a competitive process, will also join the Elsie Hillman Honors Scholars Program, earn a weekly wage for the full academic year, earn three credit hours from Pitt’s David C. Frederick Honors College and attend regular seminars aimed at developing marketable career skills. The new program was announced at the Elsie Hillman Civic Forum’s “Never a Spectator” event on Oct. 30 with Doris Carson Williams (pictured) in attendance.

“It is a truly an honor to have the mentorship program for the Elsie Hillman Civic Forum bear my name. Elsie Hillman was an exceptional individual, distinguished by her kindness and generosity to Western Pennsylvania,” said Williams, who is co-chair of the Elsie Hillman Civic Forum. “Organizations like the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania will provide such invaluable opportunities to the participants. I am privileged by this recognition and grateful for the chance to contribute to the legacy of civic engagement and business development in our region.”

Williams has seen firsthand the powerful role mentorship plays in a person’s life and career — and ultimately the impact it can have in communities. As a businesswoman and aspiring politician in the 1970s, Williams was committed to advancing economic prosperity among Pittsburgh’s African American community. It was at that time that then-Republican National Committee Chair and Pittsburgh resident Elsie Hillman became her mentor and friend, a relationship that continued for decades.

“At the core of the 40-year friendship between Doris Carson Williams and Elsie Hillman was the desire to help others,” said David K. Roger, president of Hillman Family Foundations which includes Elsie H. Hillman Foundation. “The new internship is inspired by that spirit of community service and is a tribute to Doris’ unflagging commitment to Pittsburgh’s small business owners and entrepreneurs.”

Williams went on to become the founder of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania, which earned recognition as one of the nation’s largest and most successful chambers. It’s also one of the partner organizations that will host one of the first Doris Carson Williams Internship recipients, who will learn the ins-and-outs of working on programs and events for large community organizations.

“Doris’ impact reflects an extraordinary commitment to community and willingness to connect and mentor individuals throughout their careers. We are thrilled to have an opportunity to emulate Doris’ amazing leadership style and connect undergraduates with community partners that support entrepreneurs, small businesses and corporate social responsibility endeavors,” said Samantha Balbier, director of the Institute of Politics and the Elsie Hillman Civic Forum. “The vibrancy of our communities depends on small business growth and the visionary leadership that Doris continues to provide in our region. We are very grateful to the Elsie H. Hillman Foundation for this support.”

Along with being the immediate past president and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania, Williams is vice chair of the Highmark Foundation, serves on the board of the Highmark Caring Foundation and is a board member of Pennault Organics Inc. She co-chaired the 2009 G-20 summit in Pittsburgh, is a member of the International Women’s Forum and has been named a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania.

Find more information on the Elsie Hillman Civic Forum website. For inquiries, please email Tasha Peacock, assistant director of student programs and community outreach at the Institute of Politics, at tnf7 [at] pitt.edu.