Young Adult Career Readiness & Empowerment (EmpoweReer)

   Grow Your Skills & Get a Jump Start on  Your Career


The Young Adult Career Readiness & Empowerment Summer program (EmpoweReer YEP!) is an innovative 18 month leadership and social impact internship program. Participants will experience a mix of experiential, competency and service learning opportunities through indoor group workshops and outdoor field trips and activities, coupled with a hands-on internship. Designed to empower 13-19 year old young adults, providing them with the necessary soft skills and leadership qualities to secure competitive career opportunities. The program meets 3 days a week, each is 2 hours, plus a 3-hour orientation session for participants and parents during the first day of the event, when participants will share their goals for the program. The program concludes with a 3-hour graduation ceremony where participants provide presentations of their learning experiences, acquired skills and their future plans. Young adults will spend a minimum of 40 contact hours over the course of the first 6 weeks in leadership development activities, and another 600 contact hours of retreats and hands-on experiential learning, entrepreneurship, project management and leadership activities over 18 months of Course duration.

Youth will meet twice a week virtually online during evenings between 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm, and in-person on Saturdays during the day time for learning experiences. Youth will also have access to the EmpoweReer Youth Leadership Lab and Incubator at other optional times during school-off days and seasons. 

Coaches

Ayman Nassar, M.Sc, PMP, ACP

Founder of Islamic Leadership Institute of America (ILIA), and Youth Crisis Line, with over 30+ years of experience youth and leadership development and business transformation and project portfolio management. He holds a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and a second Masters degree in Engineering Management & Systems Engineer and several leadership & management certificates. As director of EmpoweReer program he oversees the academic portion and learning experience of the participants.

Mahmoud Abuelroos, B.Sc. CSM, ITIL

Mahmoud brings over 10 years of IT and project management experience in multiple sectors including technology consulting, federal government and nonprofits. As a technology advisor, Mahmoud helped to implement technology and strategy solutions. Mahmoud is an ITIL v4 Foundation® certified and certified ScrumMaster, and is currently a Health Informatics Program Manager at the FDA helping the agency utilize technology to streamline and improve the regulatory drug review process. He held numerous roles in youth development organizations including MIST and ILIA serving as coach, judge and instructor, and a former ILIA board member from 2010-2011.

Bahaa Harraz, B.Sc.

Started his engagement with ILIA while in 6th grade, attending ILIA's young men's circle. In 2017, while a senior in year high school Bahaa became an active volunteer, chaperoning with the organization at ILIA's Middle School Entrepreneurship course, he then joined the Internship program as a Project Manager. In 2018 he was promoted to Youth Council President, and then in 2019 to President of the organization. He is a Computer Science graduate of University of Maryland, College Park Maryland, and a Quantum Physics researcher.

Yomna Nassar, B.Sc

Has been with the organization since she was 9, over the years she became a student, volunteer, intern and vice president. A recent graduate of University of Maryland, College Park with a degree in Global Health and Development. She has a passion for helping others and mentoring and empowering younger females.

Mohamed French, B.Sc.

ILIA's digital transformation leader and a long time member of the organization since the age of 11. Mohamed coaches participants on technology, business analysis and technology systems. He also provides technology support for students' projects. He is a graduate of University of Maryland, Baltimore County where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Information Systems.

Contact Us

We'd love to hear from you, so feel free to drop us a line

Program funded by Howard County and Islamic Leadership Institute of America, and generous parents and community donors The program is open to all youth ages 13 - 19 who reside in Howard County, Maryland, regardless of religious affiliation.