Today, we are thrilled to spotlight Ernise Cummings, an exceptional corporate sponsor, advocate, and mentor whose commitment continues to shape the future of women entering the workforce. Great talent needs opportunity, but transformative growth requires mentorship. As both a corporate sponsor and a hands-on mentor within the WINternship program, Ernise has consistently demonstrated what it means to lead with intention, empathy, and strategic vision. Throughout her career, Ernise has built a reputation for excellence, combining executive leadership with an unwavering commitment to opening doors for the next generation. Rather than supporting from the sidelines, she stepped directly into our community to provide our WINterns with the high-impact coaching, professional accountability, and real-world perspective that textbooks simply cannot teach. Her mentorship this year has been instrumental in helping our interns bridge the gap between academic theory and corporate execution. Through regular 1-on-1 strategy sessions, professional development workshops, and candid feedback, Ernise has guided our cohort across key pillars of career success: Helping emerging leaders present ideas with clarity, authority, and confidence. Equipping WINterns with the emotional intelligence and tactical problem-solving needed for complex workplace environments. Teaching mentees how to manage stakeholder expectations, set project milestones, and drive results. Providing candid career guidance, goal setting, and insights on building sustainable professional networks. Her approachable leadership style, willingness to share lived experiences, and passion for empowering women have left an enduring mark on our interns and our entire organization. By investing her time, resources, and expertise, Ernise has not only mentored individuals, she has elevated our entire mission. As this cohort prepares to step confidently into the next chapter of their careers, we know that the lessons, encouragement, and sponsorship provided by Ernise will serve as their foundation for years to come. We could not be more grateful for her partnership and dedication to the WIN community! Connect with Ernise HERE Follow her journey and celebrate her dedication to empowering the next generation of women leaders!

As the end of the year approaches, we are reflecting on the incredible journey of our current cohort of WINterns, and today, we are thrilled to spotlight LeAnne Crouse as she prepares to complete her WINternship! LeAnne joined the WINternship program with an impressive background and a clear vision for her future. A Business Administration & Management major with a minor in Public Relations and Strategic Communication at Commonwealth University - Bloomsburg Campus, LeAnne has consistently demonstrated what it means to lead with intention. Throughout her college career, LeAnne mastered the art of time management by balancing full-time studies with 25–35 hours of weekly work, a daily commute, and extensive campus involvement. Before joining us, she made a strong impact as a Civic Engagement Assistant—securing community partnerships for local women's shelters and coordinating voter registration drives and served as an active leader in Sigma Sigma Sigma (Delta Zeta Chapter). Driven by her ambition to build a career as a Project Coordinator and Manager in marketing, social media, and event planning, LeAnne brought her hands-on freelance social media experience into a structured environment focused on mentorship and community empowering women. Throughout her time in the program, she expanded her skill set across: * Marketing Research & Social Media Strategy * Data Analysis & Performance Reporting * CRM & Email Marketing * Lead Generation & Community Management Her proactive communication style, dedication to execution, and passion for community collaboration have made a lasting impression on our team and community. As LeAnne finishes her WINternship in November, she is well-equipped to take on dynamic roles in event coordination, marketing, and project management. We could not be prouder of her growth and achievements! 🔗 Connect with LeAnne Follow her journey and support her next steps in her professional career!

As the end of the year approaches, we are reflecting on the incredible journey of our current cohort of WINterns, and today, we are thrilled to spotlight LeAnne Crouse as she prepares to complete her WINternship! LeAnne joined the WINternship program with an impressive background and a clear vision for her future. A Business Administration & Management major with a minor in Public Relations and Strategic Communication at Commonwealth University - Bloomsburg Campus, LeAnne has consistently demonstrated what it means to lead with intention. Throughout her college career, LeAnne mastered the art of time management by balancing full-time studies with 25–35 hours of weekly work, a daily commute, and extensive campus involvement. Before joining us, she made a strong impact as a Civic Engagement Assistant—securing community partnerships for local women's shelters and coordinating voter registration drives and served as an active leader in Sigma Sigma Sigma (Delta Zeta Chapter). Driven by her ambition to build a career as a Project Coordinator and Manager in marketing, social media, and event planning, LeAnne brought her hands-on freelance social media experience into a structured environment focused on mentorship and community empowering women. Throughout her time in the program, she expanded her skill set across: * Marketing Research & Social Media Strategy * Data Analysis & Performance Reporting * CRM & Email Marketing * Lead Generation & Community Management Her proactive communication style, dedication to execution, and passion for community collaboration have made a lasting impression on our team and community. As LeAnne finishes her WINternship in November, she is well-equipped to take on dynamic roles in event coordination, marketing, and project management. We could not be prouder of her growth and achievements! 🔗 Connect with LeAnne Follow her journey and support her next steps in her professional career!

While this may not be my first experience as a mentee, being a mentee for Sarah Curcio, the founder and owner of Sarah Social Strategy, has been especially rewarding and fulfilling. I am a recent graduate of Grand Valley State University’s Advertising and Public Relations program. Known for its experiential learning-based model and common “flipped classroom” teaching style, I consider myself privileged to have spent the last several semesters practicing the skills I learned through hands-on experiences, collaborative projects, and plenty of hard work. When entering my internship with Women Into Networking, I was asked which areas of growth I wanted to focus on throughout my experience. I remember taking a moment to pause and think: for the first time since registering for my last classes, I once again had the independence to choose my next path. Given a list of options filled with terms I was accustomed to but not necessarily familiar with, I combed through my choices, overwhelmed by the limited number of responses I was permitted to submit. I had a harsh realization: while my undergraduate education experience was coming to a close, the room to grow kept expanding. Growing and Bending While I was not naive enough to think my learning was done, I was quickly disheartened by what felt like a “lack” of experience or knowledge on my part. After spending years in classrooms where assignments came with rubrics, deadlines, and clear expectations, entering a professional environment felt different. There was no syllabus telling me exactly what I needed to know next. That is where mentorship became especially meaningful. Working with Sarah has given me the opportunity to learn through direct feedback, weekly guidance, and conversations with someone who has experience navigating the same industry I am now entering. Each week gives me a new opportunity to ask questions, reflect on where I can improve, and talk through ideas without feeling like I need to have the perfect answer before I speak. The value of that feedback extends beyond the specific skills I am developing. It has helped me become more confident in my ability to receive constructive criticism without viewing it as a reflection of what I am doing wrong. Instead, I have learned to see feedback as an indication of where I can continue growing. Having consistent guidance has also made me more comfortable with uncertainty. There are moments when I still question whether I am experienced enough, knowledgeable enough, or prepared enough for what comes next. But mentorship has reminded me that being new to something does not mean I am unqualified to learn it. Finding That Grace As a recent graduate, there can be an unspoken expectation to immediately know what you are doing. You graduate, update your résumé, enter the workforce, and somehow become the polished professional you imagined yourself becoming alongside your peers. In reality, growth does not happen that quickly and rarely ever that neatly. My weekly conversations with Sarah and the opportunity to learn alongside other WINterns have given me a space to recognize that I am not the only person still figuring things out. Hearing questions, ideas, and experiences from my peers has made professional growth feel less like a competition and more like a shared experience. Direct feedback has shown me where I can improve, while weekly guidance has helped me recognize the progress I might otherwise overlook. A Fresh Perspective Mentorship has not given me all the answers, but I don’t think it should. Instead, it has given me something much more valuable: the confidence to ask better questions, the perspective to accept feedback, and the grace to recognize that becoming a professional is a process. I am still growing. I am still bending. And for the first time, I am learning to see that as something to be proud of.

Who is my Mentor? When I first met my mentor, Allegra Jackson, I was stunned. Allegra is a founder of WIN, a business coach, and an entrepreneur. Allegra is exactly who most women in the business field, strive to be. She is confident, filled with knowledge, and well spoken. I have only worked with Allegra for three weeks now, but I can tell I'm going to gain experience, tips, and tricks that I did not foresee. What's In Store? At the moment, Allegra has myself and my co-intern working on market research for a pre-launched app. Pretty cool, right? We need to conduct research on different complexities of the apps' attracting demographic to find potential/ideal funders. You can't buy experience this good. On top of that we get to engage with the creator and other skilled professionals - as guest speakers. Opportunities seem endless. What's in it for ME? Not only am I lucky enough to work under a woman who has had 20+ years of experience founding, coaching, and curating businesses - I get to participate. I am most eager to learn the "in's & outs" of a business. The raw side of business that can make or break its success. Real research In real time Reporting/aiding to re al clients Portfolio While working on our portfolios, my mentorship program will add: Mock campaigns Market research Analytics & More - coming soon! Stay Tuned! I'm hopeful this additional program (mentorship program) will deepen the impact of the Women into Networking Internship. Be advised that horizons are broadening, one assignment at a time.

By Daniela Zehnder As a college student getting ready for graduation, I have grown to realize that growth in your career, especially in the early stages, is never solely an individual effort. While the effort you put into growing your skills and your network is the driving force of success, it is never the only force. Mentors can appear at any point in your life, whether it be a professor in one of your classes or a boss you encounter at an internship, and the impact remains just as powerful. Mentors provide guidance, perspective, and encouragement, and give mentees the opportunity to showcase their curiosity, fresh ideas, and a willingness to learn. This relationship is not only giving advice when asked for it. It is a growing relationship that relies on trust, communication, and mutual respect for each other. Anyone with more experience than you can shell out advice, but a mentor helps guide you through the process and helps you learn how to interpret different obstacles or challenges in your own way. This guidance creates a space that encourages questions, mess-ups, and experiences that can be shared without the expectation of having all the answers. I’ve thought about the idea of mentors as I come closer to my senior year and reflected on all of the mentor relationships I’ve encountered through my years as a student, and I’ve gained a new understanding of the role of a mentor. The guidance and perspective that a mentor provides cannot be learned in a textbook or a course. Their own experiences, successes, and mistakes can help a mentee see situations from a different point of view and guide them into understanding their own point of view. A good mentor does not simply tell a mentee what to do. Instead, they provide honest feedback and encourage the mentee to make decisions with greater confidence. In the same way a mentor has a role in this relationship, the mentee has certain responsibilities as well. This relationship is not one-sided in its effort. Being a mentee and accepting this guidance means bringing curiosity, openness, and a willingness to learn. You ask questions, seek honest feedback, and apply what you learn to your own experiences as you learn them. In some cases, this openness and curiosity can also encourage the mentor to learn and grow as well. One of the most valuable aspects of mentorship is the opportunity to learn from experiences and mistakes. Learning from these experiences and mistakes that have already been lived through can provide a starting point for the mentee to create their own path. Meaningful mentorship is not about creating a copy of the mentor themselves, but helping people just starting in their goals to embrace and discover their own potential for success. Every person has their own strengths and weaknesses, and a good mentor provides guidance without taking away independence, allowing the mentee to build confidence in their own decisions. This confidence and appreciation for support encourage a cycle of guidance where individuals are eager to create new mentee experiences that help others and share the knowledge previously passed on to them. To wrap up my revelations on mentor relationships, the journey of a mentor-mentee relationship involves both people's perspectives and effort. The mentor brings experience and wisdom, while the mentee brings curiosity and thirst for knowledge. While these two responsibilities are different, both parties have valuable characteristics to contribute, creating a strong and close relationship. Being a mentor is all about building confidence and offering perspective, and being a mentee is all about being open to this perspective while expressing your own ideas and knowledge, and I am excited to experience and explore both sides of this relationship as I start my professional journey.

My experience as a mentee with Mirakul Moments has been a great opportunity for me to learn, grow, and improve my skills. Throughout this experience, my mentor, Nasya, has helped me learn more about professional communication, social media, and content creation. One of the biggest things I have learned is the importance of professional communication. Whether it is asking questions, responding to feedback, meeting deadlines, or keeping others updated, good communication is an important skill to have in any professional environment. This mentorship has given me the opportunity to practice these skills and become more confident when communicating with others. I have also learned a lot about social media and content creation. Through different assignments, I have been able to practice creating social media posts, captions, graphics, stories, and other content. These projects have helped me think more carefully about the purpose behind a post, who the intended audience is, and how content can represent a brand. One thing I really appreciate about having Nasya as my mentor is the feedback she gives me on my content. Whenever I create something, she takes the time to point out what I did well while also showing me where I can improve. Her feedback has helped me pay more attention to the small details that can make content stronger and more professional. I never feel like I am simply being told what is wrong; instead, her feedback gives me a better understanding of what I can do differently next time. Because of this, I have become more confident in my content creation and more open to making changes that improve my work. I am grateful to have a mentor who encourages my creativity while also pushing me to continue growing. Overall, being a mentee with Mirakul Moments has helped me strengthen skills that I can continue using in school, future internships, and my career. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from Nasya and gain hands-on experience in areas that interest me. This mentorship has shown me that growth comes from being willing to learn, accept feedback, communicate professionally, and continue improving. I look forward to taking everything I have learned from this experience and using it as I continue growing personally and professionally.

When you first think of the word mentor, what do yo think of? For me I think of someone in your field who’s successful, encouraging, busy, and kind of stern. Everyone has their own idea of what a good mentor is because everyone has different end goals. Different people want to learn different things and use them in ways that may or may not be the same, so a mentor has a different meaning for certain people. When I heard that in the WIN program, I would be getting a mentor I was excited and a little nervous. I had never had a mentor before and didn’t know what to expect. As I gave it more thought I asked myself, what was I looking for in a mentor? The answer? I wanted a mentor who was kind but expressed what they wanted or needed; I wanted a mentor who could guide me and show me how to conduct myself in the field I was going into. To me Ms. Ernise did just that! Today I am briefly going to talk about my experience with my first mentor and how everything is going so far. My experience with Ernise has been amazing! Initially, before meeting her, I was so nervous about who my mentor would be and was hoping to get paired with someone I could learn from and have a casual yet professional relationship with. When we first met over zoom all my worries faded and she greeted me with such kindness. It was the type of kindness that was so familiar it calmed me down instantly and later motivated me to do work she would be proud of. Thus far our relationship is growing and the work that we do together will reflect the dedication we both have to making difference. To close us out I want to specifically talk about the program that gave me the chance to have my first mentor. Women into Networking has given me the space to explore different possibilities and this mentorship is one of them. I have learned so much in this program, and it has inspired me to want to do better in my endeavors as a communicator. WIN in some ways, is my beginning in the PR field and for that I am so grateful. I hope the rest of my time here continues to be filled with learning opportunities and self discovery.

Supportive network of women holding hands About 2 weeks ago, I was able to gain a meaningful new mentorship with my mentor, Allegra Jackson. My first impression of her was great! My mentor makes me feel comfortable to ask questions and be vulnerable about any challenges I may face. Since we are in the same area, we can have a hands-on learning experience, which makes me look forward to the partnership. As a mentee and a mentor, we can learn from each other, which excites me about the mentorship journey. To start, my mentor and I were able to set a foundation and discuss my goal. My Mentor and I spoke about: • Career paths I’m interested in • Skills I want to develop • Gaining strategies She made it very clear that she wants to aid me with my skills as much as possible and explained the side of business she wants to focus on. We are completing our first assignment, focusing on analyzing and auditing a company. I love how we are starting strong because auditing a company is a skill I want to develop. Not only will this help me gain a skill for myself, but my work will create tangible results for the company. As I go through this assignment and future assignments, it is important that I communicate with my mentor and feel free to ask any questions regarding my tasks. In the future, I would like to continue to communicate with my mentor. I have confidence that this will be a partnership that can grow. I am excited to see my knowledge expand in business and Marketing and to use these concepts within the workforce and entrepreneurship. The goal for this opportunity is to welcome feedback, be adaptable, and communicate. I do recommend having a mentor and someone who can keep you on your toes professionally!

Mentorship Experience Starting my first internship has been an exciting and meaningful step for me. When I joined WIN, I was both nervous and excited because I had never had a social media internship. I was excited to start this new journey, meet new people, gain real experience, and develop my skills in social media and marketing! Meeting My Mentor One of the things I was most excited about was finding out who my mentor would be. Before our first Zoom meeting, I was a little nervous because I didn’t know what to expect. When I found out that Sarah would be my mentor, I was really happy. After our first conversation, I immediately felt that we would have great communication and that I would be able to learn a lot from her. She made me feel comfortable, and I knew that this would be a productive and positive experience. Learning Through Real Projects It has now been a few weeks since I started my internship, and I’ve already had the opportunity to work on different social media and marketing tasks. I really enjoy that the projects are creative and give me the opportunity to think of new ideas and actually apply my skills. I’ve been working on things like: Creating social media content Developing creative content ideas Working on carousel posts Thinking about ways to increase engagement Learning more about social media strategy I’ve already learned so many new things, and it’s exciting to think about how much more I’ll learn during the next few months. Grateful for My Mentor Sarah has been an amazing mentor. She is very knowledgeable, creative, and professional, and I really appreciate the opportunity to learn from her. I also appreciate how kind and supportive she is. It makes it easy to communicate, ask questions, share ideas, and work together on new projects. I think having a mentor who makes you feel comfortable and encourages you to grow can make such a big difference, especially during your first internship. Looking Forward I’m very grateful to be part of the WIN internship program and to contribute to the WIN community. I’m excited to continue learning, creating new content, and developing my social media and marketing skills. There are still many months ahead, and I’m looking forward to all the new projects, challenges, and opportunities to grow that are coming next!

How My Journey Began For the past few months I have had the incredible opportunity to participate in the Women Into Networking mentorship program, where I was paired with Nasya Shepard and Mirakul Moments. As a Communications Studies student at James Madison University, I have always been interested in storytelling, connecting with others, and finding creative ways to share messages. This mentorship experience allowed me to take those interests and apply them in a real world professional setting. When I first started this mentorship, I was excited to learn more about entrepreneurship, digital marketing, branding, and the behind the scenes work that goes into helping businesses grow. I wanted to gain experience beyond the classroom and challenge myself to develop new skills that would prepare me for my future career. Through my time with Mirakul Moments, I have been able to explore what it means to build a brand, create meaningful content, communicate professionally, and understand how businesses can use creativity and strategy to connect with their audiences. What is Mirakul Moments? Mirakul Moments, LLC is a company built around empowering individuals, entrepreneurs, and businesses through creativity, encouragement, and professional services. The company's mission focusses on providing experiences that help clients excel, reach their goals, and recognize the potential within their own stories. Founded by Nasya Shepard, Mirakul Moments was created from a personal journey of overcoming challenges and using those experiences to inspire others. The company focuses on uplifting others, encouraging authenticity, and helping people use their voices to create meaningful change. Mirakul Moments provides a variety of creative and professional services, including branding support, digital content, customized designs, theme songs, flyers, and other creative solutions designed to help businesses and individuals bring their visions to life. What stood out to me about Mirakul Moments was the importance placed on creativity, connection, and helping others. The company is not only focused on providing services but also creating relationships and encouragin people to believe their own ideas. Learning From My Mentor Throughout my mentorship with Mirakul Moments, I have learned the importance of intentional communication, creativity, and building meaningful connections. This experience helped me see social media and branding from a professional perspective and understand the strategy behind creating content that connects with an audience. My mentor encouraged me to think creatively and ask questions. I have now gained confidence in my ability to contribute ideas and communicate professionally. Projects and Professional Growth During my mentorship, I gained hands on experience with marketing, branding, and content creation. Some of the skills I developed include: Researching businesses that could benefit from Mirakul Moments services. Learning how to identify a brand’s needs and create thoughtful recommendations Understanding the importance of storytelling and digital presence. Challenges That Helped Me Grow This mentorship challenged me to think beyond creativity and approach projects from a business perspective. I learned the importance of research, organization, communication, and being open to feedback. Each challenge helped me become more confident, independent, and prepared for future professional opportunities. How This Experience Will Impact My Future My experience with Mirakul Moments has helped me grow my skills in communication, content creation, marketing, and networking. The lessons I learned will continue to influence my future career goals. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in the WINtern program and learn from a company that values creativity, connection, and helping others succeed. This experience has truly been a. meaningful moment of growth.

Hi everyone! I’m Daniela, and I am very excited to start this program and learn more about your organization! I’m a rising senior at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, and while looking for internships for the summer, it was also really important to me to find a position that would introduce me to more than just professional experience. I found that in the WIN community, and I am very excited to begin working in such a women-centered organization! I’m currently majoring in Communication, and I decided to specialize in Public Relations after doing some social media and outreach work for the restaurant I waitressed for at home. Beyond Schoolwork Aside from my major, I am also a part of a few clubs and a sorority at school. I was recently elected to be on my sorority’s executive board for the 2026 year, which was very exciting. Being on the executive board has helped teach me to juggle responsibilities outside of my schoolwork during the school year and has brought me closer to my chapter, helping out with events and deadlines behind the scenes. This experience has also allowed me to meet my roommates who are in other organizations and has overall helped me break out of my shell and meet new groups of people I wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to meet. My Favorite Things The Beach My family owns a shore house on the Jersey Shore and annual trips there since I was a kid have made the beach my absolute favorite place to visit Lilies A little on the simpler side, but I always have a small vase of lilies displayed in my room Reading During the school year, it can be tricky to keep up with recreationally, but in the summer I can fly through books almost weekly Music I have spent years discovering new music and have a playlist for any situation or feeling that you can think of Plans for the Season Outside of the program this Summer I plan to continue to work at the restaurant and try to get some relaxing downtime by going to the beach and trying to advance in yoga. One fun fact about me is that I taught myself how to crochet, and in addition to my plans and responsibilities, I am attempting to finish a summer-themed blanket before I return to school in August. We will see how that goes. Hopefully, I can finish! My social media is below if you would like to connect! www.linkedin.com/in/daniela-zehnder https://www.instagram.com/danielaazehnder/