Bank of America announced Michelle Lin, a Farragut high school graduate, and Gabriela Sanchez Benitez, a Fulton High senior, as Student Leaders.
Student Leaders® is an eight-week paid summer internship connecting students to employment, skills development and service. These community-minded students will gain practical work and leadership experience, and receive financial education coaching from Bank of America’s Better Money Habits curriculum, while working with The Knoxville Area Urban League and Muse Knoxville.
Michelle Lin is a rising freshman at the University of Virginia where she has a full scholarship as a Jefferson Scholar, majoring in economics. Michelle plans to use her musical talents to give back to her community by playing violin in nursing homes and hospitals. Her commitment to service also extends to her extracurricular activities as the first student from Tennessee to serve on Junior State of America’s National Cabinet as national chief of staff.
Gabriela Sanchez Benitez is a senior at Fulton High with plans to attend the University of Tennessee Knoxville to study sociology and public policy. As a first-generation American, Gabriela has been recognized for her academic excellence, resilience and passion for advocating for societal inclusion. Gabriela prioritizes fostering connections through her community work with MUSE Knoxville, Beardsley Farm, KARM and Centro Hispano as a volunteer.
“Preparing a diverse pipeline of community-minded young students to be successful in the workforce is critical to Knoxville’s long-term economic growth,” said Terry Cline, president at Bank of America Knoxville. “The exceptional teens selected for the Student Leaders program will not only gain practical work and life experience, but the community in return gains from local nonprofits and helps to grow a diverse pipeline of talent ready to enter the workforce.”
Information for this article provided by Bank of America
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