D.C. intern program established to honor Mason
Todd Shelton | 6/30/2004 The KAOEF is pleased to provide another opportunity, through the generosity of our donors, for the educational and career advancement of our undergraduate membersThe E. Fleming Mason Memorial Intern Program will provide the opportunity to deserving undergraduates who have the desire to become better educated and informed while gaining professional work experience and living in the Washington, D.C. area. This is the first foray for the KAOEF into this area of programming and punctuates the dedication to undergraduate growth and advancement.
“I, along with them and many others, am very proud for KA to be able to offer such a great educational opportunity for deserving undergraduates each year,” said Knight Commander Ben Satcher, Jr.
The program, inspired and conceived by William (Bill) H. Skipper (Delta Tau - Francis Marion ‘80), will enable interns to work in various government and business offices throughout Washington, D.C. The various offices will be coordinated through Bill Skipper and his corporation, American Business Development Group, Inc.
“The KAOEF is pleased to provide another opportunity, through the generosity of our donors, for the educational and career advancement of our undergraduate members,” said Larry Wiese, executive director. “We hope this program will grow to become another hallmark in the array of services the foundation provides for the benefit of the Order.”
In full swing, the program will run from June 1, 2005, to July 15, 2005, with a pilot running this summer to establish the process. At the midpoint of the program, the interns will meet with the Bill Skipper, Knight Commander Satcher and Larry Wiese to discuss the highs and lows of the program and job progress. The program will culminate with a weekend trip to Lexington, Va., for a tour of the National Administrative Office, historic downtown Lexington and dinner with the national KA staff.
A monthly stipend will be provided for lodging and food for the interns as well as assistance upon their arrival in D.C., both from the KA National Administrative Office and American Business Development Group, Inc. The participants will be notified of details prior to their arrival to Washington.
Much like the KAOEF scholarship process, an online application will be posted for the full launch September 15, 2004. Applications will be reviewed and interns will be contacted no later than April 1, 2005. In the pilot program, one individual will be selected this summer.
College credits for the term and substance of the program will be determined collaboratively between the internship administrator and the academic advisor at the students’ educational institution. The program is intended to create work and career exploratory experiences as well as a contribution to the students’ curriculum vitae.
The Namesake: E. Fleming Mason
E. Fleming Mason, for whom the program is named, was an initiate of Beta Pi Chapter at Presbyterian College in 1929 and became Commander for John Temple Graves Province (South Carolina) in 1962. He served in that capacity until 1975.
Until his death in 1987, he was still extremely active in the affairs The Order. He was a fixture at many KA rush functions at all of the chapters of Graves Province. He worked tirelessly to promote the KA ideals and was instrumental in helping numerous Kappa Alphas find summer employment and eventual careers after graduation. This program will help to carry on something that he single handedly did on his own for many years.
E. Flem, as he was affectionately known, left a huge legacy in KA and has many relatives who are very proud to see this program honor his love of KA. They include A.King Dixon II -Rho ‘56, Lee Dixon- Rho ‘85, Fred Gantt III- Beta Pi ‘84, Dr. Guy Castles III- Rho ‘81, John Gantt Jr- Beta Gamma ‘75, David Gantt- Beta Gamma ‘78 and Jody Sease- Delta Omicron ‘83. I, along with them and many others, am very proud for KA to be able to offer such a great educational opportunity for deserving undergraduates each year. |
