Approximately 250 students from across the U.S. attended the conference that was hosted by New York Yankees captain and shortstop, Derek Jeter, and held at the University of Tampa, Florida, this past summer.
The biennial, week-long, conference, sponsored by Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation, brings together students who share a common goal: making positive changes in their schools and communities. This year’s theme was “Social Change: Today’s Challenges, Tomorrows Solutions,” and participants focused on activities that highlighted social, political and academic issues impacting teens in today’s society. The conference included a three-day teambuilding event during which students conducted peer-led workshops, which resulted in teams planting a garden for a local school, building wooden garden furniture and painting flower pots which were left for the benefit of local elementary school students.
“The conference gave AECOM the opportunity to maximize our impact on this group of students. We mentored them for eight months and then extended our involvement by sponsoring the leadership conference. At the end of the year AECOM also offered two internships to graduating students. This is a holistic way of investing in the future of our industry,” says Estrada.
AECOM’s community involvement extends well beyond event participation. Gregory Sauter, P.E., executive vice president and chief corporate officer, is on the Resource Board of the Turn 2 Foundation and Neal Forshner, P.E., executive director of business services, Americas, sits on the National Board of the ACE Mentor Program.