Take some time to get to know the newest member of the St JFS team, summer intern Kevin Lawrence!
- Where are you from, and where did you go to college?
I am originally from Elmhurst, IL which is in the western suburbs of Chicago. I am a rising Junior at the University of Notre Dame.
- What drew you to StJFS? What made you want to join their team and work to further Catholic education?
I was drawn to STJFS through the Frassati internship of ACE. ACE, or the Alliance for Catholic Education, is a Notre Dame based nonprofit that supports under-resourced Catholic schools by providing teachers. The Frassati internship is an extension of the ACE program that puts business students into organizations associated with Catholic schools for a summer internship. I was matched with the STJFS team, and I really appreciate how they meld service and business. I appreciate the professional opportunities available, but I like that the work I’m doing has a real world impact.
- What’s a big “win” you’ve been involved with that has had an impact on a parish, Diocese, or Catholic school?
I have only been here for two weeks, so most of my projects haven’t come to a close yet. However, one thing that we’ve managed to put together is an automated workflow to seamlessly upload credit card transactions to our accounting software so principals can spend less time inputting redundant data and more time running their schools.
- What is it like being part of the StJFS team? How would you describe the culture and people you work with?
One of the interesting aspects of the STJFS team is that it is completely virtual. We have people across the US, from Florida to California, and it can be difficult to build a cohesive team culture. However, I think that we have done a great job of staying connected, despite the physical distance, through daily meetings and constant banter over team messages. I would say that the uniting quality of all the people at STJFS is that they all are mission driven; they believe in the mission of Catholic education and are doing all they can to further that mission.
- What are your goals for your time at StJFS?
I have a few main goals for my time here at STJFS. The first is to develop as a professional, meaning that I want to improve my technical skills and hone the soft skills. Additionally, I would like to walk away from my internship this summer knowing that I made a tangible contribution to the catholic school system.
- What do you do in your time away from the office?
When not at work, I enjoy running, cooking, and golfing.