The auditorium at IBEW Local 1 was already full before the program began. Families stood shoulder to shoulder along the back wall. Supporters leaned against both sides of the room. And every seat held someone who came to witness the moment the 2026 class of the St. Louis Internship Program stepped forward to celebrate what they had built this summer.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis President and CEO Brandon Williams opened the ceremony, which was held on Wednesday, July 29, with a message about beginnings — and the seeds young people plant through their choices. “The first thing I really want to say to my leaders is never despise small beginnings. Every thought, every word, every action is a seed,” Williams said. He told interns that the type of seed they plant — positive or negative — shapes their growth. He connected their summer experiences to the heat that helps a seed break open. “Your process to get into SLIP was a hot seed. It was uncomfortable. But you grew,” he said. “The hotter it is, the more pressure you can take.”
Williams reminded them that seeds must absorb water to grow, just as interns had to absorb knowledge, take notes and learn from the systems and environments they entered. He closed by urging them to seek light — and to be light. “A seed cannot grow in the dark. You have to expose yourself to the light. But more importantly, you have to be the light,” he said. “You walk in head up, tough, strong. Because you’ve already been through the fire.”
He told the audience that the celebration honored the vision that created SLIP and the vision each intern carries. “Today is not just another SLIP celebration. It’s a celebration of vision,” Williams said. “Vision is not eyesight. It is what you see in your heart.” He asked interns to search their hearts for purpose and direction. “Your faith got you here. Your discipline kept you here,” he said. “Take that faith and discipline everywhere you go.”
Attorney Mark Levinson of Lashly & Baer, P.C., SLIP’s Founding Board Chairman, reflected on the program’s origins. “We want our young people to learn about the law in a positive way,” he said. SLIP was founded in 1992 by attorney Thomas C. Hullverson and a group of legal professionals in response to the unrest following the Rodney King verdict. “Tom presented his idea to me on May 11. Thirty-four days later on June 15, the program was up and running,” Levinson said.
The program began with 52 students and has now served more than 5,000 interns in St. Louis alone, expanding to 37 cities. “Someday, a SLIP intern will be mayor of the city of St. Louis,” he said. Levinson told the audience that the program’s creation remains the most meaningful moment of his legal career. “The best five minutes of that entire career was when Tom called me and told me about his idea and what he was willing to do to make it a reality,” he said. Hullverson funded the program for decades before his passing. “The program he conceived is part of each and every one of you,” Levinson said. He challenged interns to carry that legacy forward. “Each one of you will have the opportunity to make this world a better place… Each one of you will have a chance to be another Tom Hullverson.”
Part of this year’s programming included the Be Men Summer Academy, facilitated by SLIP alum Christopher LaGrone. He introduced 18 young men who spent four weeks learning from Black male professionals across trades, corporate America, teaching, law and mental health. “They’ve just been imbued with positivity over the last four weeks,” LaGrone said. He told them the work they put in was the beginning of a long-term commitment. “This is a movement… One male, one family at a time,” he said.
Intern Donovan Destin shared how his internship reshaped his understanding of engineering and sustainability. He recalled arriving at the Danforth Plant Science Center campus on his first day — in the wrong building, in the pouring rain, feeling excitement, embarrassment and confusion. “I asked myself, ‘What on earth does an aspiring energy engineer have to do with a biotechnology intern?’” Destin said. As a first-generation Haitian American, energy equality has always been personal. “My fire had already been kindled,” he said, recalling family members unable to access reliable power after the 2012 earthquake. “Engineering stopped feeling like an abstract discipline. It became a means of answering questions that had followed me since childhood.”
Destin said the internship taught him that innovation happens where disciplines intersect. “I began to see biology not as a departure from my aspirations, but another language through which sustainable energy problems can be solved,” he said. “To create lasting energy solutions, I must also be a student of biology, chemistry and every field that brings us closer to a more sustainable future.”
Executive Director Shanise Johnson highlighted SLIP’s outcomes for 2026. “We had 180 interns working this summer. Collectively they earned $800,000,” she said. She emphasized the value of earning professional certifications while still in high school. “Nobody can take that away from you because you earned it,” Johnson said. She thanked parents, employers and partners for their support. “We cannot do this without you,” she said.
SLIP will kick off its 35th anniversary in September, expanding college prep, financial aid workshops, medical pipeline opportunities and apprenticeships. “Don’t limit yourself,” Johnson said, quoting graduate Cara Woods. “Explore every opportunity and discover what fits you best.”
Carla Willis was eager to share how the program has shaped her daughter Chloe King’s confidence and independence. Her internship at Mercy Hospital taught her responsibility and patience. “She does things for herself,” Willis said. “She talks more — and communication is so important.” King, an incoming junior at Confluence Prep Academy, has continued to excel despite losing her brother to gun violence three years ago. “I’m so proud of her that I don’t even know what to say,” Willis said.
SLIP alum and advisory board member Tamika Mitchell said the program remains a “cheat code” for students. “You are working in firms and get to experience what a future you might want will feel like,” she said. Mitchell said the program’s economic impact is profound. “Some of these kids are getting opportunities their parents never had… This is breaking generational curses, and they are lifting the family as they climb,” she said.
Mitchell’s words echoed Williams’ reminder that their next steps matter. “I look forward to continuing to pray for you, support you, honor you, watch you grow your legacy,” he said. “You will do great things if you just keep the faith and keep your discipline.”