Mercy Works Synergy Interns Launch Civic Projects Across Syracuse
Mercy Works will host its annual service day event, Implementation Day, on Friday, July 18, 2025. 25 college and high school-aged student interns from the Synergy Leadership Program will launch five community-based projects across Syracuse. These initiatives mark the culmination of the 10-week paid leadership and development internship program designed to equip the next generation of local civic leaders with the tools to make lasting, meaningful impact in their communities or across the city of Syracuse.
Each team of students spent weeks prior researching, designing, and preparing a service project focused on a pressing local issue. On Implementation Day, their ideas will be transformed into action in partnership with neighborhood organizations, schools, and service providers.
This year’s civic engagement projects will address five key areas:
Homelessness and Housing Insecurity
Literacy Access and Educational Equity
STEM Education and Opportunity Gaps
Youth Health and Wellness Advocacy
Cultural Identity and Belonging
“These young scholars aren’t just learning leadership theory, they’re applying it,” states Natividad Cabrera, Program Director at Mercy Works. “These projects are bold in vision, grounded in empathy, and built to create meaningful change right here in our community.”
Implementation Day follows the program’s three Boardroom Live events, where student teams presented their proposals before a panel of local judges, including representatives from the Green Family Foundation, Central New York Community Foundation, and The Gifford Foundation.
“What’s really great about Synergy is it’s a proof of concept that you can take an idea now and put it into action within approximately 30 days,” says Ryan Marquette, a guest judge and local nonprofit leader. “It’s incredibly encouraging to witness this kind of creativity and initiative coming from Syracuse’s future leaders.”
With continued support from community partners and funders, the Synergy Program provides college and high school students, many of whom are the first in their families to pursue higher education, with vital career development skills in project management, public speaking, teamwork, and civic responsibility.
“Implementation Day is about more than just finishing a program,” says Cabrera. “It’s about igniting a lifelong commitment to community involvement and giving students a platform to lead.”