Year Up With Jice Murphy

Since 2021, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has partnered with Year Up to host interns seeking career opportunities. Year Up’s mission is to close the Opportunity Divide by ensuring that young adults gain the skills, experiences and support that will empower them to reach their potential through careers and higher education – no matter their background, income or zip code.

Year Up is a tuition-free three-step job training program that takes one year or less to complete. The first phase of the program is focused on learning and development, the second phase is an internship at a top company and the third phase includes job search support and guidance.

Jice Murphy, a Year Up intern at the foundation this summer, participated in an insightful Q&A to share his experience in the program.

Q: How has Year Up propelled your professional development since you started the program?

Before this program, I was in college and had no idea how I would make it to my current stage in life. Year Up offered a bridge from where I was to where I am. The entirety of the Learning and Development phase prepares you to be a professional – like how to carry yourself in meetings and proper attire and business communication. Throughout the program, there were consistent public speaking, presentation, networking and leadership opportunities to take advantage of.

 Q: What were your expectations of the Year Up opportunity versus what you actually experienced and accomplished?

Initially, I was skeptical. It seemed too good to be true. But as I progressed through the program, I began to see validity in all of the training elements. I set goals to push myself and become more of a leader and over the course of the last year, I was elected chairman of my class. And soon I will begin a full-time career with the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, an organization I love and respect.

Q: How did you learn about Year Up? What or who influenced you to apply?

My sister graduated from the program a few years ago, and she’s been doing very well in her career. I was at Georgia State from 2019 to 2021, but I didn’t really know what I was doing in life. Joining the Year Up program was a conscious decision to change the direction my life would go.

Q: What advice would you give to future students that go through the program?

Fully commit to the year. If you decide to join Year Up, then live with your decision and make the most of it. It’s an opportunity to learn, grow, succeed and build relationships and friendships.

Q: What have you learned from your experience?

I am who I thought I could be. The completion of the Year Up program and resulting career opportunity confirmed so much about what I believe about myself and the world. I now have a solid foundation to build the rest of my life on.

Thanks to our partners at Year Up and all Jice’s hard work, the foundation is proud to share that Mr. Murphy has recently accepted a position as an administrative program assistant for our Communications Effective Philanthropy and Environment teams.