Lou Mercado, CVS Health Vice President – Inventory Management.  Donna Mumma, CVS Health Senior Director of Pharmacy Inventory Management and Analytics .  Ashish Bhandari, CVS Health Analyst, Rx Inventory Management.   Jean Rodriguez, 2014 Hope High graduate, Freshman at Rhode Island College and Inventory Management intern at CVS Health.  Antoinette Muhammed, 2014 Hope High graduate, Freshman at Providence College and Pharmacy intern at CVS Health.  Matt Lague, Lincoln High School graduate, Senior at the University of Rhode Island and Inventory Management intern at CVS Health.   They all came to the Hope Life Skills class today to share a perspective and extend an invitation.

When asked about the Hope High brand, Donna Mumma responded the following way:   “I can only judge Hope High’s brand by the Hope graduates I’ve met, namely Antoinette Muhammed and Jean Rodriguez.   As a result,

I perceive the Hope High brand as one of good people who work hard with a ‘fire in the belly’ to be successful, who persevere, are dependable, curious and intelligent with the courage to step out of their comfort zone.”

Donna Mumma (right) and Richard Quinilla Gonzalez

Lou Mercado (right) and Chevell Burgess

Ms Mumma also came to Hope High today with an offer for

a paid ($15 per hour, 24 hours per week) summer internship at the CVS corporate office for two Hope High Life Skills students.

Ms Mumma was accompanied by two former Life Skills students and Hope High graduates who shared their stories of their 2014 summer CVS Health internships, Antoinette Muhammed and Jean Rodriguez.   Joining them was Matt Lague and Ashish Bhandari who mentored Jean and Antoinette during their internship.

Antoinette (left) and Gisabel Salcedo

Jean Rodriguez 2nd from the left

Matt Lague (right) and Joan Tueros

Ashish (right) and Fernando Perez

CVS Vice President Lou Mercado spoke about the characteristics and qualities CVS Health is looking for in their intern candidates and company employees.  “We want people who will be dependable, who don’t give up, will persevere through challenges and have the ability to collaborate with others.  We want people who push themselves to be the best they can and will represent CVS Health well.”    Mr Mercado also shared his personal story growing up in Spanish Harlem in New York City and making tough decisions about who to hang out with and who not to.  “I saw opportunities working with my mentor.  I felt if I made the right decisions about the right people, I could be successful.”   Mr Mercado also spoke about his network.   “I only accept people into my network with good brands, brands that represent dependability, hard work, honesty, a willingness to help others and a desire to learn. 

I recommended Jean and Antoinette for their internships because I trusted their brands.  The same with Marta Aparicio,

another Life Skills graduate I met last year, for her present job with Follette. I won’t recommend anyone I don’t have confidence in. When I recommend someone for a job or internship, they represent my brand too.“

Hafzat Akanni (left) and Antoinette Muhammed

Lou Mercado (center) during the networking session at the end of the Life Skills class.

Donna Mumma announced she would return later this school year to the Life Skills class to speak specifically about the application process and fully explain the criteria for selecting the interns.

Interviews will take place in May.