BUTLER-TARKINGTON — Inspiring teens for life beyond high school, whether that’s in college, in a career or in something else; that’s what’s about to happen at the MLK Center.
They are now accepting applications for their Career Pathways Program. It’s an annual opportunity for teens across the Indianapolis community, aiming to provide them with a different path for their future.
“[We’re] really trying to figure out what best works for them,” R’Quiya Ruffin, the Pathways Program facilitator, emphasized.
The MLK Center is a staple on the north side.
“We provide wraparound programs for families from age zero to age 99,” Israel Shasanmi said.
Shasanmi is the center’s deputy director.
“It’s an opportunity for us to engage with the community and also to be able to connect with them in ways that are meaningful and intentional,” he explained.
The career pathways program is one of the ways they try to connect.
“They get to go through job readiness, career readiness,” Shasanmi said.
“It’s a post-secondary journey where we go through soft and hard skills,” Ruffin said. “And they have the opportunity to develop those skills and apply it in a real-world setting.”
Ruffin told WRTV she has seen countless students grow through this program.
“From them not being interested in college at all and then them going directly to Butler University or telling me, ‘Hey Ms. R’Quiya, I’m not going to college, college is not my thing…’ and now we have individuals who are at IUI, Indiana Tech at Fort Wayne,” she said with a smile.
The program will run from October 2025 to May 2026, and it will include things like college tours, networking opportunities, technical skill building and even an internship at the end. And everyone gets paid for participating.
“Those skills are very needed in the climate that we’re in,” Shasanmi said. “To be able to have some knowledge of what to expect when you’re going to an interview. What to expect when you’re going to college.”
Directors said the focus is on the future.
“This young man who came in yesterday, he has been here since middle school, and now to see him as a senior in high school… It’s like, this is what we’re doing this for,” Shasanmi said.
The pathways program officially begins on October 7, but the center said it will continue to accept applications for the program until October 17.
To apply, you can use this link.