Selective Corporate Internship Program (SCIP) Honors Lynda Ireland, President & CEO, NY & NJ Minority Supplier Development Council as “Humanitarian Of The Year"

New York, NY, February 22, 2013 --(PR.com)-- The Selective Corporate Internship Program (SCIP) will honor Lynda Ireland, president & CEO, New York & New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council (The Council), with the “Humanitarian of the Year Award” at its 16th anniversary celebration “An Evening with the Stars” on Thursday, March 7 from 6:30 pm -10:30 pm at Battery Gardens, located inside Battery Park and opposite 17 State Street in Manhattan.

Ms. Ireland is considered a leading diversity and minority business development advocate in New York and New Jersey. Under her direction, The Council certifies minority businesses in order to be eligible to compete for contracts with its corporate members, which encompass Fortune 500 companies, institutions and government agencies. Currently, The Council has approximately 225 corporate members and 1,300 certified African American, Asian American, Hispanic American and Native American businesses. These minority businesses have annual revenues ranging from $100,000 to $2 billion. In 2011, The Council helped facilitate almost $9 billion in diversity spending from its corporate members to its certified minority businesses.

“Lynda Ireland's significant contribution in the growth and development of minority businesses has distinguished her and the New York & New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council from numerous other nominees. She deserves special recognition,” said Miguel Mancebo, co-founder, SCIP.

“It’s an honor to receive this prestigious award from SCIP. The organization has made a tremendous impact on providing valuable mentorship, leadership and internship opportunities to multicultural metro area youth,” said Ms. Ireland. "Miguel and Monica Mancebo are outstanding business diversity experts and champions."

SCIP’s “An Evening with the Stars” will also honor Desiree Dancy, chief diversity officer & vice president of corporate human resources, New York Times with the “Corporation of the Year Award;” Sterling Roberson, vice president, United Federation of Teachers with the “Leadership of the Year Award” and Albert Ruiz, president, Urban Studio Motion and Print with the “Partnership of the Year Award.”

“We give these awards annually to individuals who have distinguished themselves and their companies by successfully demonstrating a strong commitment to service,” said Monica Mancebo, co-founder, SCIP. “We mark their unwavering commitment in the shared vision to enlighten, employ, and empower our future leaders and entrepreneurs in the community."

Among the highlights at the gala will be the recognition of notable SCIP alumni. This year’s “Ambassador of the Year” honorees are Rima Abdelkader, a journalist at NBC and Francois Cedoit, an auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Ms. Abdelkader is the emcee and the gala chair is Mark Szollar, advertising director of diversity and recruitment at New York Times.

Major supporters include: The New York Times, United Federation Of Teachers, Victorinox Swiss Army, Clarins Fragrance Group, American Express, Pfizer, USTA, Thierry Mugler, HACR, PRIMER, Ernst & Young, Mitchell & Titus, Colgate, IOMA, Urban Studios Motion and Print, Georgetown College, Penn State, Rutgers University, ime Warner, NBC, PWC, New York Life, JPMorgan Chase, Staples, Target, Electrolux and Paul Volker, former Chairman of The Federal Reserve.

The SCIP program provides bright, promising New York and New Jersey high school students with corporate mentoring, leadership development and internship opportunities to gain valuable business skills. SCIP also offers leadership training and development and internship opportunities through its alumni program.