College to County: Chief Operating Officer Intern - Success Story Highlight
Kudzai Kapurura (she/her) participated in the College to County (C2C) Mentorship Program with the Office of the Chief Operating Officer during the summer of 2023. She is now working as a legal clerk in the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office! She credits C2C for essential skills and insights, and she advises future interns to network, seek challenges, and embrace opportunities.
Allison Don (she/her) is a Strategic Initiatives Manager with the Office of the Chief Operating Officer in the Department of County Management. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Politics from Pomona College and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Southern California. Allison has been such an impactful leader at the County and we are thrilled to share the successful mentorship and experience!
When asked about her experience mentoring Kudzai, Allison shared:
I was privileged to have the opportunity to serve as a mentor for Kudzai in the summer of 2023. Kudzai approached the internship with a great work ethic, curiosity, regular communication, and kindness. She brought her authentic self to the role — even treating our team to some of her award-winning poetry!
The job market can be an intimidating place. As a C2C mentor, I hope to provide support and demystify the large and complex organization that is Multnomah County. I continue to root for Kudzai and am excited to see where she’ll go!
More about Kudzai:
Kudzai Kapurura was born in Dallas, Texas, but spent most of her time in Salem, Oregon. After high school, she studied at Boston College, with a major in Economics and a minor in African Diaspora Studies. After graduating with her bachelors degree, Kudzai discovered the Multnomah County College to County Mentorship Program through her father, who worked at the County. Curious about the opportunity, Kudzai networked with C2C staff and applied for a 2023 C2C internship.
While wrapping up her senior year in Boston, Kudzai interviewed with the Office of the Chief Operating Officer and successfully got hired as their intern that summer.
During her internship with the COO, Kudzai engaged in executive meetings, policy research, and networking. Mentors like COO Serena Cruz, Deputy COO Travis Graves, C2C Program Coordinator Cole Whitehurst, and Organizational Learning Manager Joseph Almond provided valuable guidance.
When asked about a highlight during C2C, Kudzai expressed her gratitude in having an opportunity to give back to C2C as a guest speaker for this summer by providing a C2C Kickoff Professional Development Session on “Social Capital and Networking.” Additionally, Kudzai was a guest speaker for last summer’s “Resume, Cover Letters, and Interviews” C2C Professional Development Session led by Natalie Schraner, Central HR Career Development and New Employee Experiences Coordinator and Talent Acquisition Intern, Shanthia Espinosa. Kudzai recited her poetry titled "A Look Inside" that resonated with themes of identity and empowerment.
Kudzai's gratitude extends to the C2C program and its leaders, embodying the spirit of growth, mentorship, and community.
Aside from her passion for her community, Kudzai shares her love of the arts, specifically live poetry and music. She often performs and enjoys listening to other poets here in Portland at an event called Slamlandia at the Literary Arts Studio. Kudzai shared that “a fellow C2C intern Kaj Izora, the Chair’s C2C intern, took a group of us to see a performance, which is how I was introduced to the poetry community in Portland.”
If Kudzai is not writing or reciting poetry, she is playing her acoustic guitar.
By: Shanthia Espinosa, College to County Intern