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CIEE and AAIDN Announce the 2025 Douglass-O’Connell Global Interns in Ireland

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Twelve American college students from diverse backgrounds selected for a study abroad internship in Ireland.

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine, Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) and the African American Irish Diaspora Network (AAIDN) are pleased to announce the 2025 Douglass-O’Connell Global Interns, a diverse cohort of 12 high-achieving students who will participate in an eight-week international internship program in Dublin, Ireland.

 

The Douglass-O’Connell program introduces a new generation of young leaders to today’s diverse and vibrant Ireland.

The Frederick Douglass-Daniel O’Connell Global Internship in Ireland is a collaboration between Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs, the African American Irish Diaspora Network (AAIDN), and the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE). The program honors two iconic leaders and successful businessmen who worked their entire lives in Ireland, the United States, and around the world to advance civil rights, social justice, and economic mobility for all.

Over 500 students applied from hundreds of prestigious institutions of higher education, including Ivy League schools, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), private colleges, and flagship public universities. The 2025 Douglass-O’Connell Global Interns in Ireland are:

Arizona State University, Keana Pope, Business MarketingBabson College, Ava Beery, Business ManagementColorado State University, Jaellyn Erickson, Environmental EngineeringRhodes College, Johnathan Burch, Political ScienceSpelman College, Myana Garrison, Public HealthUniversity of Alabama, Zachary Cole, MathematicsUniversity of Georgia, Rayna CarterUniversity of Mississippi, Aminata Ba, EconomicsUniversity of North Georgia, Mauricio Gonzalez, Political ScienceUniversity of Pennsylvania, Erin Jeon, English LiteratureVanderbilt University, Lizbeth Ramirez, EconomicsVillanova University, Rita Sogoti, Criminal Justice

The 2025 Douglass-O’Connell Global Interns in Ireland are featured in this video.

Students were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants based on their desire to gain real-world work experience in Ireland, their interest learning more about Irish history and culture as well as the business acumen and social justice impact of Frederick Douglass and Daniel O’Connell, and their commitment to helping our world become more inclusive, just, and peaceful. 

Students will intern with an Ireland-based company, attend lectures on Irish history and culture, and participate in extracurricular and networking activities in Dublin, Cork, and Belfast. Students choose from dozens of internship placement opportunities, such as writing, editing, and publishing articles for one of Ireland’s leading media companies; analyzing data trends to optimize urban transportation for a cutting-edge tech startup; or advocating for the human rights of those living in chronic poverty. Each student is provided an internship placement, academic lectures, housing, airfare, and a living stipend. 

“As these talented students gain professional experience in an Irish workplace, they acquire intercultural skills and a network of international contacts that will set them up for long-term personal and career success,” said AAIDN Founder and Chairman Dennis Brownlee. “At the same time, they are building bridges of understanding between Ireland and America.”

“The Douglass-O’Connell program introduces a new generation of young leaders to today’s diverse and vibrant Ireland,” said James P. Pellow, Ed.D., President and CEO of CIEE. “It’s a privilege to partner with AAIDN and Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs to help increase diversity abroad as we also help unite the diverse and global Irish diaspora.”

To increase diversity abroad even further, all 500+ students who completed applications but were not selected as one of the 2025 Douglass-O’Connell Global Interns in Ireland will receive a $1,500 Douglass-O’Connell Scholars Grant that can be used toward any of CIEE’s 200+ summer or semester study abroad programs through Spring 2026. 

For more about CIEE’s Frederick Douglass-Daniel O’Connell Global Internship in Ireland, visit ciee.org/fddo

About CIEE: Since 1947, CIEE has built bridges between different people, different countries, and different cultures through study abroad and international exchange programs that advance peace in our world. We change lives, our alumni change the world. Learn more at ciee.org.

About AAIDN: Since 2020, the African American Irish Diaspora Network has fostered relationships between African Americans, Ireland, and the Irish Diaspora. AAIDN promotes programs in education, the arts, entrepreneurship, and culture that unite African American and Irish communities. AAIDN’s mission is supported by both Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and the government of Northern Ireland. Learn more at aaidnet.org.

Media contact: Leslie Taylor, media@ciee.org, (207) 553-4274

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ciee-and-aaidn-announce-the-2025-douglass-oconnell-global-interns-in-ireland-302347313.html

SOURCE Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE)

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XLCS Partners advises Concurrent Utility Services on sale to UniTek Global Services

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July 23, 2026

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NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce that it served as exclusive M&A advisor to Concurrent Utility Services LLC on its acquisition by UniTek Global Services, Inc., a portfolio company of New Mountain Finance Corporation (Nasdaq: NMFC) and its affiliates, and BTG Pactual Strategic Capital.

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Concurrent is a licensed general and electrical contractor providing infrastructure development and maintenance services to electric utilities, telecom providers, and land developers throughout the Southeast United States. The company’s capabilities span overhead and underground utility construction, professional telecom services, emergency service restoration, in-building networks, environmental services, and data center development. Backed by a safety-first culture and an experienced workforce, Concurrent has built a strong regional platform and a reputation for quality across the markets it serves.

UniTek is a leading digital infrastructure services provider supporting the expansion of fiber and data center connectivity across the U.S. and Canada. With over 600 employees and 60 locations, UniTek delivers a full suite of infrastructure services. The acquisition of Concurrent accelerates UniTek’s Power Services Division, which launched in July 2025 to broaden the company’s maintenance, repair, upgrade, and new infrastructure development services for the power sector. Concurrent’s established Southeast footprint and power capabilities directly complement UniTek’s existing broadband and data center infrastructure platform, positioning the combined company to capitalize on growing demand for resilient, modernized power infrastructure. Concurrent will continue to operate under its established brand, maintaining uninterrupted service for its customers.

“Selling Concurrent was one of the biggest decisions of my career, and Anthony, Jay, and the XLCS team guided us through every step with professionalism and genuine care for our people,” said Steve Sarno, CEO of Concurrent. “They stayed fully engaged throughout, gave us honest and thoughtful advice, kept our best interests front and center, and delivered an outcome that exceeded our expectations. I would recommend them without hesitation to any owner considering a transaction.”

XLCS acted as the exclusive M&A advisor to Concurrent, and the transaction was led by Anthony Contaldo, Partner, and Jay Cremer, Vice President. The transaction was completed on July 1, 2026.

About XLCS Partners, Inc.

XLCS Partners is a leading global investment banking firm providing M&A advisory services. Visit www.xlcspartners.com for more information.

Media Contact: 
Kendra Span 
kspan@xlcspartners.com
615-379-7783

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xlcs-partners-advises-concurrent-utility-services-on-sale-to-unitek-global-services-302833542.html

SOURCE XLCS Partners, Inc.

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XLCS Partners advises Concurrent Utility Services on sale to UniTek Global Services

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3 minutes ago

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July 23, 2026

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NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce that it served as exclusive M&A advisor to Concurrent Utility Services LLC on its acquisition by UniTek Global Services, Inc., a portfolio company of New Mountain Finance Corporation (Nasdaq: NMFC) and its affiliates, and BTG Pactual Strategic Capital.

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Concurrent is a licensed general and electrical contractor providing infrastructure development and maintenance services to electric utilities, telecom providers, and land developers throughout the Southeast United States. The company’s capabilities span overhead and underground utility construction, professional telecom services, emergency service restoration, in-building networks, environmental services, and data center development. Backed by a safety-first culture and an experienced workforce, Concurrent has built a strong regional platform and a reputation for quality across the markets it serves.

UniTek is a leading digital infrastructure services provider supporting the expansion of fiber and data center connectivity across the U.S. and Canada. With over 600 employees and 60 locations, UniTek delivers a full suite of infrastructure services. The acquisition of Concurrent accelerates UniTek’s Power Services Division, which launched in July 2025 to broaden the company’s maintenance, repair, upgrade, and new infrastructure development services for the power sector. Concurrent’s established Southeast footprint and power capabilities directly complement UniTek’s existing broadband and data center infrastructure platform, positioning the combined company to capitalize on growing demand for resilient, modernized power infrastructure. Concurrent will continue to operate under its established brand, maintaining uninterrupted service for its customers.

“Selling Concurrent was one of the biggest decisions of my career, and Anthony, Jay, and the XLCS team guided us through every step with professionalism and genuine care for our people,” said Steve Sarno, CEO of Concurrent. “They stayed fully engaged throughout, gave us honest and thoughtful advice, kept our best interests front and center, and delivered an outcome that exceeded our expectations. I would recommend them without hesitation to any owner considering a transaction.”

XLCS acted as the exclusive M&A advisor to Concurrent, and the transaction was led by Anthony Contaldo, Partner, and Jay Cremer, Vice President. The transaction was completed on July 1, 2026.

About XLCS Partners, Inc.

XLCS Partners is a leading global investment banking firm providing M&A advisory services. Visit www.xlcspartners.com for more information.

Media Contact: 
Kendra Span 
kspan@xlcspartners.com
615-379-7783

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xlcs-partners-advises-concurrent-utility-services-on-sale-to-unitek-global-services-302833542.html

SOURCE XLCS Partners, Inc.

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Fathom Applauds Introduction of the FRONTIER Act, the First Federal Blueprint for Independent AI Verification

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July 23, 2026

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Reps. Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23) introduce a bill to build a competitive marketplace of independent verifiers for frontier AI models.

WASHINGTON, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fathom welcomes the introduction of the FRONTIER Act, the most complete federal framework yet for independent, third-party verification of frontier AI. The legislation is built to earn public trust as AI technology continues to accelerate. As frontier systems begin to take autonomous action in the world, the gap between what these models can do and our ability to keep them in check is widening. FRONTIER is the starting point to close that gap.

“AI governance keeps running into the same wall. The technology is hard to measure and it moves faster than any law can keep up with,” said Andrew Freedman, Co-Founder and CEO of Fathom. “Trying to write the perfect rules and freezing them in place won’t work. What will work is a competitive market of independent verifiers who are accountable for real-world outcomes and who the government can actually count on. The FRONTIER Act shows we can move fast and still get this right.”

The bill gets the fundamentals correct. It sets one public standard – the adequate mitigation of catastrophic risk – and holds both the AI companies and their independent verifiers accountable to it. FRONTIER does not freeze a single testing method into statute. Instead, it licenses competing verification organizations, allows them to sharpen their methods, and gives the government the power to revoke a license when a verifier’s work does not hold up in the field. That is how you build a system that keeps pace with the science instead of falling behind it.

Fathom thanks Reps. Trahan and Obernolte for their leadership, and for their courage in releasing a discussion draft, inviting scrutiny, and incorporating substantive improvements from across the field. One priority improvement as the bill advances: giving the government a fuller range of tools to act upstream – for pushing companies to close identified gaps in risk mitigation early, rather than only once a catastrophe is imminent. We are committed to working with these sponsors, committees of jurisdiction, and Congressional leadership to continue refining the bill in the weeks and months ahead.

About Fathom
Fathom is an independent nonprofit whose mission is to build a governance architecture that helps society navigate the transition to a world with AI by fostering trust, safety, and innovation. Fathom has developed and championed the independent verification model for AI and works with policymakers across the country to put it into practice. Learn more at http://fathom.org.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fathom-applauds-introduction-of-the-frontier-act-the-first-federal-blueprint-for-independent-ai-verification-302833546.html

SOURCE Fathom AI Inc.

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