2024 Mellon Foundation Interns

Hannyah Alford

My name is Hannyah Alford and I am currently a senior at Rutgers Camden. I major in English with a minor in Writing. The organization I work for is the Alice Paul Institute which is a nonprofit organization that advocates for gender equality and civil rights. As an intern, I have been working on the organization’s social media calendar and creating content ideas for them to post on their social media platforms. Most of the posts I write are centered around gender advocacy, women’s suffrage, and equal rights.

Rashein Chandler

Hi, my name is Rashein Chandler and I am honored to be a member of this inspiring organization where I am working as an intern with Mighty Writers. About me, I am a current senior graduating in May with my Bachelors degree in Sociology, with the ambition of diving into public relations, mentoring and quite a few avenues where I can be of service to my community. My work with Mighty Writers although brief at this moment has truly brought me a sense of fulfillment as I give back to those in need and work with youth of most ages with their creative writing (poetry) and literacy. This work I look to expand on as I become an active part of all solutions.

Kayla Cochran

Hi! My name is Kayla Cochran and I am double majoring in Psychology and Childhood Studies and minoring in Gender Studies. My internship is at the FabLab at Leap Academy. The FabLab was created to focus on the implementation of innovation, where students have the necessary tools to create, engineer, and design their projects. As an intern, I will be working on the organizations social media and creating lots of content to promote their presence in their community and school!

Guneet Kaur

My name is Guneet Kaur and I am a dedicated student at Rutgers University-Camden, pursuing a degree in political science. With a strong commitment to public service, advocacy, and community engagement, I have built a diverse portfolio of experiences that spans political internships, research, and leadership roles. I currently serve as the Head of Public Relations for the South Asian American Traditional Heritage Club and as an events coordinator for the Sikh Student Association at Rutgers, where I worked to amplify student voices and promote cultural awareness on campus. I am also a member of Phi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society. I am deeply interested in social justice, human rights, and policy reform. I continue to seek opportunities that will allow me to contribute to meaningful change while developing my expertise in public policy and global affair.

Joseph Lescht

My name is Joseph Lescht and I am a sophomore at Rutgers University Camden where I study political science, philosophy, urban studies, and legal studies. The partner organization I work with is the Paul Robeson House & Museum/ West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. As an intern, I support the organization’s efforts to maintain and educate the public on the legacy of musician, actor, activist, and athlete Paul Robeson by providing museum tours and working with youth groups and community organizations.

Sany Macias

Hello, my name is Sany Macias. I’m a second year undergrad majoring in Psychology and minoring in Sociology. The organization I work for is Girls Inc. which is a nonprofit organization that encourages young girls to be “Strong, Smart, and Bold”. My Girls Inc. program helps assist with tutoring, college trips, life skills, financial literacy, health, etc. As an intern, I help teach young women and girls things that are beyond the basic educational approach. We teach them life skills, and how to be independent and capable, I am also a student interpreter at the Rutgers law clinic. My professional role at the clinic is to help translate and interpret important court documents and to also interpret one on one meetings with clients. I am also a dean’s list recipient.

Keisha Mbroh

Hi, my name is Keisha Mbroh. Im a freshman undergrad at Rutgers University Camden majoring in Sociology. I am working as an intern at Mighty writers and I am excited as it offers a unique opportunity to shape and inspire young minds while also making a tangible difference in the community through food distribution. This experience will not only enrich my skills and broaden my perspective but also deeply impact my commitment to creating positive change and addressing social challenges.

Israel Miller

Hello, my name is Israel Miller, I am currently a senior at Rutgers University Camden majoring in Criminal Justice and minoring in English. The organization that I will be interning for is located at Temple University and is an award-winning social justice media program named POPPYN. As an intern, I will be working to transform local media by highlighting the missing perspectives, contributions, and concerns of young people while helping the youth produce short films, journalistic segments, and episodes exploring various issues such as youth homelessness, environmental justice, and the foster care system.

Ayanna-Isa Muhammad

Hi, my name is Ayanna-Isa. I am a junior biology major at Rutgers University-Camden. I am so honored and excited to be working with this program! Girls Inc. Is a program dedicated on helping building a new generation of strong, smart and bold leaders. I selected girls inc. because I feel it aligns with my values of wanting to help girls and women strive for greatness. I also wanted to be apart of a team of healthy examples of women in or aspiring to be in positions of worth and value. As a future OBGYN, I am passionate to be able to help other girls know that they have rights to their bodies, their careers and their happiness. I am hoping to gain lasting connections to an amazing program and leave a lasting impact on the lives that I come across.

Mya Reddick

Hello, my name is Mya Reddick. I am currently a junior at Rutgers Camden majoring in psychology. The organization I am interning for is Camden Fireworks. It is an art gallery located in Camden, New Jersey. The mission of this gallery is to use art to create social change. While working here, I hope to assist in creating a social change while bringing the community together through art.

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Ashaya Young

Hello, my name is Ashaya Young and I am majoring in Early Childhood Education and minoring in English. I am currently working at the non-profit organization, The Colored Girls Museum, which is located in Philadelphia. This museum consists of African Diaspora artifacts and allows black women to channel into their history by learning their cultural importance. While working here I hope to contribute to the success of young African American girls.