This year, 13 North Carolina high school girls will participate in the Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program, a summer enrichment opportunity nurturing student interest in state government science, technology, engineering and mathematic career fields. On June 27, students will embark on a 5-week hands-on educational experience at one of 10 participating state government agencies.
“This program is crucial as it extends classroom training to in-person experience for girls in career fields that are often dominated by men,” said NC Department of Administration Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell. “As we seek to eliminate gender and occupational segregation across the state, mentorship programs like Lady Cardinal are essential to improving the outlook for not only women but families and our state as a whole.”
This summer marks the second year for the Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program, following a brief hiatus due to COVID-19.
Representing counties from as far west as Rowan to as far east as Johnston, each student will be assigned a special project and will work 40 hours per week. Mentees will dedicate 24-hours weekly working side-by-side with women leaders and 16 hours with other mentees on a group project. Additionally, students will engage in summer enrichment opportunities including lunch and learn sessions and site visits to various state government agencies. All mentees will earn a $2,100 stipend at the end of the program.
Participating state agencies this year include the departments of Administration, Commerce, Health and Human Services, Information Technology, Natural and Cultural Resources, Public Safety, Revenue, Transportation, and the offices of the Governor and State Human Resources.
The Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program was created based on recommendations from the 2018 Status of Women in NC Employment and Earnings Report released by the Council for Women and Youth Involvement in collaboration with the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. The report highlights the growing disparity in employment and earnings among women and men in North Carolina. If unchanged, the gender wage gap will not begin to close until year 2060. The report also underscores Governor Roy Cooper’s NC Job Ready Initiative, which advocates for more internships, training and apprenticeships to prepare North Carolinians for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
Visit the NCDOA website to learn more about the Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program.
| Mentee Name | Classification | County | High School | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennedy Knight | Sophomore | Johnston | Clayton High School | Administration |
| Chloe Lassiter | Sophomore | Wake | Leesville Road High School | Administration |
| Camila Armas | Junior | Wake | Wake STEM Early College High School | Commerce |
| Ashley Reyes-Rivera | Sophomore | Wake | Wake STEM Early College High School | Commerce |
| Shehvaar Raza | Junior | Johnston | Smithfield-Selma High School | Commerce |
| Varsha Upadhyayulla | Junior | Wake | Enloe High School | Health and Human Services |
| Autumn Parish | Sophomore | Wake | Middle Creek High School | Information Technology |
| Lilyanne Sweat | Junior | Johnston | Southside Christian School | Public Safety |
| Sarah Garcia | Junior | Wake | Apex Friendship | Transportation |
| Isabella Clark | Sophomore | Wake | Broughton High School | Office of State Human Resources |
| Ameila Easter | Junior | Rowan | Christ the King Catholic High School | Revenue |
| Jada Ormond | Junior | Wake | Leesville High School | Office of the Governor (Chief of Staff office) |
| Kimberly Gomez-Gonzalez | Sophomore | Johnston | Neuse Charter School | Natural and Cultural Resources |
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About NCDOA and the NC Council for Women and Youth Involvement
The N.C. Department of Administration acts as the business manager for North Carolina state government. Under the leadership of Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell, the department oversees government operations and advocacy programs. The department's advocacy programs help to promote and assist diverse segments of the state's population that have been traditionally underserved. NCDOA’s Council for Women and Youth Involvement division advises the governor, state legislators and state leaders on issues that impact women and youth.