Today, 85 students, representing 28 North Carolina counties, will embark on a 10-week educational internship experience at North Carolina state government agencies. This year, the program features 80 projects from clean energy to instructional design.
“For more than half a century, the State of North Carolina Internship Program has been a fundamental source for nurturing the interest of our state’s best and brightest students in the area of public service,” said North Carolina Department of Administration Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell. “This program is instrumental in laying the foundation for future careers in state government.”
Interns will begin the program in a virtual orientation with Secretary Cashwell and members of the Internship Council where they will learn about job expectations, enrichment opportunities and have a chance to ask questions of previous interns. To allow for more hands-on learning experience, many of the internships this summer will be in a hybrid work environment that offers both in-person assignments as well as remote work.
Seventeen state agencies* are sponsoring internships this year ranging in a variety of careers from wildlife rehabilitation, photography, volunteer services and historical research to communications and public affairs, network security, policy and advocacy, enterprise mapping and aquarium animal husbandry among others. In addition to gaining practical work experience, students will also tour various facilities to learn about other government operations and state careers.
Coordinated by the Department of Administration’s Council for Women and Youth Involvement, the State of North Carolina Internship Program offers college students across the state an opportunity to connect lessons learned in the classroom to potential career choices. Established in 1969, the Internship Program has provided state government work opportunities to North Carolina residents attending college, university, technical or community college.
Interns are selected annually through a competitive process overseen by the NC Internship Council.
To learn more about the State of North Carolina Internship Program, visit the website. Applications for the 2024 State Internship program will open this fall.
*2023 Participating State Agencies: Administration (NCDOA), Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), Adult Correction, Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), Commerce, Environmental Quality (DEQ), General Assembly, Health and Human Services (DHHS), Information Technology (DIT), Judicial Branch, Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR), Office of State Human Resources (OSHR), Office of the Governor, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Public Safety (DPS), State Budget Management (OSBM), and Transportation (DOT).
2023 State of North Carolina Interns
| Intern | School | Home County | Internship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria “Vic” Abate | NC State University | Wake | Risk Building Footprint GIS Data Intern – DPS |
| Abigail Arens | NC State University | Wake | Regulatory Concepts for Coal Ash Management Intern - DEQ |
| Caitlyn Bauer | Concord University | Forsyth | Wildlife Rehabilitation at NC Zoo Intern - DNCR |
| Madeline Behnke | UNC-Chapel Hill | Wake | Historical Research Online Exhibits Intern - DNCR |
| Seth Berger | UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law | Wake | NC Court of Appeals Intern – Judicial |
| Sam Braden | Duke University | Durham | NC Supreme Court Intern – Judicial |
| Peter Bramson | Grinnell College | Wake | Slavery and Health Historical Research Intern - DNCR |
| Cameron Brown | East Carolina University | Wake | NCWorks (Pitt) Intern - Commerce |
| Mae Bryant Cates | NC State University | Wake | Story Maps & Fact Sheets for River Basin Plans Intern – DEQ |
| Gordon Cathcart | Elon University School of Law | Guilford | Public Interface Task Coordinator and Vapor Intrusion Research Intern – DEQ |
| Jocelyn Conder | George Washington University/American University of Paris | Wake | Natural Science Communications Intern - DNCR |
| Morgan Cook | UNC-Wilmington | New Hanover | Summer Program Education Intern - DNCR |
| Brooke Cox | NC State University | Gaston | Risk Building Footprint GIS Data Intern – DPS |
| Jaci Crute | UNC-Chapel Hill | Granville | Volunteer Services Intern - DHHS |
| Zoe Debenedette | Appalachian State University | Durham | Discovery Room Intern – DNCR |
| Brianna Deberry | NC Central University | Wake | Digital Equity and Literacy in Information Technology Intern - DIT |
| Alexis Douglas | Lenoir-Rhyne University | Lincoln | NCWorks Workforce (NW Prosperity Zone) Intern - Commerce |
| Delcina Eaton | University of Maryland-Baltimore | Mecklenburg | Federal Government (HRSA) Approval Project Intern – Adult Corrections |
| Cassie Eberle | UNC-Charlotte | Guilford | Photography Intern - DNCR |
| Emma Eldridge | NC State University | Wake | Museum Veterinary Medicine Intern - DNCR |
| Sterling Elliott | NC Central University | Wake | Policy Intern – Office of the Governor |
| Edy Evans | NC State University | Moore | Summer Camps Intern - DNCR |
| Kathryn Flood | NC State University | Wake | Public Science Events Intern - DNCR |
| Jonathan Garcia Cortez | UNC-Chapel Hill | Duplin | Public Engagement & Inclusion Intern – Office of the Governor |
| Jonathan Grigg | NC State University | Wake | Office of the Lieutenant Governor Intern |
| Kahlia Hargett | UNC-Greensboro | Lenoir | Untold Stories Women & African American in Lenoir Intern - DNCR |
Lillian Everett Hawkins |
UNC-Chapel Hill |
Orange |
Groundwater Quality Data Analysis & Communications Intern – DEQ |
| Nathan Hayes | NC State University | Guilford | Enterprise Mapping – Public Visualization of Biological Data Intern – DEQ |
| Leeah Heath | NC State University | Wake | Commission of Indian Affairs Intern – DOA |
| Jordan Holcomb | NC State University | Dare | Aquarium Animal Husbandry Intern - DNCR |
| Kyla Holton | NC A&T State University | Wake | Legislative Affairs Intern – Office of the Governor |
| Robert Hruska | NC State University | Wake | Risk Building Footprint GIS Data Intern – DPS |
| Efiotu Jagun | Georgia Institute of Technology | Durham | Strategic Partnerships Intern – OSBM |
| Naomi Johnson | Winston-Salem State University | Wake | Business Services Intern - Commerce |
| Patrick Jones | UNC-Chapel Hill | Ashe | NC Workforce Development Intern (Southwest Prosperity Zone) - Commerce |
| Chandler Jones | NC State University | Wake | Brownfields GIS/Programmer Intern – DEQ |
| Cassidy Joyner | NC State University | Johnston | Underrepresented Populations Research Intern - DNCR |
| Alexis Kay | Vanderbilt University | Carteret | Press Office Intern – Office of the Governor |
| McKenzie Keeler | East Carolina University | Onslow | NC Workforce Development Intern (Southeast Prosperity Zone) – Commerce |
| Hannah Kelper | Western Carolina University | Wake | Special Activity Programs Intern - DNCR |
| Sania Khazi | UNC-Chapel Hill | Orange | Policy and Advocacy Intern – DOA |
| Jayla King | East Carolina University | Nash | Youth Involvement Coordinator Intern - DOA |
| Corinne Kokenes | NC State University | Wake | Legislative Intern (House of Representatives) – General Assembly |
| Jessica Kotrick | UNC-Wilmington | Wake | Recreational Water Quality Technician Intern – DEQ |
| Leah Kozel | UNC-Chapel Hill | Pitt | Instructional Design Intern – AOC |
| Hannah Lilly | Appalachian State University | Vance | Rare Plant Status Survey Intern – DNCR |
| Solomon Lowry | UNC-Chapel Hill/Sandhills Community College | Orange | Geographic Information Systems/ State’s Real Estate Portfolio Intern – DOA |
| Melanie Mahabir | Wake Forest University | Guilford | National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Compliance Program Process Improvement Intern – DEQ |
| Caitlin Mahnke | Carteret Community College | Carteret | Coastal Reserve Education Intern – DEQ |
| Walker Massey | NC State University | Wake | Assessment & Management of Coastal Fisheries Resources Intern – DEQ |
| Gabby Matejowsky | Appalachian State University | Wake | Investigate Lab Intern – DNCR |
| Jordan Matheney | Methodist University | Lee | Communications & Public Affairs Intern – Commerce |
| Ava Meigs | Duke University | Buncombe | Domestic Violence Intervention Program Intern – DOA |
| Sarah Mejia | East Carolina University | Wake | Procurement Education Intern – DOA |
| Myles Parker | UNC-Greensboro | Wake | Water Education Program Content Organizer Intern – DEQ |
| Jackson Parker | Barton College | Onslow | Husbandry Intern- DNCR |
| Rishik Pavani | NC State University | Wake | Network Security Operations Intern – AOC |
| Nicholas Payst | UNC-Chapel Hill | Orange | Stream & Wetland Restoration/Database Development & Population Intern – DEQ |
| Jonah Peckham | NC State University | Wake | Science Communication/Natural History Collections Intern – DNCR |
| Marlene Perrin | NC Central University | Onslow | GIS Interactive Web Application Build for the Observer Program Intern – DEQ |
| Jason Phillips | Campbell University | Wake | NC Court of Appeals Intern – Judicial |
| Haley Pierce | NC State University | Wake | Sustainability Intern – DOA |
| Anna Poston | UNC-Wilmington | Currituck | Marine Fisheries Recreational Finfish Intern – DEQ |
| Bradley Quinn | NC State University | Wake | Non-Public Education Research Intern – DOA |
| Erica Rice | NC State University | Wake | Annual Budget Analysis & Planning Intern – AOC |
| Caroline Sartain | East Carolina University | Cumberland | NCWorks Workforce/Sandhills Prosperity Zone Intern – Commerce |
| Erin Schuette | NC State University | Wake | Fish & Invertebrate Intern – DNCR |
| Adam Sichel | NC State University | Wake | NC Symphony Intern – DNCR |
| Aubrey Smith | Appalachian State University | Wake | Public Relations Intern – DOT |
| Ashlee Somol | University of Washington | Wake | Fish Biodiversity Curatorial Assistant Intern – DNCR |
| Brianna Terpening | NC State University | Wake | Construction Engineer Intern – DOA |
| Kristen Thrower | UNC-Chapel Hill | Orange | Clean Energy Intern – Commerce |
| Cameron Tinsley | Appalachian State University | Currituck | Marine Education Intern – DNCR |
| Liliana Trigilio | NC State University | Guilford | Legislative Affairs Intern – DEQ |
| Tvisha Vadapali | UNC-Chapel Hill | Union | Human Resources Intern – OSHR |
| Madeline Vessy | UNC-Chapel Hill | Wake | Risk Building Footprint GIS Data Intern – DPS |
| Cassie Wan | UNC-Chapel Hill | Wake | Science Communication Materials/Geonomics & Microbiology Research Lab Intern – DNCR |
| Chase Warchol | UNC-Wilmington | Catawba | Historic Interpreter Intern – DNCR |
| Ash Welch | College of the Atlantic | Orange | Paleontology Collections Intern – DNCR |
| James Werner | NC State University | Wake | Digital Communications Intern – DHHS |
| James Braxton West | Appalachian State University | Orange | Geographic Information Systems/State’s Real Estate Portfolio Intern – DOA |
| Karsyn Westerbeek | NC State University | Duplin | NC State Fair Public Relations Intern – DA&CS |
| Lauren Wetmore | UNC-Chapel Hill | Rowan | District Court Management Guide Intern - AOC |
| Betsy Williams | East Carolina University | Pitt | Conservation of Artifacts/ La Concorde/Queen Anne’s Revenge Intern – DNCR |
| Peyton Wolf | Appalachian State University | Wake | Social Media Intern - DNCR |
About NCDOA and the NC Council for Women and Youth Involvement
The NC 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. The North Carolina Council for Women and Youth Involvement is a division of NCDOA. Their mission is to advise the governor, state legislators and state leaders on issues impacting women and youth.