Four North Carolina Central University (NCCU) students are gaining real-world experience this summer thanks to the North Carolina Governor’s HBCU Internship Program.
Ashley Smith is interning with Lenovo, Salia Berthe with Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC, and both Kelvin McCaffity and Mahogany Mooney with Wells Fargo.
Smith notes, “the ability to gain real-world knowledge and experience is invaluable to me. I appreciate the NC Governors program, and my team at Lenovo for providing me this opportunity.”
Berthe is particularly excited to network and learn with top industry leaders in the healthcare field.
“Upon completing the program, I hope to leverage this experience to contribute meaningfully to the healthcare sector and inspire other students from North Carolina Central University to pursue their career aspirations with confidence,” he said.
McCaffity and Mooney share Berthe’s enthusiasm.
“I am thankful to be a part of this program and plan to learn all I can about the banking industry,” said McCaffity.
“I've connected with so many brilliant HBCU scholars and have had many professional development opportunities. I'm excited to see what the rest of the summer has in store,” added Mooney.
Established in 2015, the program builds a bridge between North Carolina’s HBCU students and leading Fortune 500 companies in the state. Additional partner companies include Cisco, CliftonLarsonAllen, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Hooker Furnishings, RTI International, SAS and Syngenta. The program offers paid, full-time summer internships to qualified rising juniors and seniors who have a minimum GPA of 2.8 and a demonstrated history of involvement in student and national organizations.
Smith, Berthe, McCaffity and Mooney will gain invaluable field experience to propel them toward successful careers. An annual survey of internship employers from the National Association of Colleges and Employers consistently finds that 50% to 60% of eligible interns convert to full-time employees.
For more information about the NC Governor’s HBCU Internship Program, visit here.
