New Haven Promise Internships @ Yale Summer 2024 Recap

The 2024 New Haven Promise Internship season wrapped up on August 9th with a celebratory event on Friday, August 2nd, at the School of Management. This celebration marked the conclusion of a summer filled with successful career exploration, meaningful projects, and skill enhancement for the New Haven Promise interns. It also provided a valuable opportunity for managers and interns to share their experiences from the summer.

New Haven Promise partnered with 34 Yale departments and 14 New Haven organizations to place 138 interns for the summer, with Yale hosting 84 interns. The collaboration and support from various departments were instrumental in achieving this substantial growth. The internships offered a mix of hybrid and on-site experiences, allowing interns to gain diverse and adaptable skills.

Throughout the summer, interns participated in a series of professional and personal development workshops, covering topics like Financial Responsibility, Workforce Culture, LinkedIn, AI Technology, and more. One notable session was a mentorship panel hosted by the F.L.Y. (Future Leaders of Yale) Affinity Group. These workshops equipped interns with essential skills and knowledge, preparing them for their future careers. Additionally, the interns actively engaged in special projects and tasks within their departments, directly contributing to departmental goals.

Dajia Carr and Jamilex Ortega, who served as Yale HR Rotational Interns, exemplified the internship’s impact. They supported initiatives like the New Haven Hiring Initiative, Talent Acquisition, Diversity Programs, and Best Practices. Over the summer, they acquired new technical skills, practiced public speaking, conducted data analysis using Excel, and honed their content creation skills using platforms like Canva and Adobe. Their growth was evident in their intern project, where they organized and hosted a community event celebrating National Intern Day on July 25th, 2024.

Dajia Carr & Jamilex Ortega

As the summer ended, final intern presentations and written reviews from their managers confirmed the season’s success. Both interns and managers consistently highlighted the enriching experiences and skills gained, with managers praising their interns’ positive impact on their departments. This summer saw the return of Promise’s Pecha Kucha competition, where candidates presented an overview of their experience in 20 slides in under 20 seconds per slide.

The winners of the Pecha Kucha are as follows:

• Gabriella Xavier - Yale School of Music
• Lizamishel Boateng - Yale Program on Financial Stability
• Young In Kim - Yale School of the Environment, Enhanced Rock Weathering Lab
• Emily Cervantes & Alyssa Findlay - Yale School of Management, Inclusive Economic Development Lab
• Elena Hartley - Yale West Campus, Research Operations

See more photos from the Promise Finale event!

Trinity Higgins, a Yale School of Nursing (YSN) intern and rising junior at UCONN, reflected on her time at West Campus this summer, stating, “I have loved every minute of interning here at YSN, and I’m going to be a little sad when I leave. However, I am grateful to have been given this opportunity, especially since I am a first-generation college student. My future plans are to become a child psychologist and then pursue my career in nursing.”

Lauren Langford, Associate Director of Communications at YSN, praised Trinity, saying, “It was a great pleasure to have Trinity at YSN with us this summer. She showed great curiosity and energy, was open to tackling any project with enthusiasm, and always asked great questions. She covered a lot of ground in just two months, and I highly recommend that any manager should consider welcoming a New Haven Promise intern next year.”

Read more on Trinity and Lauren’s experience!

Rodney Brunson, Director of Accounts Payable & Payment Services, also commended his intern, Damarley Barrett, stating, “Damarley has consistently demonstrated a high level of intelligence and aptitude in his role as an intern. His ability to grasp new concepts promptly and apply them effectively is remarkable. He exhibits a strong work ethic, ensuring that tasks are not only completed swiftly but also with a high standard of quality. His consistent performance and quick learning curve made him a valuable asset to our team.”Damarley Barrett

Overall, the 2024 New Haven Promise Internship season was a resounding success, highlighting the valuable experiences gained by interns and the significant contributions they made to various departments and organizations. This successful season sets a positive precedent for future growth and collaboration.