ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (Feb. 5, 2024) – Three Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) students were selected for paid internships that position them to make change in the field of social work throughout the state.
Courtney Glover ’24 and Makayla Hathaway ‘24 will be participating in the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) internship designed to target recruitment efforts at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The program consists of a 10-week, paid virtual internship and is a component of the NCDHHS workforce development initiative, that encourages college students to seek careers in public health and government. The goal is to build a strong and inclusive work force.
Hathaway said she was surprised to be chosen for the internship, yet grateful.
“I hope to be able to advocate for those in need by taking this educational experience and applying it to my career,” she said. “This is an opportunity to network and connect to be the change that is needed in North Carolina.”
Glover and Hathaway were also selected for the North Carolina Child Welfare Education Collaborative and are completing internships at local Division of Social Services agencies.
Trinitee Smith’ 25 has been selected for the 2024 Northeastern North Carolina Partnership for Public Health’s (NENCPPH) Regional Tobacco Control and Prevention Internship. She will conduct presentations on campus, in collaboration with the university’s Student Counseling Services, and in the community about tobacco prevention.
Each student’s contribution to the field, even while they’re still studying is remarkable, said Kim Downing, ECSU social work professor and director of the university’s Social Work program.
“The students will acquire new skills and engage diverse strategies to champion public health initiatives on the ECSU campus, as well as their community at large,” she said.