From left to right: Rebecca Silverberg, Alison Hung, Amanda Villani, Kayli Kemperle, Mimi Pichette, Jamie Mekrebs, Navil Infante, Alicia Perez, Sophia Boyer, Ramyaa Ravichandra, Jayrell Ringpis, Gabriela Brennet. Not pictured: Kate Uhlman
Introducing the Summer 2013 Interns:
Name: Rebecca SilverbergPosition: Customer Relations InternCollege: University of Chicago ‘14Major: PsychologyFast Fact: During the school year, Rebecca researches cross-cultural moral development and directs WYSE, a women’s mentoring organization.Reason for being at DC.org: Rebecca is passionate about promoting a high quality education for all students. She believes DonorsChoose.org is a great place to explore the world of nonprofits while promoting a great cause.--Name: Alison HungPosition: Logistics and Business Relations InternCollege: University of Chicago ‘14Major: English Language and LiteratureFast Fact: Alison studied abroad in Paris in the spring, where she pretty much ate a baguette per day!Reason for being at DC.org: Alison is passionate about education and youth development and has always been interested in the non-profit sector. Her extracurricular activities and past internships have further strengthened these interests. As a student teacher in a second-grade classroom at an elementary school in Chicago, she has seen firsthand how much students can benefit from learning in creative ways and well-thought-out projects. Alison is excited about working with the LBR team because she loves gaining insight into what happens behind the scenes to make amazing things happen at a non-profit like DonorsChoose.org!-- Name: Amanda VillaniPosition: Video Marketing InternCollege: Harvard University ‘14Major: History of Science and Studies of Women, Gender, and SexualityFast Fact: During the school year, Amanda works as an academic research assistant and barista, so if you ever want to discuss history, science, or Starbucks coffee, she'd love to chat!Reason for being at DC.org: As a rising senior, Amanda believes her position helps to fortify her post-undergraduate plan of action. She has always been drawn to the nonprofit and education sectors, as well as the idea of professional marketing and video-making, so this position at DonorsChoose.org seemed like the ideal fit! Furthermore, because staff members at DonorsChoose.org come from such diverse educational and professional backgrounds, Amanda hopes to learn from others' experiences in order gain some insight into her own future.--Name: Kayli KemperlePosition: Donor Appreciation InternCollege: Bentley University ‘15Major: AccountingFast Fact: This summer Kayli is participating in her first first triathlon!Reason for being at DC.org: During the school year, Kayli works with Bentley University’s Service-Learning Center where she manages two programs. Her two programs each work specifically in the local high school and elementary schools. Kayli aligns closely with the DonorsChoose.org mission and vision because she has witnessed firsthand how public school students can be deprived of basic lessons and the help they need to succeed in school.--Name: Mimi PichettePosition: Customer Relations InternCollege: Princeton University ‘14Major: Politics/African StudiesFast Fact: Mimi is currently learning Swahili!Reason for being at DC.org: In addition to being very passionate about the DonorsChoose.org mission, Mimi is very interested in the non-profit and NGO sectors. She hopes to not only contribute to the improvement of the American education system through her work here at DonorsChoose.org, but also to gain insight into the operations of a thriving non-profit organization. Mimi also hopes to learn from the amazing staff and their experiences, while developing a sharper understanding of her future goals. --Name: Jamie MerkrebsPosition: Logistics and Business Relations InternCollege: Vanderbilt University '15Major: Human & Organizational Development and Corporate StrategyFast Fact: Jamie is a 20 year old, who has a side obsession with makeup and loves to read (her favorite author is Carlos Ruiz Zafon).Reason for being at DC.org: Aside from being passionate about the cause, Jamie hopes to understand the intricacies of the nonprofit world with the hopes of consulting in the future.--Name: Navil InfantePosition: Customer Relations InternCollege: Long Island University ‘15Major: Political Science and Latin American StudiesFast Fact: Navil’s career goal is to attend law school after she graduates.Reason for being at DC.org: Navil is also part of the Jeannette K. Watson Fellowship program, which has given her the opportunity to intern at DonorsChoose. She is extremely passionate about the mission of this organization. This internship is going to give her the opportunity to contribute to making our education system better.--Name: Alicia PerezPosition: Logistics & Business Relations InternCollege: Marymount Manhattan College ‘16Major: JournalismFast Fact: Alicia hopes to pursue a career in journalism, specifically focusing on science-related news.Reason for being at DC.org: Alicia is also a JK Watson Fellow, and for her first summer, she had to choose from several nonprofits to interview for. Donorschoose was on that list because Alicia was very interested in how nonprofits have utilized the online world and she was impressed by the DonorsChoose.org mission.--Name: Sophia BoyerPosition: Customer Relations InternCollege: Georgetown University ‘14Major: GovernmentFast Fact: In her free time, Sophia can be found museum-hopping, memorizing lines from "The West Wing," and watching documentaries.Reason for being at DC.org: Sophia deeply admires the work being done at DonorsChoose.org. From the welcome emails to the warm smiles, everyone at DC ensured that her transition into the organization was smooth. Getting to join such an extraordinary team has been her highlight so far, only rivaled by learning to use their hyper-cool coffee machine.--Name: Ramyaa RavichandraPosition: Donor Appreciation & Volunteer Management InternCollege: CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College ‘14Major: Industrial and Organizational PsychologyFast Fact: Ramyaa is a nomad, having parents who move very often due to their jobs. She has lived in 15 different places throughout her life!Reason for being at DC.org: Ramyaa is interning at DonorsChoose.org because she loves little kids and enjoys teaching. Being from India, she has seen many children not receive quality education due to poverty and bias against female children. Education she feels is the gap the bridges different people, cultures and lives. By interning at DonorsChoose.org, an organization that has made its mission to provide tools for bettering education in our society, she feels like she is a part of a change that is big and very important. -- Name: Gabriela BrennetPosition: Donor Appreciation TeamCollege: Muhlenberg College ‘14Major: Psychology and Elementary EducationFast Fact: While Gabriela is at school, she volunteers weekly at underprivileged elementary schools and aftercares, where she spends time working one-on-one with students.Reason for being at DC.org: Approaching her senior year of college, Gabriela was ready for an amazing experience, and believed that DonorsChoose.org would be able to offer her that. As an education major and someone who has had a lot of one on one experience with children, Gabriela felt that this organization would give her another perspective on education. Inspired by her brother beginning a career at a non-profit in Washington D.C, Gabriela felt that DonorsChoose.org would be a perfect place for her to learn more about what it would be like to work one as well.-- Name: Jayrell RingpisPosition: Operations InternCollege: California State University, San Marcos ‘13Major: Management Information Systems, EconomicsFast Fact: Jayrell owns a startup called Passion Fruit!Reason for being at DC.org: Jayrell is sincerely passionate about startups, education, and non-profits, so DonorsChoose.org was the perfect fit. He plans on founding his own non-profit in the future, but in the meantime, he’s thankful to be joining a superstar team and contributing to an innovative mission.--Name: Kate UhlmanPosition: Partnerships & Business Development InternCollege: TBD! (High School: Kent Place School)Fast Fact: Kate has dual citizenship in the United States and Germany!Reason for being at DC.org: This is Kate’s second summer interning here at DC, and she is just as excited as she was on her first day. Kate is passionate about the non-profit world as well as the education crisis in this country, and she believes there is no better way to learn than here at DonorsChoose.org! Being in such a warm and open environment motivates her to do her best every day.
