NC Wesleyan students participate in NCDHHS internship

ROCKY MOUNT — North Carolina Wesleyan University students Nayonna Bland and Makaela Stokes have accepted an internship with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services as part of the department’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions Internship Program.

This paid summer internship is a component of the department’s workforce development initiative to build a strong and inclusive workforce by increasing the number of human services professionals to provide for the growing number of residents in North Carolina.

“We are looking toward the future in NCDHHS by building a strong and inclusive workforce that supports all North Carolinians,” said NCDHHS Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. “We genuinely applaud each of these young professionals for their assistance in helping NCDHHS protect the health, safety and well-being of the people in our communities now and into the future.”

Stokes and Bland will work on a project with the NCDHHS’ Division of Health Benefits. The internship will last 10 weeks and includes work in the assigned project area, seminars, presentation practice and an immersion event at the end of the internship experience.

“NCDHHS is now in its sixth cohort of HBCU/MSI Change Champion interns, connecting with over 150 students since 2022. We are creating a strong and inclusive workforce by building a pipeline to the public health and human services professions for this generation,” said Angela Bryant, assistant secretary for the department’s health equity portfolio. “NCDHHS is excited that Makaela and Nayonna have chosen to join 41 other graduate and undergraduate interns to help build the workforce needed to improve the health, safety and well-being of all North Carolinians.”

Bland and Stokes will gain skills they can apply toward their careers in the social services sector.

“N.C. Wesleyan believes that student engagement is vital to rewarding social lives, strengthening leadership skills and the desire to make a difference on campus and the community,” a university news release says. “We encourage students to get involved and make most of their collegiate experience. We are so proud of these Bishops for taking advantage of this opportunity and taking a step further to make most of their journey.”

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