This year, 18 North Carolina high school girls will participate in the Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program, a summer enrichment opportunity nurturing student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematic careers in state government. Today, students will embark on a four-week hands-on educational experience at one of 13 participating state government agencies.
“This program is instrumental in exposing our youth to STEM-based career opportunities within state government, opening their eyes to what is possible,” said NC Department of Administration Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell. “These teenagers will have the chance to be mentored by women leaders in often male-dominated fields such as engineering and computer science.”
This summer marks the fourth year for the Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program, following a brief hiatus due to COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021.
Representing six North Carolina counties from Forsyth to Johnston, this year’s class of interns consists of students from grades 9 through 12. Each will be assigned a special project and will work 40 hours per week. Mentees will dedicate 24 hours weekly working side-by-side with women leaders and 16 hours with other mentees on a group project focused on solving community issues with emerging technology such as artificial intelligence. Additionally, students will engage in summer enrichment opportunities including lunch-and-learn sessions and site visits to various state government agencies. All mentees will earn a $1,700 stipend at the end of the program.
Participating state agencies include the departments of Administration, Adult Correction, Commerce, Environmental Quality, Health and Human Services, Information Technology, Natural and Cultural Resources, Public Safety, Revenue, Transportation, and the offices of the Governor, State Budget and Management, and State Human Resources.
The Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program was created based on recommendations from the 2018 Status of Women in NC Employment and Earnings Report released by the Council for Women and Youth Involvement in collaboration with the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. The report highlights the growing disparity in employment and earnings among women and men in North Carolina. If unchanged, the gender wage gap will not begin to close until the year 2060. The report also underscores Governor Roy Cooper’s NC Job Ready Initiative, which advocates for more internships, training and apprenticeships to prepare North Carolinians for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
Visit the NCDOA website to learn more about the Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program.
| Mentee | Classification | County | High School | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ananya Gupta | Freshman | Wake | Panther Creek High School | Administration |
| Ava Banner | Junior | Forsyth | Ronald Reagan High School | Administration |
| Jenna Starling | Junior | Johnston | Cleveland High School | Adult Correction |
| Fatma Ahmed | Junior | Wake | Cary Academy | Adult Correction |
| Ibukun Olawoye | Freshman | Wake | Wake Early College of Health and Science | Commerce |
| Adrienne Blue | Junior | Harnett | Overhills High School | Commerce |
| Becky Tanyi | Junior | Wake | Enloe High School | Commerce |
| Morgan Davis | Sophomore | Wake | South Garner High School | Environmental Quality |
| Tejashree Senthilkumar | Junior | Wake | Athens Drive Magnet High School | Governor’s Office (Chief of Staff) |
| Moorea Barbee | Junior | Orange | Eno River Academy | Health and Human Services |
| Shreelakshya Reddi | Sophomore | Wake | Green Level High School | Information Technology |
| Angela Yang | Junior | Orange | Chapel Hill High School | Natural and Cultural Resources |
| Vyomi Shah | Senior | Wake | Green Hope High School | Office of State Budget Management |
| Jordyn Phillips | Sophomore | Wake | Cary Academy | Office of State Human Resources |
| Janize Pena Flores | Freshman | Wake | Heritage High School | Public Safety |
| Natalie Jones | Senior | Cumberland | NC School of Science and Mathematics | Revenue |
| Yasharee Gadipalli | Junior | Wake | Green Level High School | Transportation |
| Sharvi Gandhi | Sophomore | Wake | Enloe High School | Transportation |
About NCDOA and the NC Council for Women and Youth Involvement
The NC Department of Administration acts as the business manager for North Carolina state government. Under the leadership of Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell, the department oversees government operations and advocacy programs. The department's advocacy programs help to promote and assist diverse segments of the state's population that have been traditionally underserved. The North Carolina Council for Women and Youth Involvement is a division of NCDOA. Their mission is to advise the governor, state legislators and state leaders on issues impacting women and youth.