In collaboration with several Arkansas companies, the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas (WFA) has announced the fourth annual Tjuana Byrd Summer Internship Program cohort. This 12-week internship, named after WFA’s first Black president, Honorable Tjuana Byrd Manning, is for Arkansas women of color pursuing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics (STEAM), finance and related fields. The program aims to enhance access and representation in these fields by removing barriers such as cost, social capital and geographic location.
“We are able to facilitate this high-quality internship each year because of the support and expertise of our participating companies,” said Anna Beth Gorman, CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas. “By investing in this program and providing mentorship and on-the-job training, these companies are empowering young women of color to gain valuable opportunities to learn and prepare for bright, promising futures. We are extremely grateful for our corporate partners and their investment in Arkansas girls and women.”
“Stone Bank is proud to partner with the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas as a sponsor and participant in the Tjuana Byrd Summer Internship Program,” said Nick Roach, president & CEO of Stone Bank. “Over the past four years, we have welcomed four interns from the program into full-time positions at the bank. From fostering a culture of mentorship to building a pipeline of future leaders, our participation in the program has been a wonderful experience.”
Interns earn $15-$20 per hour, receive free housing for the duration of the program, and have access to mentorship, networking events and professional development workshops. At the internship’s conclusion, they also present to each company.
“Since its inception, Acxiom has proudly sponsored this program to expand access to and foster greater diversity in STEAM fields,” said Janet Cinfio, Chief Information Officer at Acxiom. “We’re thrilled to welcome and invest in this summer’s group of dynamic, driven young women of color as interns. We look forward to becoming part of their career journeys and hearing the fresh ideas and perspectives they bring.”
The nine summer 2024 interns represent six Arkansas cities and four Arkansas universities. Below is a list of the interns, their hometowns and majors:
- Khuslen Altangerel of Little Rock, computer science at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA)
- Lauren Gregory of Jacksonville, computer science at UCA
- Nicola Hawthorne of Pine Bluff, computer science at UCA
- Trinity Miller of Bryant, computer science at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB)
- Zaria Moore of Pine Bluff, business administration at UAPB
- Michaela Pascall of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, computer science at University of Arkansas (UofA)
- Ahtziri Saldana of Little Rock, civil engineering at UA Little Rock
- Indu Sen of Bentonville, information systems and marketing at UofA
For more information, visit the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas website.
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