Seven Interns join United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region for the Spring 2020 semester

United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region welcomed seven interns this spring:

  • Laura Cantu, a senior at Marist from Davie, Florida, is returning to United Way for her third semester, interning in the Marketing & Communications office focusing on video production.
  • Carli Mathias, a junior at Marist from Suffern, New York, is a Marketing & Social Media Intern in the Marketing & Communications office.
  • Jennifer Kerbs, a senior at Vassar, from Sacramento, California, is a Gift-In-Kind Intern working in the Community Impact office.
  • Meaghan Shea, a Marist sophomore from Warwick, New York, is a Community Impact Intern in the Community Impact office.
  • Natasha Chaparro, a senior at SUNY New Paltz from Roxbury, New Jersey, is working as an Events Assistant Intern in the Resource Development department. 
  • Michelle Sarubbe, a senior at Marist from Newburgh, New York, is a Donor Stewardship Intern in the Resource Development office.
  • Anik Parayil, a senior at Vassar from Tampa, Florida, is a Resource Development Intern in the Resource Development office. 

These seven interns will work with and learn from United Way staff members during the course of the next few months. 

“We are thrilled to have the interns here this spring, they are all dedicated, willing to learn, and bring a lot to the table” stated Jeannie Montano, President & CEO of United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region. “The work that the interns are doing is helping the organization and preparing them with useful skill for their future careers.”

Experience is one of the key factors that employers are looking for when searching for a competent employee for their business. Internships are a great opportunity for students who want to apply their knowledge from the classroom to real work scenarios. The eventual transition from college to a career is made much easier through an internship and seeing firsthand how things are done in a professional environment. To learn more about internship opportunities at United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region, go to uwdor.org/careers#internships.

About the Interns

Laura Cantu is currently a senior at Marist College majoring in Media Studies Film and Television Production. It is her third semester interning here at United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region. She is originally from Monterrey, Mexico, and moved to Fort Lauderdale Florida in 2012. Laura’s time at United Way has taught her about the importance of hard work and service. In her final semester here at United Way, she hopes to continue to learn both professionally and personally.

Natasha Chaparro is currently a senior at the State University of New York at New Paltz. She is double majoring in sociology and Black Studies and minoring in Political Science. Originally from New Jersey, she chose to come study in New York because she loves all that there is to do in New York State. She loves going to New York City and exploring new restaurants, and our areas hiking trails. Some of her favorite hobbies are cooking and exploring. She loves trying new recipes and she is ready for an adventure. In the future Natasha hopes to study law and eventually have a nonprofit that provides legal services to immigrants and undocumented people, to help ensure they get the justice they deserve. She wanted to intern at United Way so she could learn more about nonprofits and to gain more professional skills. 

Jennifer Kerbs is a senior at Vassar College. She is majoring in Political Science and minoring in French. Jennifer will be working as the Gift-In-Kind intern for United Way. In this position, she will be organizing, documenting, and tracking inventory, and helping with other preparation for the quarterly Day of Sharing program. She will also assist with volunteer events, data entry and reporting within the community impact division. Jennifer chose to intern at United Way because of the organization's powerful impact in helping the community. She is excited to learn more about the work of nonprofits in creating positive change at a local (and national) level. A fun fact about Jennifer is that she loves all things active and was on Vassar's Volleyball team.

Carli Mathias is currently a junior at Marist pursuing a double major in Studio Art and Advertising, with a minor in Art History. This fall she had the pleasure of studying abroad in Paris, which was an incredible experience. A fun fact is that she also visited 14 other cities during her time in Europe! In her free time she likes to paint, read, watch movies with friends, and spend time outside. This semester she is a Marketing and Social Media intern, which she hopes will enhance her skills and teach her new things about the field.  She decided to intern at United Way to give back to the community and help others in the area. 

Anik Parayil is a senior at Vassar College majoring in political science with a minor in economics. He is interning in the Resource Development office where he will help organize upcoming campaigns. Poughkeepsie is his latest home after living in Florida, California, Japan, Norway, Singapore, and Hong Kong, so his internship with United Way provides a great opportunity to learn more about his adopted local community while gaining valuable experience doing something he finds worthwhile. In his spare time, he likes listening to classic rock, cooking Italian and Japanese food, playing pocket billiards, and watching pro sports.

Michelle Sarubbe is a senior at Marist College majoring in Psychology and Criminal Justice, with a minor in Social Work. Michelle is aiming to get their Master’s Degree in Social Psychology. Michelle is currently with the Resource Development office where they help with upcoming campaigns. They joined United Way because they love helping to work on fundraising projects within the community. Michelle hopes to gain more knowledge and experience within this field while being able to give back to the community they have been a part of since growing up. When they’re not at United Way, Michelle is just down the block at the DA’s Office. They spend a lot of their time traveling the world because they think it is important to learn first-hand how others experience things. If you ask Michelle at any given time, they usually have a trip lined up somewhere.

Meaghan Shea is a sophomore at Marist College majoring in Political Science with double minors in Philosophy and Cognitive Science. She is a Community Impact intern this Spring. Meaghan chose to intern at a nonprofit because she wants to gain hands-on experience in the nonprofit sector, especially following her experience interning in Congress last Fall. She is enthusiastic about helping others in her community and as she is from Orange County; she is interested to see firsthand the positive impact United Way has on her community. A fun fact about Meaghan is that she is working towards fluency in Mandarin Chinese and has been studying the language for about eight years. 

 

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