This past summer, 150 students tackled issues of food insecurity, worked with children in the foster system, provided guidance for immigrants and made a difference in many other ways as Scarlet Service interns.
Now in its second year, the Rutgers Scarlet Service internship program establishes civic engagement as a critical component of higher education and forges a path toward appreciating each other’s differences, restoring civil discourse and serving the common good.
President Jonathan Holloway created the program because he believes Rutgers should be a leader in its commitment to public service. “Students will work for nonprofits, serve the broader community and gain the opportunity to learn about people who are unlike themselves – who face different struggles and come from different backgrounds, countries, races or religions,” he said.
Participating in this program will make our students better citizens and our world a better place.
President Jonathan Holloway
New York Legal Assistance Group’s LGBTQ Law Project
Yiraldo spent his summer as a Scarlet Service intern in the Manhattan organization’s LGBTQ Law Project, working as an interpreter and paralegal with mostly queer and transgender Latino clients seeking name changes and/or asylum.
League of Women Voters
Sebastian spent much of his summer as a Scarlet Service intern with the League of Women Voters, working with staff and volunteers, designing social media and other tools for nonpartisan outreach to Gen Z and other groups of young voters.
Tabor Children Services
Rosemarie spent the summer as a Scarlet Service intern with Tabor Children Services, where she worked as a program development intern to enrich the lives of children who are still in the foster system.
Five Loaves Food Pantry
Ryan spent much of the summer as a Scarlet Service intern at Five Loaves Food Pantry at the College Avenue Community Church in New Brunswick, where he participated in the development of dietary health programs, researched grant opportunities and updated the organization's computer system.
Trust for the National Mall
Amanda spent most of her summer in Washington, D.C., as a Scarlet Service intern with the Trust for the National Mall, the leading nonprofit, nonpartisan philanthropic partner of the National Park Service, where she helped interview, train and onboard new volunteers, write newsletters and assist with events.
Institute of International Education
Santiago spent the summer in the nation’s capital as a Scarlet Service intern with the Institute of International Education, working in outreach and recruitment for the Fulbright program while taking advantage of networking opportunities with students and professors from around the world.
Lauren Johnson and Chelsea Fernandez discuss how their paid internships in Washington, D.C. opened up new possibilities and enriched their student experience.
Zach Soricelli discusses his summer internship experience at New Jersey's Pinelands Adventures and the importance of our natural ecosystems and sustainability.
Kaiel Maynor discusses her summer internship with Grow It Green Morristown, a nonprofit urban farm that gives back to local communities.
James and Connie Hughes, alumni who were among the first Scarlet Service donors, discuss the importance of supporting public service initiatives and helping students become active citizens.
Through Rutgers Scarlet Service, undergraduates from all campuses are selected for internships at public service-oriented nonprofit organizations and direct-service government offices. Students gain hands-on experience addressing national issues including public health, infrastructure, education and the environment while developing a better understanding of themselves and building relationships with others. Participating students receive stipends and take related 3-credit courses.
The program began in the summer of 2022 with 100 students interning in and around New Jersey. Rutgers Scarlet Service has already grown to include an additional cohort in Washington, D.C., the epicenter of American government, politics and public leadership.
