At New Jersey Give a Kid a Dream (NJGAKAD), we believe transformative change happens through meaningful mentorship and dedicated service. Our partnership with Rutgers University has become a cornerstone of this mission, bringing exceptional talent that enhances our ability to serve youth while developing future community leaders.
Why Internships Matter at NJGAKAD
Our interns bring more than just additional hands to our mission—they bring fresh perspectives, specialized academic knowledge, and boundless enthusiasm that energizes our entire organization. Through their involvement, we’ve enhanced our ability to serve youth in meaningful ways:
- Academic Integration: Interns apply current psychological and developmental theories to our programs, ensuring evidence-based approaches to youth development
- Mentorship Dynamics: The relatively small age gap between our interns and program participants creates unique mentoring relationships that foster trust and open communication
- Program Sustainability: Many interns choose to stay beyond their required terms, creating a pipeline of experienced volunteers and potential future staff members
- Community Connection: Through our interns, we strengthen our ties to the academic community and stay current with emerging best practices in youth development
Meet Our Outstanding Interns
Maddison Van Der Mark (2022)
One of our first RSSI interns, Maddison demonstrated a remarkable passion for serving others throughout her time at the gym. As an Army ROTC member and US Army Veteran, she showed great bravery by sharing her personal experiences of trauma with our youth. Her impressive accomplishments as a Truman Scholar, Leadership Fellow of the Student Veterans of America, and Institute for Women’s Leadership Scholar reflect her exceptional leadership abilities. Maddison quickly became a right-hand resource to our director and continued volunteering long after her internship concluded. She is now an active member of the US Army, and we remain proud of her achievements.
Diana Bozoyan (2023-Present)
Diana joined us through the RSSI Program and the Rutgers Internship in Applied and Community Psychology, bringing an impressive academic background as a Dean’s List Psychology major with a minor in Criminology. As a McNair Scholar and Rutgers Learning Assistant, her dedication to excellence was evident from the start. Diana’s “How can I help?” catchphrase exemplifies her commitment to our organization. She continues at NJGAKAD as an assistant to our director, using her holistic approach to understand unspoken needs and make lasting impacts on our youth. Diana now serves as Supervisor to all Interns, mentoring and training new team members with her valuable experience and knowledge. Her work has been invaluable, and her passion illuminates how special she is to our organization.
Meira Davidowitz (2024)
Currently a junior at Rutgers studying Psychology and Criminal Justice, Meira maintains Dean’s List status. Her dedication during her RSSI internship impacted our youth and the board of directors.
Emily Connor (2024)
Through the Rutgers Internship in Applied and Community Psychology, Emily’s role at NJGAKAD was marked by her clear passion for helping others. She made incredible impressions on our youth and displayed a consistent willingness to help in all areas of the foundation.
Kayla FitzGerald (Current)
Kayla joined us in September through the Internship in Applied and Community Psychology, bringing a unique combination of her fitness career background and academic pursuits in Psychology and Criminology. Scheduled to graduate this January with aspirations for a career in Law, Kayla chose NJGAKAD out of her passion for fitness alongside her drive to make positive changes in our community. Her ability to mentor and tutor our youth has been greatly appreciated by the children in our program. Though only halfway through the Rutgers Psychology Internship, she has already developed a lasting love for the organization and plans to continue beyond her internship’s conclusion. Her dedication to making long-lasting impacts on NJGAKAD shows in everything she does.
Expanding Our Reach
On October 18th, Intern Supervisor Diana Bozoyan and Board Member Alicia Furman represented NJGAKAD at the New Jersey Psychological Association for Graduate Students (NJPAGS) Internship and Externship Fair.
NJPAGS promotes leadership development, advocates for graduate student welfare, and maintains communication channels between NJPA, schools, universities, training centers, and the psychological community. While not a traditional full-time internship site, NJGAKAD successfully networked with numerous Masters and Doctoral students eager to make a difference in our communities.
Looking Forward
As NJGAKAD grows, our internship program remains central to our vision for the future. The Rutgers Summer Service Internship Program and the Internship in Applied and Community Psychology have been fundamental to our success. Each semester brings new talent, fresh ideas, and passionate individuals ready to make their mark on our community.
Our success stories demonstrate that the impact reverberates far beyond the gym walls when academic excellence meets community service. We’re proud to provide a training ground where future professionals can apply their knowledge while making a real difference in young lives. We look forward to continuing these partnerships and are grateful for our past and current interns’ impact on our organization’s development.