Nine UNCSA students selected for SECU Public Fellows Internship Program
UNCSA has announced nine recipients of the State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) Public Fellows Internship Program, supported by the SECU Foundation.
From left to right: Shravya Pendyala, Charlie Maurer, Naomi Davis, Evan Daniel, Emilion Rizzo-Banks, Alice Yu, Margaret Turnage, Grace Smith, Oshun Jean / Photo: UNCSA
The 2025 summer recipients are:
- School of Filmmaking student Naomi Davis of Charlotte, interning with Matthews Playhouse.
- School of Filmmaking student Evan Daniel of Holly Springs, interning with the Gaston County Arts Council.
- School of Filmmaking student Oshun Jean of Asheville, interning with The Independent Picture House.
- School of Filmmaking student Charlie Maurer of Wilmington, interning with the Cucalorus Film Festival.
- School of Music student Shravya Pendyala of Winston-Salem, interning with Piedmont Opera.
- School of Filmmaking student Emile Rizzo-Banks of Asheville, interning with the River Arts District Artists Foundation.
- School of Filmmaking student Grace Smith of Hampstead, interning with the Town of Burgaw.
- School of Filmmaking student Maggie Turnage of Charlotte, interning with the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Arts Council.
- School of Design & Production student Alice Yu of Cary, interning with Raleigh Little Theatre.
All interns were selected through a competitive interview process and will receive up to $5,000 each to help offset expenses during the internship. Each student will complete a minimum of 300 hours of work this summer.
“We are thrilled to announce the 2025 SECU Public Fellows Internship recipients,” said Rebecca Nussbaum, director of the Office of Career Readiness and Community Engagement. “These talented students will gain invaluable real-world experience while contributing to arts nonprofits and local government agencies across North Carolina. We’re grateful to the SECU Foundation for making these opportunities possible and look forward to the impact our students will make this summer.”
About the SECU Public Fellows Internship Program
The SECU Public Fellows Internship Program helps develop future leaders, build capacity of nonprofit and government agencies, and reduce the talent drain from rural communities in North Carolina. The internships provide talented in-state undergraduate students with meaningful work experience, professional development and a unique opportunity to serve hometown communities over the summer.
The internship program was first announced in 2015, collaborating with the University of North Carolina System for a three-campus pilot. The success of the pilot, along with the growing need for paid undergraduate internships, led the SECU Foundation to expand the reach to all 16 universities, including UNCSA. Each participating university administers the SECU Public Fellows Internship Program locally.
About State Employees’ Credit Union
A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, SECU has been providing employees of the state of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for more than 80 years. The SECU Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization funded by the contributions of SECU members, promotes local community development in North Carolina primarily through high-impact projects in the areas of housing, education, health care and human services.
June 30, 2025