Next generation of Wean Fellows selected and ready to create social change in the Mahoning Valley

The Center for Nonprofit Leadership at Youngstown State University, housed in the Williamson College of Business Administration, has been awarded a grant from The Wean Foundation to implement the 2025 Nonprofit Leadership Summer Fellowship Program.

The Nonprofit Leadership Summer Fellowship Program is a biennial program that matches YSU students seeking career-related experience in the nonprofit sector with nonprofit organizations in the Mahoning Valley looking to build organizational capacity. This program gives 12 YSU students the opportunity to work full-time for 12 weeks, for a total of 480 hours, or part-time for 300 hours between May 12 and August 1. All fellows are paid $18/hour.

The following students and organizations were selected to participate in the 2025 Nonprofit Leadership Summer Honors Internship Program.

• The Andrea Mahone Foundation hired MacKenzie Harrington, a Master of Business Administration student, for the part-time Marketing & Social Media Fellowship position.
• Inspiring Minds Youngstown hired Melea Johnson, a Social Work major, for the full-time Site Instructor Fellowship position.
• Mahoning County Land Bank hired Serene Awad, an Environmental Studies major, for the full-time Program Management Fellowship position.
• Mahoning Valley Historical Society hired Connor Tapp, a History major, for the full-time Community Engagement Fellowship position.
• Mercy Health Foundation Mahoning Valley hired Kevin Balella, a Marketing major, for the full-time Panerathon Event Fellowship position.
• Meridian HealthCare hired Tara Wine, a Marketing major, for the full-time Marketing & Development Fellowship position.
• Northeast Ohio Adoption Services hired Sujey Navarro Negrete, a Business Administration major, for the part-time Community Engagement Fellowship position.
• Oh Wow! Children’s Center for Science & Technology hired Aicha Sawaneh, a Communication major, for the part-time Marketing & Events Fellowship position.
• United Way of Trumbull County hired Danuneka Cargill, a Business Administration major, for the part-time Marketing & Events Fellowship position.
• YMCA of Youngstown hired Haya Farhan, a graduate student studying Health and Human Services, for the full-time Marketing & Development Fellowship position.
• Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation hired Sabrina Johnson, a Psychology major, for the full-time Neighborhood Stabilization Fellowship position.
• YWCA Mahoning Valley hired Miya Brown, an Accounting major, for the part-time Accounting Fellowship position.

All participating organizations align with the Wean Foundation’s mission to equitable community building in under-resourced communities of Warren and Youngstown.

“Twelve highly qualified undergraduate and graduate YSU students have been selected to participate in the 2025 Nonprofit Leadership Summer Fellowship Program. This program aims to provide meaningful, career-related experience to these students, which in turn fosters and develops their skills to serve as effective nonprofit leaders upon graduation. This program also benefits the host organizations by building capacity over a 12-week period in the summer of 2025, thus helping to create social change,” Laura Dewberry, the director of the Center for Nonprofit Leadership stated.

The Nonprofit Leadership Summer Fellowship Program has occurred since 2011 and has had 80 YSU student participants to date.

The Center for Nonprofit Leadership offers a certificate and a minor in Nonprofit Leadership, which can be combined with any major on campus.

For more information on the 2025 Nonprofit Leadership Summer Internship Program or Youngstown State University’s Center for Nonprofit Leadership, contact Laura Dewberry at 330-941-1870 or ljdewberry@ysu.edu.

The Williamson College of Business Administration is dedicated to equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in business careers, ensuring they meet the demands of today's employers. Additionally, the college plays a vital role in strengthening the region's economic prosperity by offering talent, programs and services that enhance business competitiveness.