Alexis Weatherspoon, a graduate student at UC Riverside’s School of Education, has been accepted as one of three 2022 John Smartt Summer Scholars at the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions.

Weatherspoon is working on a master’s degree in diversity and equity and is a TRIO Scholars graduate mentor who participated in the Chancellor’s Making Excellence Inclusive certificate program.

She was a scholar athlete at William Penn University at Oskaloosa, Iowa, which led to her interest in motivating athletes to pursue academic and athletic success.

The internship program provides interested master's students the opportunity to receive professional experience, connect with scholars in the higher education field, and learn fundamental research skills related to equity and leadership. 

Interns receive a $1,500 stipend, a chance to create and publish research, mentoring from faculty, and administrative experience.