Elevate+ Appoints Workforce Development Leader Dr. Kristina Testa-Buzzee to Board of Trustees

Elevate+ Grows Stronger

Elevate+ Interns Shine Across the Country

A Guide for Thriving in Your First Internship By Ruqqayah Khaliq

Summit, NJ – Elevate+, a nonprofit dedicated to disrupting systemic inequality through paid internships and career development for underserved students, is pleased to announce the appointment of Danielle West-Augustin to its Board of Trustees.

At Elevate+, we believe that every student deserves access to formative, paid work experiences that build confidence, spark ambition, and open doors. Vital to our success are the organizations that help us find the remarkable students we serve: our Talent Sourcing Partners. Going to Where the Students Are Elevate+ works with a growing network of high schools, colleges, and community-based programs across the country to identify talented students from low-income and marginalized communities. We go to where the students are—partnering with organizations that already have deep relationships with young people working hard to overcome systemic barriers. To be eligible for an Elevate+ internship, students must meet key criteria: they must come be marginalized and from a low-income background, and they must demonstrate achievement or potential in any aspect of their lives—whether academic, leadership, work ethic, or personal growth. We depend on our partners to connect us to students meeting our criteria. We then introduce the students to the Elevate+ community of host partners providing internship opportunities. Two of our original talent partners are KIPP NJ , a high-performing charter school network in Newark, and The PEP Program , a Summit-based enrichment initiative that helps students get into college. The Elevate+ network has grown to include over 25 partners across New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Ohio, Tennessee, Colorado, Texas, and California. Partners we’ve added include Cleveland State University , the University of Colorado Denver , Fisk University , Drew University , and The Academy 365 , to name just a few. Two of our most recent additions are West Side High School in Newark and CT State Community College in Norwalk . These relationships are more than just talent pipelines for Elevate+—they are partnerships built on mutual trust and a shared commitment to student success. Two of our sourcing partners recently shared their perspectives on working with Elevate+. Here’s what they had to say about our collaboration: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A Perspective from Higher Edge New London, Connecticut Katie Hallisey, Executive Director

In her young life, Neema David has overcome a lot. In her childhood, her family escaped the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo and lived in a refugee camp in Uganda before eventually immigrating to Cleveland, Ohio. Her small stature belies her fierce determination, evidenced by Neema learning English (on top of several other languages she already spoke), adjusting to a new culture, and supporting her family. As a student at Cleveland State University , Neema was also working as a caregiver and volunteering in her community. Her journey continued through the Elevate+ internship program, where she was matched with nonprofit Global Cleveland and received dedicated mentorship and hands-on experience . As a participant in the program, Neema immersed herself in all it offered, gaining invaluable insights and honing essential skills.

Francisco Velez at the Elevate+ headshot photoshoot in 2023 Before joining Elevate+, Francisco Velez was attending college while working...

Internships serve as pivotal stepping stones for students transitioning from academic environments to professional careers. However,...

Elevate to Even Plus (Elevate+), proudly announces the unanimous election of Elaine Shui to its Board of Trustees at its March 5, 2025,...