Executive Overview
In an era defined by rapid technological innovation, shifting cultural paradigms, and an unprecedented youth mental health crisis, organizations dedicated to psychological well-being face mounting pressure—and unprecedented opportunity. At the forefront of this movement is Active Minds, the nation’s premier nonprofit organization supporting mental health awareness and education for young adults.
Each semester, Active Minds welcomes a diverse, highly driven cohort of interns whose work directly fuels the organization’s mission. From chapter support and policy advocacy to digital marketing, graphic design, and institutional development, these young professionals are not merely learning the mechanics of nonprofit administration; they are actively shaping the national discourse surrounding mental health.
The Summer 2024 intern cohort represents a dynamic cross-section of American higher education, drawing talent from institutions such as Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Texas, UCLA, and the Kansas City Art Institute. United by a shared commitment to dismantling mental health stigma, these individuals bring varied academic disciplines—ranging from neuroscience and public health to mathematics and the fine arts—to address the multifaceted challenges of youth mental wellness.
This report provides an in-depth exploration of the Summer 2024 cohort, examining their backgrounds, departmental roles, motivations, and aspirations. Through this comprehensive profile, we illuminate how the next generation of changemakers is leveraging creativity, data, policy, and community building to redefine how society approaches mental health.
Detailed Chronology & Departmental Integration
The Active Minds internship program is structured to provide immersive, hands-on experience across multiple operational pillars. During the Summer 2024 term, interns were strategically integrated into specialized departments to maximize both their professional development and the organization’s systemic impact.
Supporting the Grassroots: The Chapters and K-12 Teams
At the heart of Active Minds’ community-level impact is its vast network of school- and university-based chapters.
- Sara Valencia (Duke University), working within the Chapters Team, combined her academic background in neuroscience and human rights with a personal mission to de-stigmatize psychological struggles. Aspiring to a career as a psychiatrist and global mental health researcher, Valencia’s work focused on bolstering chapter resources to ensure student leaders have the tools necessary to foster supportive campus environments.
- Shay Desai (University of Texas) took on the crucial K-12 portfolio, focusing on the acute mental health challenges facing younger populations. Recognizing the disproportionate stigma surrounding mental health in communities of color and among young males, Desai utilized his internship to help formulate targeted interventions for adolescents, drawing inspiration from his ultimate career goal of opening a private practice focused on youth psychology.
Shaping Public Perception: MarComm and Graphic Design
Effective advocacy requires compelling storytelling and visually accessible communication.
- Sam McCracken (University of Nebraska – Lincoln) embedded himself within the Marketing and Communications (MarComm) team. Bridging his passion for technological innovation with digital advocacy, McCracken focused on expanding the organization’s digital footprint, managing complex project components, and amplifying mental health messaging across modern platforms.
- Amanda Michael (Kansas City Art Institute) brought a vital artistic perspective to the graphic design department. As a young Egyptian woman navigating cultural stigma around mental health, Michael concentrated on designing with accessibility and audience retention in mind. Her work explored how visual communication—inspired by multilingual typography and design advocates like Mohamed Samir—can break down cultural barriers and invite broader conversations about psychological well-being.
Fueling the Mission: Development and Operations
A nonprofit’s longevity relies heavily on strategic fundraising, donor relations, and seamless operational backends.
- Krystn Whitty (University of South Carolina) served as a development intern focusing on foundations. Drawing on her previous leadership experience as a university chapter vice-president, Whitty worked to expand institutional funding streams to support Active Minds’ expanding national footprint.
- Langdon Janos (Washington University in St. Louis) operated as the Development Operations intern. Utilizing his background in psychological and brain sciences, Janos gained a comprehensive, behind-the-scenes understanding of nonprofit financing while connecting diverse departmental roles to optimize organizational efficiency.
- Anna Gefke (Wellesley College) brought her unique blend of studio art and mathematics to the Individual Giving and Community Fundraising team. Gefke focused on peer-to-peer fundraising strategies and donor communication, applying insights gained from utilizing Active Minds programs like A.S.K. and Cause + Career in her personal life.
- Aubrey Hill (University of Delaware) joined the Operations department, diving deep into the cross-functional mechanics of running a national non-profit. Earning hard and soft skills applicable to a future career in public relations, Hill applied her family-rooted dedication to mental health advocacy to the organization’s daily operational workflows.
Policy, Measurement, and Workforce Development
Systemic change requires rigorous data analysis, strategic workforce alignment, and forward-thinking public policy.
- Keanu Villagonzalo (UCLA) applied his expertise in mathematics of computation to the Measurement Team. Tasked with analyzing complex datasets and implementing new analytical technologies, Villagonzalo channeled a deeply personal commitment to suicide prevention—sparked by a tragic loss in his high school community—into actionable, data-driven insights.
- Pilar Parker (NC State University) interned with the Workforce Development department, sharpening her communication skills and gaining corporate and nonprofit experience. As a future clinical psychologist dedicated to underserved communities, Parker focused on educational outreach designed to alter public perceptions of psychological care.
- Trace Terrell (Johns Hopkins University) joined the Higher Education and Policy teams. Examining how postsecondary mental health policies directly influence student well-being, Terrell leveraged his background in public health and writing to investigate legislative and institutional frameworks. For Terrell, the internship marked a full-circle moment: Active Minds had played a critical role in saving his life during high school, and he now stands as a structural advocate ensuring identical lifelines exist for others.
Supporting Context & Metrics: The Youth Mental Health Landscape
The contributions of the Summer 2024 intern cohort occur against a backdrop of documented urgency within the public health sector. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American College Health Association (ACHA):
- The Prevalence of Distress: Over 60% of college students meet the criteria for at least one mental health problem, including anxiety, depression, or eating disorders.
- The Stigma Barrier: Despite high rates of psychological distress, a significant percentage of young adults fail to seek professional help due to persistent societal stigma, cultural pressures, or a lack of accessible institutional resources.
- The Digital Shift: With Gen Z and younger generations spending record amounts of time online, digital mental health campaigns—such as those supported by Active Minds’ MarComm interns—have proven essential in reaching vulnerable populations where they congregate.
- The ROI of Early Intervention: Research consistently demonstrates that early intervention during adolescence and early adulthood drastically alters long-term psychological trajectories, reducing the incidence of chronic mental illness later in life.
Active Minds’ multi-pronged approach—addressing everything from grassroots campus chapters and K-12 education to federal policy and institutional giving—directly targets these statistical pain points. By training young professionals to tackle these issues from diverse professional angles, the organization ensures a sustainable, multi-disciplinary defense against the youth mental health crisis.
Official Statements and Personal Motivations
A defining characteristic of the Active Minds internship experience is the deep alignment between personal identity, lived experience, and professional ambition. The interns’ own words underscore the mission-driven ethos of the organization:
"Active Minds helped save my life in high school, and to now help expand its reach for others to have the same opportunity is one of the greatest experiences of my life."
— Trace Terrell, Higher Education and Policy Intern
The cohort frequently cited the intersection of personal growth and systemic advocacy as their primary catalyst for joining the organization:
- Pilar Parker noted her desire to "change the conversation around mental health" by bringing empathy and advocacy to underserved communities, drawing inspiration from fictional and real-world changemakers alike.
- Shay Desai emphasized the critical need for inclusive messaging: "The mission of Active Minds to change the conversation surrounding youth mental health deeply resonates with me. I want to provide a voice to groups who are often afraid to speak out… including young males and people of color like myself."
- Keanu Villagonzalo highlighted the urgency of early detection: "In high school, one of our classmates died by suicide because of our inability to detect the warning signs. I wanted to intern with Active Minds because I wanted to address the mental health stigma and ensure help prevent events like that from happening again."
Future Outlook: The Next Generation of Mental Health Advocates
As the Summer 2024 term concludes, the impact of this cohort extends far beyond their immediate departmental deliverables. Armed with hands-on experience in nonprofit management, public policy, digital communications, graphic design, and data analytics, these emerging leaders are well-equipped to influence the future of public health.
Active Minds continues to position itself as a incubator for future psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, public policy advisors, and non-profit executives. By empowering students to integrate their personal passions—whether through historical fiction, A24 cinema, cooking, athletics, or artistic design—with rigorous professional development, the organization fosters a holistic model of advocacy.
Looking Ahead
Organizations interested in cultivating the next wave of mental health leaders can look to Active Minds’ ongoing internship cycles. As the conversation surrounding psychological well-being evolves from one of reluctant acknowledgment to one of active, systemic integration, the contributions of cohorts like the Summer 2024 interns serve as a blueprint for meaningful cultural change.
Through continued dedication to peer-to-peer education, policy reform, and stigma reduction, Active Minds and its network of alumni ensure that mental health remains an urgent, prioritized component of the global healthcare dialogue.
