October 15, 2024 — Marist students are making real impacts in the community, partnering with local organizations and tackling challenges head-on through a prestigious program driving change on and beyond the Poughkeepsie campus.

The Marie and Rupert Tarver Summer Internship Program, a highly competitive initiative, is a core component of Marist's Center for Civic Engagement and Leadership. The seven Marist students who served as Tarver interns over the summer were honored this month during a ceremony at the Student Center.

Open to students of any major, the program offers the opportunity to spend eight weeks during the summer working full-time with a community partner to develop a tangible project for a nonprofit organization.

"Thanks to the unique and in-depth opportunities given to me by the Tarver Internship Program, I can confidently say that I feel empowered to work in nonprofit settings for the rest of my life," said Veronica Vogelman '26. "More importantly, the Tarver experience gave us all the chance to give back, even if just a little bit, to the place and people who deserve it most."

Tarver Intern celebration at the Student Center. Photo by Benson Delaney '27/Marist College.

"The students work so hard all summer and end up learning so much about themselves and their aspirations," said Dr. Melissa Gaeke, Director of the Center for Civic Engagement and Leadership. "What made this summer so successful was the hands-on engagement of our community partners, involving the students closely in the day-to-day work of their organization."

"The students come away from the summer with a rich understanding of Poughkeepsie and the efforts of our local nonprofit partners in advancing solutions that will make a difference in the lives of so many," Gaeke said.

Since 2014, 49 Marist students have participated in this program, contributing more than 14,000 hours of service to 24 community partners.

Tarver interns complete a summer-long, three-credit independent study under the instruction of Gaeke, while working under the mentorship of Associate Professor of Social Work Dr. Daria Hanssen, Associate Professor of Political Science Dr. Jessica Boscarino, and Assistant Professor of Spanish Dr. Patricia Ferrer.

"One of the most important lessons I gained from being in the Tarver program was the value of community-driven impact," said Molly Harnaga '25, another one of this year’s interns. "I learned that genuine change begins with understanding the unique needs and challenges of the community, and that effective solutions are collaborative, rooted in empathy, and tailored to the specific context of those involved."

Paschalyn Cama '25 with her project overview. Photo by Benson Delaney '27/Marist College.

Learn what the 2024 Tarver Interns accomplished over the summer:

Paschalyn Cama '25, a biomedical sciences major with a minor in philosophy, spent the summer working at Casa Comunitaria de Recursos (CCR), an organization serving the Hispanic, Latino, and immigrant communities in Dutchess County. She developed action items and set goals for the organization’s operations and programming for the next two years, while also creating reference documents to enhance future community outreach efforts.

Angel Fauerbach '25, a social work major with a sociology minor, worked at Dutchess County Pride Center, an organization with a mission to create a safe space for all and provide services for both the LGBTQ+ community and its allies, engaging Poughkeepsie youth in various programs and services to create a lasting impact. She worked on placing key chains and posters throughout schools in the Poughkeepsie district.

Ting Fischer '25, a political science and global studies double major, interned at Catholic Charities' Friends of the Seniors program, focusing on volunteer retention, client outreach, and recruitment. Catholic Charities helps both non-Catholics and Catholics alike on issues addressing youth, family, people with disabilities, immigrants/refugees and more. Ting created numerous informational documents and helped coordinate volunteers to assist with client outreach and volunteer retention.

Ting Fischer '25 with her project overview. Photo by Benson Delaney '27/Marist College.

Molly Harnaga '25, a social work major with a psychology minor, worked with Family Services' Teen Resource Activity Center (TRAC), an organization dedicated to providing support to Poughkeepsie youth, identifying areas for improvement and developing actionable goals to enhance youth programs. She assisted TRAC in many facets, including data collection goal setting, and strategy development and implementation.

Maggie Hartman '25, a social work major with a psychology minor, partnered with Dutchess Outreach, which provides healthy food and compassionate support to those in need, to engage political leaders and create a calendar to raise awareness of important political timelines at the federal, state, and local levels. She scheduled meetings to help understand different levels of policy, and how each benefits the program.

Charshell Lipai '25, a communications and advertising major with a graphic design minor, interned with The Art Effect, creating a graduation campaign, alumni network newsletter, and social media content. The organization empowers youth through art and media. Charshell photographed events and workshops, made digital marketing materials, and helped spread awareness of programs and enrollment opportunities.

Veronica Vogelman '26, a double major in Spanish and psychology with a minor in global studies, worked with the early learning community, DAY ONE to enhance the Teacher Apprenticeship Program (TAP) through class participation, discussions, and outreach efforts. She created four promotional videos about TAP and communicated with over 150 high school counselors, education professors, and college career centers.

Read more about the Tarver program.