Scarlet Service Internships Provide Transformative Experiences For Students
The program is accepting applications for the summer of 2025 through Nov. 18.
For G. Bellon, 22, a Rutgers-University Camden MSW student, a life-changing experience came in the form of not one, but two Rutgers Scarlet Service internships.
“I didn’t have any idea of what I really wanted to do with my social work degree. But I was very interested in giving back to the community, so I applied to Scarlet Service on a whim,” said Bellon of Cherry Hill whose Scarlet Service internships paired them with the Philadelphia nonprofit Girls Inc. in 2022 and the Washington, D.C., office of Rep. Donald Norcross in 2023. “I would 100 percent tell anyone if they could do this program to do it. It will get your foot in the door and be so transformative.”
Launched in 2022 by President Jonathan Holloway, Scarlet Service provides Rutgers sophomores and juniors from all three campuses with an opportunity to earn up to $5,000 while interning for a minimum of 150 hours during the summer at a public service non-profit organization or direct-service government office.
Holloway established the program because he believes civic engagement should be a critical component of higher education, and that Rutgers should be a leader in its commitment to public service. The paid internship program provides opportunities to approximately 150 students from across Rutgers each summer in New Jersey, New York City, Philadelphia, expanding in 2023 to Washington, D.C., where interns also receive free housing. Applications for Rutgers Scarlet Service Internship (RSSI) and Rutgers Scarlet Service in Washington, DC (RSS-DC) are open for the summer of 2025 through Monday, Nov. 18. Rutgers also hosts its 2nd annual Service Career Fair from 2-5 p.m. on Nov. 18 at the College Avenue Student Center, where students interested in pursuing a path of public service can learn about internship and employment opportunities in the military, government, and nonprofit sectors.
Bellon, who identifies as nonbinary, credits Scarlet Service with giving them leadership experience, exposure to two very different sides of the social work field and the credentials needed to seize opportunities they previously considered out of reach – including a White House internship at the Office of Public Engagement.
“Scarlet Service gave us the chance to explore D.C. in such an affordable and safe way. If I didn’t have that initial experience with a Rutgers’ safety net and housing, I would not have had the confidence to go back to D.C.,” Bellon said of their return to our nation’s capital in 2024 for a White House internship in the office of public engagement.
Before Scarlet Service, Bellon was sure of one thing: they wanted a chance to work directly with communities in need. Girls Inc., which serves at-risk youth in Philadelphia and South Jersey, provided Bellon with that opportunity – one they were able to extend with a part-time job during the academic year after the internship ended.
“Working directly with people is my thing. It brings me so much joy,” they said. “I came into it a bit shy but had great mentors, who helped me recognize my ability to lead.”
When Scarlet Service expanded into Washington, D.C., Bellon initially thought they’d gravitate toward another direct service nonprofit. But a chat with Francine Newsome Pfeiffer, senior vice president for government relations who oversees Scarlet Service, set Bellon on a new path – one that landed them in Congressman Norcross’ office.
“I was grateful Francine pushed me toward the congressman’s office,” Bellon said. “I didn’t know much about what happens in a congressional office or how a social worker could fit in, but they made me see social workers do have a spot at this table.”
Bellon’s experience illustrates how meaningful it can be to bring students from a variety of disciplines into nonprofit and government service, said Pfeiffer.
“I am so pleased G. had the opportunity to work on Capitol Hill where the challenges social workers see among individuals and families can be addressed on a macro level,” she said. “Each person’s unique skills and training can truly help make a difference not just to people in their community but to national policies and systems, as well.”
Bellon fielded calls from concerned residents. They also asked to look at a specific piece of legislation through the lens of a social worker. Bellon’s first dive into policy research involved exploration of a proposed legislative tie-in to the Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA) Act, which was signed into law in 1990 and has been reauthorized with updates over the decades. Before the end of their internship, Bellon drafted a memo for Rep. Norcross championing the proposal that allows parents to invite a third-party advocate to all school discussions regarding their children’s Individualized Education Programs (IEP).
“I was teetering between clinical social work and management and policy before the D.C. experience, but after, I was like I’ve got to do policy work. It has the potential to make bigger change and impact more people,” they said. “That was a huge eye-opening moment for me.”
After graduating in 2024 with their bachelor’s degree in social work, Bellon is pursuing their master’s degree at Rutgers-Camden and an Eagleton fellowship through Rutgers-New Brunswick. Their practicum has them working within the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs in the division of housing and community resources, where Bellon is assessing how emerging legislation would impact residents. They are also working on a project specifically around the areas of LGBTQ youth and homelessness.
Once they complete their master’s program in May 2025, Bellon hopes to continue working to address the needs of the LGBTQ community through policy work. It’s an objective made crystal clear by their Scarlet Service experiences.
“Scarlet Service gave me the knowledge to tell myself, ‘OK! I can do this.’ ”
