DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR announced today its 22nd NASCAR Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) class welcoming undergraduate and graduate students to NASCAR.
The class of 37 students completed orientation during the Coca-Cola 600 race weekend in Charlotte. Many in the group had the opportunity to experience their first NASCAR race, visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Hendrick Motorsports and the Motor Racing Network facilities.
The NASCAR Diversity Internship Program is a 10-week program that offers hands-on experience across various roles in the motorsports industry. NDIP provides practical, unique, hands-on experience in a variety of fields vital to the sport and business operations. Throughout the summer interns will receive mentorship, network with industry leaders and engage in a case study competition.
“This year we’re welcoming another exceptional class of college students eager to learn about our sport,” said Brandon Thompson, NASCAR’s Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion. “As a graduate of NDIP, I know firsthand how crucial it is for students to have exposure to professional sports opportunities. We’re excited to welcome this year’s class and look forward to seeing them grow this summer.”
The industry’s longest-running diversity initiative, NDIP has played an important role in NASCAR as the sport celebrates its 75th year. Launched in 2000, the highly competitive career development program has introduced over 500 college students to the NASCAR industry, and has grown to include several industry partners, providing a variety of career exposure opportunities. 2023 partners include Rev Racing, World Wide Express, 23XI Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, Sonoma Raceway, Team Penske, Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing.
NDIP is open to college students who are sophomores or above with a minimum 3.0 GPA representing the following races/ethnic minority classifications: Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Latino or Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.
The 2023 NASCAR Diversity Internship Class includes:
| Intern | Department | School |
|---|---|---|
| Abhishek Cherukara | NASCAR Aerodynamics | Cranfield University |
| Alexandria Samuel | Sonoma Raceway | Columbia University |
| Angelina Davila | NASCAR Communications | DePaul University |
| Aniya Misher | Joe Gibbs Racing | North Carolina A&T State University |
| Ava Hartsell | Hendrick Motorsports | Virginia Tech |
| Brisia Briones | NASCAR Sourcing and Procurement | University of Houston |
| Chandler Love | NASCAR Human Resource | University of Miami |
| Daniel Zakhary | NASCAR Public & Govt. Affairs | University of Florida |
| Darren Henderson | NASCAR Multicultural & Marketing | Temple University |
| DeNashia Robinson | NASCAR Legal | Howard University School of Law |
| Didier Attipou | NASCAR Corporate Accounting | Morehouse College |
| D'Vante Siler | NASCAR Sales Academy | Fort Valley State University |
| Elijah Patterson | NASCAR Marketing Services | Johnson C. Smith University |
| Elizabeth Yaboni | NASCAR Social Responsibility | Columbia University |
| Ester Ferreira | NASCAR International | Nova Southeastern University |
| Gift Pendleton | Chicago Street Race | University of Central Florida |
| Haley King | Worldwide Express | Prairie View A&M University |
| India Martin | NASCAR Consumer Strategy | Oglethorpe University |
| Jayden Carrillo | NASCAR Brand Marketing | University of South Carolina |
| Juliana Ashrifeh | NASCAR Social Media | Wayne State University |
| Juliet Campbell | NASCAR Productions | The Ohio State University |
| Lauren Allsbrook | 23XI Racing | University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
| Lauryn Carlton | NASCAR Partnership Marketing | Elon University |
| Leticia De Freitas | Rev Racing | Savannah College of Art & Design |
| Maya Ellison | Motor Racing Network | Florida A&M University |
| Meg Cabras | NASCAR Licensing & Consumer Products | Florida State University |
| Miranda Romero | The NASCAR Foundation | New Mexico State University |
| Nicolas Caldwell | NASCAR National Sales | West Virginia University |
| Niraj Panthi | NASCAR Media and Event Technology | Wingate University |
| Oscar Casasola | NASCAR Gaming and Esports | University of Maryland |
| Phalgunmihir Eyunni | Hendrick Motorsports | Florida State University |
| Phillip Hall | NASCAR Weekly Racing Operations | St. John's University |
| Salaah Khan | NASCAR Sports Betting | The George Washington University |
| Sidney Brown | Team Penske | Bethune-Cookman University |
| Syeda Ghazal Qadri | NASCAR Research and Insights | Boston University |
| Tyra Blue | NASCAR Diversity & Inclusion | Briar Cliff University |
| Victor Jackson | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing | Florida State College at Jacksonville |