Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024
The fund provides stipends to students pursuing internships in sectors that influence and develop public policy
by Diane Cornell
Rider University has announced the first recipients of The Manning Fund for Public Service, an award that provides support to undergraduate students pursuing internships in fields that influence and develop public policy.
This academic year’s recipients are Christina Natoli, a senior government, politics and law major; and Ginamarie Capozzoli, a senior criminal justice major. Each student will receive a $2,250 stipend which can be used to help with internship-related expenses.
Natoli, whose aspiration is to become a lawyer, secured an internship in the Appellate Bureau of the Criminal Justice Division in the Office of the Attorney General. She credits Rider with providing invaluable opportunities and resources that have helped her in the pursuit of her goals.
“This stipend truly means the world to me,” she says. “Having alumni who are willing to help students like me achieve their goals is something that makes Rider a school I feel grateful to attend each day.”
Capozzoli is interning with two organizations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the United States Postal Inspection Service. She emphasizes the significance of the Manning Fund’s financial support, stating, “I have done four internships in total, and all four were unpaid. Most of them were more than an hour away. This money is beneficial as it will cover the gas I have spent, but more than that, I feel it is recognition for all of my hard work. It is nice that it did not go unnoticed.”
The Manning Fund was established through a generous gift from Edward P. Manning ’82. Manning earned a bachelor’s in political science from Rider and a law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. He is now a partner and co-owner at KP Public Affairs, the largest combined public relations and advocacy firm in Sacramento, California. KP is part of the national public affairs and lobbying firm, Public Policy Holding Company.
Manning established the fund because of the support he received during an internship as a law student. He worked at a Washington, D.C., nonprofit on social justice issues, an experience he has said was invaluable and opened doors for him in his career.
The fund’s endowment offers support to students who secure unpaid internships in government, the public sector or within non-profit advocacy groups. It also supports students who have unpaid, professional opportunities that involve the development of public policy. Preference is given to political science majors and diverse students with demonstrated financial need.
“Students seeking careers in government and the public sector are driven to make a difference in the world,” says Dr. Kelly Bidle, dean of Rider’s College of Arts and Sciences. “We are so grateful for Ed’s generosity in setting up a fund that will assist generations of talented students in cultivating careers of public service.”