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Meet the Bridge Interns

Pictured left to right: Sarah Affiah, Raaiqa Zahid, Pratikchhya Rimal, Amei Gove, J’nyia Monroe, and Angel Bowden.

This summer, six students from Duke and North Carolina Central University (NCCU) are living together in Durham’s West End Neighborhood and working in the community through the Chapel’s Bridge Internship program. They are considering how matters of faith shape the way they might live meaningfully and with purpose in the world, while also developing practical life skills related to work, community, and a fulfilling personal life. The program is offered by the Chapel in partnership with the Office of Community Engagement and Service at NCCU.

Sarah Affiah

A smiling woman poses for a photo on an outdoor porch. She rests her hands on the wooden railing on either side of her, with a background of blurred green trees on a sunny day.

Sarah Affiah is a senior mass communications major at NCCU. She is working this summer with Words that Work, a strategic communications company in Durham. She chose to participate in the Bridge Internship because of the opportunities it offers to connect with peers and mentors.

Angel Bowden

A young woman smiles warmly at the camera. She is wearing a rust-colored cardigan over a pink shirt while standing outdoors on what appears to be a porch, with a brightly lit, blurred background of green foliage.

A resident of Red Springs, North Carolina, Angel Bowden is a sophomore pre-nursing major at NCCU. Her internship is with the Armstrong Center of Hope, a counseling and psychotherapy practice that strives to inspire hope, renew the mind, and cultivate peace for its clients. Coming from a small town, Angel is eager to engage with people from different cultures through the Bridge Internship.

Amei Gove

A young woman with long brown hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a short-sleeved black V-neck shirt. She is standing outdoors in front of a blurred background of bright green foliage.

Amei Gove is a senior at Duke majoring in psychology. A resident of Anchorage, Alaska, she is serving with World Relief Durham, which mobilizes and equips churches and communities to help refugees rebuild their lives in a new country. She is looking forward to developing her intercultural and interfaith awareness and communication skills.

J’Nyia Monroe

A young woman smiles at the camera. She is wearing black-framed glasses, and her hair is styled in braids. She is standing outdoors on a wooden porch, with a brightly lit, blurred background of green trees.

J’Nyia Monroe is a sophomore at NCCU majoring in Sports Medicine. Her hometown is Fayetteville, North Carolina. This summer, she is interning with the Durham Center for Senior Life, which enriches the lives of seniors by promoting healthy, active, and independent lifestyles. Through the Bridge Internship, she hopes to gain a deeper understanding of how people from different faiths live and connect with one another, and also grow in her own faith.

Pratikchhya Rimal

A young woman with black hair black poses for a photo. She is wearing a white sweater and dark dress. In the background are the blurred leaves of trees.

A resident of Cincinnati, Ohio, Pratikchhya Rimal is a senior at Duke. She is serving with Threshold Clubhouse, which seeks to improve the quality of life for adults with serious mental illness. She is excited to learn more about psychosocial rehabilitation as well as the history of Durham.

Raaiqa Zahid

A young woman smiles for a photo on a wooden porch. She has long black hair and wearing a striped shirt. In back of her are trees with green leaves.

Raaiqa Zahid is a senior at Duke majoring in public policy and psychology. She was born in Raleigh, moved to Florida, then to Texas, and now resides in Louisiana. This summer, she’ll be working with the Durham County Department of Public Health with a focus on healthcare policy. In her free time, she likes art, baking, and sports.