NASCAR Diversity Internship Program Welcomes 2022 Class

The NASCAR industry welcomed a program-record 36 interns

leading up to the 2022Coca-Cola 600

Daytona Beach, Fla. (June 9, 2022) – The NASCAR Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) kicked off its 21st  year hosting undergraduate and graduate students across the sport. This year’s NDIP class includes interns from nine Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), multiple student-athletes and two returning NDIP alumni.

The NASCAR Diversity Internship Program is a 10-week program that offers hands-on experience across various roles in the motorsports industry. College students of color selected to participate network with industry executives and learn from experts in one of the largest professional sports industries.

“We’re excited to welcome a new class of interns and students from diverse backgrounds who will be exposed to an incredible industry of professionals eager to showcase what our sport is all about,” said Brandon Thompson, NASCAR Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion, and the first NDIP alum to be elevated to an officer role at NASCAR. “NASCAR continues to evolve and the NDIP is one of several programs introducing younger and more diverse audiences to our sport. It’s an important effort and we couldn’t be more thrilled about our ‘22 class.”

NDIP was launched in 2000 and since then more than 500 college students have participated in the industry’s longest-running diversity initiative. The program has grown to include several industry partners, providing career opportunities to various NDIP participants: 23XI Racing, General Motors, Hendrick Motorsports, RFK Racing, Rev Racing, RCR, Sonoma Raceway, World Wide Technology Raceway.

In addition to Thompson, the sanctioning body employs several former interns including Jusan Hamilton, Sr. Director, Racing Operations & Event Management; Kathryn Lee, Sr. Director, Marketing Activation; Marvin Aylor, Director, Partnership Marketing; Cole McGinnis, Sr. Manager, Licensing and Consumer Products; Greg Carty, Manager, Licensing and Consumer Products; Jason Simmons, Sr. Manager, International Operations & Strategy; Jordan Leatherman, Sr. Manager, Diversity & Inclusion; Erica Wilkerson, Sr. Manager, Youth & Multicultural Marketing; Jazz Warren, Coordinator, Track Communications; Josh Pena, Coordinator, Event Experience; and Victoria Garcia, Associate Producer.

NDIP is open to college students 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 2022 NASCAR Diversity Internship Class includes:

Intern NameDepartment NameSchool
Alexander CadavidRev RacingNorth Carolina State University
Amani GhonimNASCAR AerodynamicsUniversity of Southern California
Ariann TaylorNASCAR Digital Media InteractiveGeorgia State University
Austin DickeyIMSA MarketingUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore County
Brian BakNASCAR Data StrategyChapman University
Camila SanchezNASCAR InternationalUniversity of Notre Dame
Chardon MuckerNASCAR Sales AcademyPrairie View A&M University
Chidera UdehNASCAR Diversity & InclusionUniversity of Oklahoma
Chien-Hung TsaiNASCAR Strategy & InnovationTexas A&M University
Daniel CéspedesNASCAR Sports BettingDartmouth College
Deja DorseyNASCAR Content TeamUniversity of Southern California
Dillon MarshallNASCAR Sales AcademyDelaware State University
Freddie AllenRoush Fenway Keselowski RacingHigh Point University
Giancarlo FuentesNASCAR Southeast Region, Track MarketingUniversity of Florida
Isha ShafqatNASCAR Competition TechnologyUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte
Jack ChenThe NASCAR FoundationStevens Institute of Technology
Janakinandan PemmasaniNASCAR FinanceUniversity of Cincinnati
Jiani BryantNASCAR ProductionsNorth Carolina A&T University
Jimmil HawkinsMotor Racing NetworkColumbus State University
Joshua SkyNASCAR National SalesSyracuse University
Kimberly BettyGeneral MotorsKettering University
Mariette GervitzNASCAR Driver & Team MarketingGeorge Washington University
Marissa JonesWorld Wide Technology RacewayMaryville University
Maurice GrierNASCAR LegalHoward University
Najah Liggans23XI RacingSpelman College
Nicholas TorresNASCAR Brand MarketingUniversity of Notre Dame
Phillip HallSonoma RacewaySt. John’s University
Precious JohnsonNASCAR Human ResourcesFlorida A&M University
Precious SullivanNASCAR Gaming & eSportsVirginia State University
Ruben MohmeNASCAR Sourcing & ProcurementUniversity of Texas at Rio Grande Valley
Ryan HernandezNASCAR CommunicationsUniversity of Houston
Sarah HallHendrick MotorsportsFisk University
Shemya StanbackRichard Childress RacingCatawba College
Susan WongNASCAR Social MediaArizona State University
Sydney StuartNASCAR Multicultural & Youth MarketingHoward University
Trey GomezNASCAR CommunicationsTexas State University

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), one local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series) and three international series (NASCAR Pinty’s Series, NASCAR Peak Mexico Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe.   For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).