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Internships at SexEdVA at James Madison University’s Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services
Meet our Interns:
Peyton Rose Newsome
Peyton Rose Newsome is currently a junior and will be a rising senior this upcoming fall at James Madison University. Peyton is currently a Health Science major, with a minor in Chronic Illnesses. She is from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, where she graduated from Dr. Henry A. Wise High School in 2020 in the top 5% of her class. Peyton enjoys cooking, listening to all genres of music, and just spending time with family and friends.
Peyton just recently completed volunteer work with the Empowerment program at JMU, which filled her with so much joy and happiness as she was able to mentor a child with a mobility disability.
What has made her interested in interning with SexEdVA was the opportunity to work in the Harrisonburg/Rockingham community, building relationships with the youth and educating them in a positive mindset to make proper decisions.
Nat Suzidelis
Nat Suziedelis is currently a senior at James Madison University majoring in Social Work with a minor in Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies. Nat is interning at SexEdVA as a part of his social work practicum field placement. He is very excited for the opportunity as he shares the values of an inclusive and comprehensive sex education as a means of supporting the sexual well-being of adolescents.
Nat is also a part of JMU’s Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity Expression volunteer program. SOGIE creates a safe space and holds events for students under the LGBTQ+ umbrella at JMU. Nat hopes to carry on what he gains from SOGIE, SexEdVA, and the Social Work program to his future social work career, ideally working with LGBTQ+ youth.
Madison Maddox
Madison Maddox is a Health Science major from Alexandria, Virginia, and has always been interested in educating those who may not know the ins and outs of safe sex.
She's a new intern interested in helping educate youth in sexual education and preventing teen pregnancy rates in her area.
She loves playing with her dog, Kevin, hanging out with her friends, and singing in her free time.
Indigo Gott
Indigo (they/them) is a senior music and social work double major at EMU who is doing their practicum semester with SexEdVA. They are a nerd about all things sex ed, pregnancy, and birth and gave a presentation on recent Virginia abortion bills through the lenses of queerness and sustainable legislation at EMU's 2023 Academic and Creative Excellence Festival. They also enjoy exploring topics around gender and sexuality in their free time. Outside of social work, Indigo has also been active in the music department (having been in 5/6 of EMU's ensembles) and presented their senior recital last fall. As a queer and "neurospicy" human, they are passionate about creating comfortable spaces for everyone to exist as they are.
When they aren't in school or at their parent's home in Ohio, Indigo can be found working as a camp counselor in southwest Michigan or traveling (Amsterdam is a favorite destination). In their free time, they enjoy crocheting, doodling, songwriting, general shenanigans, and connecting deeply with others.
Kristina Tojsl
Kristina Tojsl is a senior Health Sciences Major at James Madison University. Through her work as a Health Promotion Wellness Instructor at James Madison University, Kristina has developed a strong passion for comprehensive and inclusive sexual health education. Throughout her life, Kristina has been interested in working in education and promoting healthier behaviors in her community. Kristina is very proud to be a student intern at SexEdVA as she is excited to positively impact the local community and continue developing her skills in sexual health education.
When Kristina isn’t educating others about sexual health, she enjoys reading, spending time with friends, and studying at Coffee Hound. She is looking forward to continuing her education by pursuing a master’s degree this upcoming fall.
Jillian Lauder
Jillian Lauder is a junior at James Madison University majoring in Psychology and minoring in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She is very passionate about comprehensive sex education, as well as destigmatizing topics of sex and sexuality. She hopes to work as a sex educator in the future so she can continue to help others feel validated, safe, and empowered in their sexuality.
In her free time, Jillian enjoys dancing, singing, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.
Interested in an Internship with SexEdVA?
Fill out the form below to inquire about current and/or future internship opportunities.