By Communications staff, College of Arts and Sciences
Two Washington State University College of Arts and Sciences students have been chosen as summer interns to work for Youth Villages, a national nonprofit that helps young adults with behavioral and emotional challenges and their families live successfully.
Nicole Edwards and Tatum Scacco are two of a cohort of 92 college students from across the nation trading in their classrooms and books for valuable work experience with their Youth Villages 10-week summer internships.
Edwards is working on the Memphis residential campus, while Scacco is helping in the Nashville group home. Edwards, from Kirkland, Washington, is scheduled to graduate with a psychology degree from WSU in December 2026. Scacco, from Maple Valley, Washington, is scheduled to graduate from WSU with a sociology degree in May 2026.
“This internship has really given me experience on working with youth that face the most severe mental and behavioral health challenges,” said Edwards. “It’s easy to judge a book by its cover, but there is so much more to these kids than what meets the eye.”
Summer interns serve at the organization’s Memphis residential campuses and Nashville-area group homes. Hailing from degree programs in social work, psychology, education and more, interns gain hands-on experience working with youth ages 6 to 17 by assisting them with positive development and implementation of individual goals; planning and leading recreational activities; and being a positive role model in demonstrating a healthy approach to life.
“I knew I wanted to find an internship that would provide hands-on experience working with youth in a residential treatment setting,” said Scacco, who plans to pursue a career in social work. “Being able to work closely with clinical teams and having the opportunity to support youth through challenging moments has helped me build communication, conflict resolution, and crisis management skills.”
This year’s Youth Villages summer internship class represents 48 different colleges and universities from across 15 states, making it the largest class of interns since Youth Villages began its summer internship program in 2000.
“This incredible group brings fresh perspectives, energy and compassion that will leave a lasting impact on those we serve at Youth Villages,” said Luke Self, managing director of recruiting for Youth Villages. “We’re excited for the growth they’ll experience as they build skills and deepen their understanding of behavioral health.”
Youth Villages is a national leader in mental and behavioral health committed to finding the most effective solutions to help children, families and young adults overcome obstacles and live successfully. Working through direct services, partnerships with innovative public agencies and advocacy, Youth Villages collaborates to bring positive change to child welfare, children’s mental health and justice systems, serving more than 47,000 children and young adults in over 100 locations in 29 states and the District of Columbia. To learn more about the Youth Villages internship program, visit youthvillages.org/internships.