The application period for the annual Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program is now open. North Carolina high school girls, grades 9-12, can apply now through February 23, 2026, for the four-week paid summer STEM enrichment opportunity with North Carolina state government. Established in 2019 by the NC Department of Administration’s Division for Women and Youth, the Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program provides college-bound girls an opportunity to explore STEM-based careers within state government to help recruit more young women into these fields.
According to a report published by the National Girls Collaborative Project, women make up 48% of the national workforce, but comprised only 35% of science, technology, engineering and mathematic jobs in 2025. The Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program seeks to nurture the interest of high school girls in STEM-related public service careers.
“STEM careers continue to be on the rise and in high demand, proving to be among the top tier professions of today and tomorrow,” said NC Department of Administration Secretary Gabriel J. Esparza. “We need to get more of our best and brightest students interested in STEM careers, including by encouraging more girls to pursue careers in this growing field.”
Interested students can visit the DOA website for Lady Cardinal program and application information. Candidate interviews will occur mid to late March and selected applicants will be notified of placement in April. The mentorship program will run weekdays July 6-31.
All mentees are expected to work 40 hours a week, with time divided between working side-by-side with women leaders 24 hours per week and working on a group project 16 hours each week. The summer enrichment opportunity also includes lunch and learn sessions and field trips to various state government agencies. Students will earn a $1,700 stipend at the end of the program.
This year’s participating state agencies include the departments of Administration, Commerce, Environmental Quality, Natural and Cultural Resources, Public Safety, Revenue and Transportation, as well as the Office of State Budget Management and the Office of State Human Resources.
In addition to working on a technology project, last year the Lady Cardinal mentees participated in a geology tour with the NC Department of Environmental Quality, visited the Biogen Campus at Research Triangle Park, and engaged in lunch and learn sessions with state government leaders among many other educational activities.
The Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program’s purpose and goals are based on recommendations from the 2018 Status of Women in NC Employment and Earnings Report released by the NC Division for Women and Youth in collaboration with the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. The report highlights disparities in employment and earnings among women and men in North Carolina.
To learn more about this report and apply for the summer 2026 Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program, visit the NCDOA website.
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About NCDOA and the NC Division for Women and Youth
The NC Department of Administration acts as the business manager for North Carolina state government. Under the leadership of Secretary Gabriel J. Esparza, the department oversees government operations and advocacy programs. The department’s advocacy programs help to promote and assist diverse segments of the state’s population that have been traditionally underserved. The North Carolina Division for Women and Youth’s mission is to advise the governor, state legislators, and state leaders on issues impacting women and youth.
