The Diamond Project, Inc. recently announced that mentee, Ciara Samuels, was selected to work on Capitol Hill this summer as a congressional intern for the House Committee on Homeland Security under the leadership of Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02).
The Diamond Project, Inc., a non-profit youth mentoring program for girls ages 11-18, was founded in 2017 by Grenada native Andrea S. Lee. When starting the program, it was one of her goals to provide college scholarships to Grenada girls who are a part of the program. In 2023, The Diamond Project awarded $5,500 in college scholarships to its first two high school graduating seniors, Samuels and Ta’Keria Gholston, both who joined The Diamond Project as middle school students.
Samuels joined The Diamond Project in 2019 and has been an active member with perfect attendance. Over the years, she has voluntarily served as the leader of many community service projects, worked as the administrative assistant, and achieved the organization’s highest reward of Diamond Status, which qualified her to serve as a Big Sister to other mentees in the program. In 2023, she was voted by her peers as Mentee of the Year and was awarded with their Community Service Leadership Award.
As a dedicated member of The Diamond Project and first-generation college student, Samuels demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and ambition that inspired Lee to set a new goal for the program — send girls to Washington, DC to intern on Capitol Hill.
“As someone who came to work on Capitol Hill at a young age - from being the Congressman’s scheduler to being his Chief of Staff, I know first hand how life changing an opportunity such as this one can be for a young girl, especially one from our small town. It’s always exciting seeing hundreds of future leaders storm the United States Capitol Building each summer, hungry to learn as much as they can and become a part of history. It’s even more exciting to see Mississippi kids in that number. The Diamond Project is full of very smart girls, and my goal has always been to open doors of new opportunity and to provide them with exposure. If I can send them to work and learn in the world’s most powerful place, I will.”
“Ciara deserves this experience because the growth that we have witnessed in her over the years is more than outstanding, and we want to see her continue to blossom,” Lee said.
“It’s an exciting opportunity that will push me to grow outside of my comfort zone. I plan to take full advantage of my time in Washington to network, learn how Congress works, and seek additional opportunities,” Samuels said.
Internship positions on Capitol Hill are very competitive and highly sought after. As an intern, Samuels will assist congressional staff with various tasks that include research, drafting memos, note taking, preparing for committee hearings, attending briefings and assisting with special projects. The House Committee on Homeland Security is directed by Grenada native, Hope Goins.
Samuels attends Mississippi University for Women, where she is a rising sophomore studying Psychology. Her career goal is to become a child therapist.
