Meet the Make-A-Wish North Texas Summer 2024 Interns! We are so excited to have this talented and enthusiastic class of interns and cannot wait to see what they learn and accomplish.

Alex Aldridge

Alex is originally from Fort Worth and attends the University of North Texas where he is studying economics. He is especially interested in social and behavioral economics and international economics. Alex was drawn to Make-A-Wish after witnessing several wishes being granted at the children’s hospital where he works part time. This combined with Make-A-Wish's stellar reputation led him to this position. He is excited to gain understanding about the tools he will be using and seeing the ways that an organization works from behind the scenes. A fun fact about Alex is that he has won many spelling bees, and one time his family won a 5-day Carnival Cruise to Cozumel completely free!  

Grace Howell  

Grace is originally from Dallas and is going to be a senior at Texas A&M in the fall. She is studying communications and wants to work in events when she graduates. She has always admired Make-A-Wish and this admiration only grew when one of her cousins had her wish granted to go to Disneyland. This summer, Grace is excited to learn more about event planning and how the mission of Make-A-Wish is combined with planning events. A fun fact about Grace is that she got to live in Rome for 5 weeks to study abroad where she took an art history class and met incredible people!  

Lindsay Newton  

Lindsay is originally from Gettysburg, PA. She went to Penn State where she studied communications and media production. She originally wanted to work in TV/film but has since switched gears to focus on brand storytelling for non-profit organizations. She was drawn to Make-A-Wish by its mission and her passion for working with non-profits. Lindsay is excited to tell the amazing stories of wish kids and families who have been positively impacted by Make-A-Wish. Lindsay loves sushi and would eat it for every meal if she could!  

Peyton Parkhill  

Peyton is from Grapevine and currently attends the University of Arkansas. She is studying Human Development and Family Sciences and hopes to one day work as a child life specialist, or work for a non-profit. She gained a new respect for Make-A-Wish as a member of Chi Omega sorority where she has witnessed 4 wishes be granted. She is most excited to see the behind the scenes work of each department this summer. A fun fact about Peyton is that she studied abroad in Italy last summer and loved getting to experience a new culture!   

Ava Dryden  

Ava just graduated from Baylor University and will be pursuing her master’s degree at Savannah College of Art and Design. She is studying communication design and hopes to work as a designer for a non-profit one day. Ava has two childhood friends who both had wishes granted. The impact she saw this have on them and their families is one of the things that drew her to work with Make-A-Wish. Ava is excited to work alongside the marketing team to work on finding creative ways to bring eyes to the mission of Make-A-Wish. She is also intrigued to learn more about the wish granting process. A fun fact about Ava is that she recently studied abroad in Florence where she studied Rennaissance painting techniques and even made her own paints!  

Alexie Hernandez  

Alexie is originally from Diboll, Texas, and currently studies business administration at Stephen F. Austin. She hopes to one day pursue a career in finance. She has passions for helping others and this is what drew her to Make-A-Wish. She is excited for the positive impact she will have on children in North Texas. A fun fact about Alexie is that she really enjoys running in her free time!  

Emily Jones  

Emily is from Irving, Texas, and is a junior at the University of Alabama. She is pursuing a major in Human Development and Family Sciences with a concentration in Child Life and hopes to become a child life specialist. Emily had her wish granted to go on a Disney Cruise in 2008. This experience had a life-long impact on her entire family and plays a big role in why she has chosen to work with Make-A-Wish. She is overjoyed to work with the Wish Discovery team and meet wish families and help children discover their wishes. A fun fact about Emily is that she is left-handed and was once in a commercial with Jeff Gordon!   

Shea Sturdevant  

Shea is originally from Austin and just graduated from the University of Texas in May with a degree in Human Development and Family Sciences. Shea hopes to one day work in Pediatrics and recognizes the impact wishes can have on a child’s healing journey. This is what drew her to Make-A-Wish, she also wanted to learn more about the behind-the-scenes operations of a non-profit. She is excited to continue her projects as part of the volunteer services team this summer. A fun fact about Shea is that during her senior year of college she lived in a house with 10 girls, and they had a trampoline in their front yard!