This summer, the Chime Scholars Foundation® (CSF) welcomed one of its own into the fold. Dhyasa Kumar, a Chime Scholar, joined the team as the Chime Scholar Foundation’s 2025 Scholar Engagement Intern, working alongside Marissa Lara, CSF’s Scholar Success Manager. Together, they spent the summer deepening engagement with scholars, piloting new initiatives, and bringing fresh ideas to life.
We sat down with Dhyasa and Marissa to hear more about their experience working together—what it meant for Dhyasa to join the CSF team as an intern, what Marissa has learned from mentoring a scholar so closely, and how their collaboration is helping shape the future of the program.
From scholar to intern
For Dhyasa, joining the CSF team wasn’t just another internship, it was a full-circle moment. Her journey began when her university nominated her for the Chime scholarship in recognition of her academic achievements and commitment to making an impact. “Being named a Chime Scholar was about more than financial support,” she says. “It was about being welcomed into a program that invests in us, our professional growth, and our community.”
That support gave her the freedom to focus on her goals, finish her bachelor’s degree in just two and a half years (!!), and pursue opportunities she might have had to turn down otherwise. When the chance arose to contribute directly to the program that had supported her, she jumped at it: “I wanted to give back to CSF while learning how meaningful programs are built and sustained.”
Making an impact behind the scenes
Once on board, Dhyasa wasted no time leaving her mark. Over the course of the summer, she:
Grew CSF’s LinkedIn group by more than 2.5x, introducing alumni spotlights, community polls, and scholar stories.
Built a custom AI-powered bot that streamlined the scholar bio drafting process—producing 182 bios and saving the team countless hours.
Helped launch a Scholar Ambassador pilot program, designed to train students in storytelling, public speaking, and social media skills to spread the word about CSF.
Assisted in producing a promotional video celebrating scholar stories.
Her proudest moment? Presenting these projects to Chime’s Board of Directors, including Chris Britt, the CEO of Chime®. “I was the only intern in the room, and that was unforgettable,” she says. “It was energizing to share my work with the people who created CSF and are so passionate about its mission.” Just as memorable was experiencing Chime’s IPO up close: “It was surreal to be part of such a historic milestone for the company, and seeing myself on the Nasdaq building in Times Square was a moment I’ll never forget.”
A mentor’s perspective
For Marissa, having a scholar on the team brought a new dimension to her work. As CSF’s Scholar Success Manager, she oversees engagement, partnerships, and communications for the foundation. But working day-to-day with Dhyasa gave her a front-row seat to how the program empowers students—and what they can bring to CSF.
“From the start, Dhyasa understood the power of networking and constantly raised her hand to share ideas,” Marissa says. “She had the courage to stand up in big meetings with executives, suggest improvements, and bring fresh perspectives to the table. Her vision and dedication helped us move forward on new projects and initiatives that had been put on the backburner.”
Marissa also approached their relationship with a clear goal: to make the internship about growth, not just tasks. “I wanted Dhyasa to learn what it means to work in a corporate setting—how to prepare for leadership presentations, craft messaging for different audiences, and build skills that will last beyond this role.”
For Dhyasa, that support made all the difference. “Working with Marissa set the tone for the kind of manager I’d like to have—and the kind of manager I want to be someday.”
Looking ahead
As she wraps up her internship, Dhyasa is taking with her both new skills and a new perspective on what’s possible. “This experience showed me the power of collaboration, creativity, and strategic thinking,” she says. “I’m excited to keep building on that foundation.”
And she will. In September, Dhyasa transitioned from intern to full-time team member, officially joining Chime and the CSF team. With her new role, her potential to make an impact grows even greater—turning what she learned this summer into lasting contributions for the program and the scholars it serves.
Her advice for future Chime Scholars and interns: “Take every opportunity to network, contribute, and learn. Closed mouths don’t get fed—put yourself out there.”
Marissa echoes that sentiment, adding: “Have the courage to do the thing that scares you, whether that’s reaching out to someone on LinkedIn to ask them to be your mentor, or applying for your dream role. The worst you can get is a no—and often that’s where the most growth happens.”
Paying it forward
With more than 1000 scholars and growing, CSF continues to expand not just in numbers but in depth of engagement. This summer, Dhyasa’s contributions helped strengthen that foundation for future scholars. And her story with CSF doesn’t end there—she’ll continue to support scholars in her new role, carrying forward the cycle of investment and impact.
For Marissa, it’s a reminder of why the work matters—creating opportunities that empower students to thrive in college, in their careers, and beyond.
Together, their summer embodies the spirit of CSF: a community that uplifts, invests, and pays it forward, one scholar at a time.