Welcoming CVOEO's Fall 2025 HAP Interns
Please join us in welcoming CVOEO’s Fall 2025 Housing Advocacy Programs (HAP) interns, Riley Machanic and Meryl Hartmann.
Riley and Meryl were paired with CVOEO through the University of Vermont’s Communities of Practice course: Nonprofits and Social Change, which matches students to various Vermont nonprofit organizations based on their interests and majors. They are excited to be interning with CVOEO this semester and to contribute to the organization’s advocacy efforts through research, education, and outreach. At UVM, they recognize a need for education because so many students are first-time renters and don’t know their rights and responsibilities as tenants. In addition to individual projects, they will coordinate an educational drop-in workshop designed to engage current and future student renters in Burlington.
Hello! I’m Riley Machanic, a senior in Economics and a 3rd generation UVM student.
In my free time, I like to play chess and spend time with my 2 dogs. I was born here in Burlington and grew up in South Burlington. Needless to say, I have a lot of love for this place and I am so excited for this opportunity to get involved with CVOEO. As an economics major, I have a huge interest in the housing market, its role in Vermont’s economy, and how we got into this current situation. I wanted to intern with CVOEO because they’re fighting for Vermonters’ rights to fair and affordable housing. With the supply and demand of affordable housing so far out of equilibrium, finding an apartment can feel very overwhelming and daunting. CVOEO has so many amazing resources and tools that make housing more approachable and accessible.
This semester, I will be developing an evaluation tool to collect data and feedback on client outcomes and satisfaction regarding the efficacy of the Housing Advocacy Programs’ resources and workshops. Understanding how clients are absorbing and utilizing information is crucial to helping more people in the future.
Contact Riley at riley.machanic@cvoeo.org
Hi! Meryl Hartmann, a UVM senior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Law and Society.
I am originally from Woodbury, Conn., a small, tight-knit town in Litchfield County. Growing up, I often visited Vermont on trips to a family friend’s farm in Orwell, which fostered my early connection to the state. As a political science major, I remain attuned to the shifting political landscape and its challenges for the non-profit sector in this country. My commitment to human rights advocacy motivates me to contribute actively to CVOEO’s mission of serving the Vermont renter community through education, support, and outreach. I believe that all Vermonters should have equitable access to these supportive resources and fair housing. As a student renter in Burlington, I am passionate about raising awareness in the Vermont community about the issues that affect renters, as well as their rights and responsibilities.
My main project for this semester is designing materials in the form of research-based social media posts and blog posts to help renters better navigate the Vermont housing landscape, which can be overwhelming, especially for low-income tenants in today’s challenging climate.
Contact Meryl at meryl.hartmann@cvoeo.org