A Postcard From: Sarah Freda ’17

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13240053_10205895142247086_3036251282368010379_nName: Sarah Freda

Year: 2017

Major: Biology

What’s happening! We’d love to hear about how your internship is going.

This summer I’m interning at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Edgewater, MD, working at the Global Change Research Wetland (GCREW), home to the longest on-going CO2 experiment in the world. As an ecosystem so valuable in the face of climate change, there are two new projects I’m helping out with. The first is “Coastal Wetland Carbon Sequestration in a Warmer Climate,” a new warming project (the second of its kind in the WORLD) that investigates how well wetlands can build up soil and store carbon under increasing temperatures. The second is a project I’ve started with Bryn Mawr’s own Tom Mozdzer – a litter decomposition project. This long-term experiment will investigate how future factors of climate change – higher temperatures, carbon dioxide and nitrogen – will impact litter decomposition. This will not only contribute to my undergrad thesis, but also to a research project that will continue beyond my internship here at SERC.

Here are chambers from Tom Mozdzer’s prior project here at SERC where I’ll be doing my project! Inside these chambers are either ambient air, elevated CO2, elevated nitrogen, or both.

Here are chambers from Tom Mozdzer’s prior project here at SERC where I’ll be doing my project! Inside these chambers are either ambient air, elevated CO2, elevated nitrogen, or both.

Why I applied for my internship:

Working with the Smithsonian has been a dream of mine since I was a kid. Not only that, but I’m working in a field I wish to pursue in my future. With this internship, I’m able to build off of the knowledge I’ve gained thus far, and apply it to research projects that can make a difference. In a world threatened by global warming, research like this will help determine what the effects of such conditions will be, and what we can do to prevent them. As drivers of such climate change, the people have a responsibility to recover what damage has already and will be done. With the research done here at this internship, I am contributing to that responsibility – something you cannot find sitting in a classroom.

Some new friends want to help with research, too! Here’s a snapping turtle on site at GCREW.

Some new friends want to help with research, too! Here’s a snapping turtle on site at GCREW.

A Postcard From: Anna Ferlanti ’17

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meName: Anna Ferlanti

Year: 2017

Major: Anthropology

What’s happening! We’d love to hear about how your internship is going.

This summer I have taken on an internship at Philadelphia FIGHT. FIGHT is a community health center and non-profit organization. One of FIGHT’s goals is to provide primary health care and many other resources to lower income members of the community as well as people living with HIV and people who are at high risk. The organization is very large but I have specifically been working with two sections. I have been interning at the AIDS library with the Prison Health News. Prison Health News is a newsletter published four times a year and provides health information for people who are in prison. I have also been working with the counseling and testing department, which provides rapid HIV testing, and education to members of the community. I have also been participating in the great events that the organization puts on during June for AIDS education month. Specifically I have been participating in HipHop4Philly whose goal is to encourage youth to take part in their health care by offering free HIV tests. Youth that are tested are given a ticket to a free hip-hop concert that the organization puts on.

Why I Applied for My Internship:

I applied for an internship at Philadelphia FIGHT because I had previously known about the organization and really liked everything that the organization works towards. So far, I have really enjoyed my internship and am very excited about what I have learned and how it is helping me decide how I want to continue my education.

A Postcard From: Elinor De La Torre ’17

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lilacName: Elinor De La Torre

Year: 2017

Major: Sociology

What’s happening? We’d love to know how your internship is going?

This summer I am working at the American Philosophical Society. The society was founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin it is a society dedicated to the pursuit of “useful knowledge.” I have a curatorial internship at the APS Museum where I am doing archival research and exhibit preparation. The work I am doing is  for an exhibit on the Peale family that is going to be opening on April 7, 2017. The Peales were a revolutionary war era family of painters, inventors, and innovators. I have most enjoyed the archival research I am doing in the Peale-Sellers Collection, a collection of the family’s letters and diaries. The Peale family was close with many of the founding fathers so it has been entertaining to read their anecdotes about George Washington telling puns, or their letters from Thomas Jefferson warning them about pickpockets. Previously, I have taken a few Museum Studies classes and I appreciate having the chance to compare academic Museum Studies with actual Museum work. We are confronted with problems like how to tell the stories of people neglected by history, especially when we may not have as much recorded material about them. It is fascinating to attempt to create a cohesive narrative that summarizes many different people’s lives and stories.

How I learned about my internship:

The wonderful new Museum Studies program set the internship up and the head of Museum Studies, Professor Monique Scott, told me about it.

Why I applied for my internship:

I’ve been working in Bryn Mawr’s special collections for two years and I’ve really enjoyed it. For a while I told people my favorite class was my job. But then the school got a Museum Studies department and I learned about all the museum job opportunities that were out there. I decided that while I enjoy archival work I wanted a summer job that gave me a different more curatorial perspective on museum work.

A Postcard From: Rachel Bruce ’18

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rachel_bruce_Name: Rachel Bruce

Year: 2018

Major: Growth and Structure of Cities

What’s happening! We’d love to hear about how your internship is going.

It’s going really well so far! This summer, I’m working as a Philadelphia Organizing Intern for Food & Water Watch, a national non-profit organization that aims to provide clean food, water, and energy for all people. Our main project this summer is organizing the March for a Clean Energy Revolution, a March and rally that will take place on July 24th (the eve of the Democratic National Convention). Its message is to urge candidates in both major political parties to make climate change and clean energy a priority for both their candidacies and their time in office. If you want to get involved, please visit www.cleanenergymarch.org or email me at rbruce@fwwlocal.org!

Most of my work revolves around outreach for the March, such as attending and running community events (like petitioning at farmers’ markets or phone banks). I have been working mostly with constituencies in Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. I have really enjoyed meeting local people from the area and not only learning about the different environmental issues that affect them, but also mobilizing volunteers and support to address and fix them. I also manage the social media pages for “Food & Water Watch, New Jersey” and help out with other office or March-related tasks as they arise. The other day we shot the promo for the March in front of City Hall!

rachel

Me at my desk at 1501 Cherry Street! It overlooks a courtyard and playground for a nearby school and has a great view of the Comcast Center.

Our office is small, but with all the work it takes to plan the March there is never a dull moment! One of the best parts of working for a non-profit organization, aside from doing work that will benefit others, is that there is so much room to build relationships with your coworkers. The other day, we were going to have a field day in Rittenhouse Square but were unable to because it rained. Instead, we ate Mochi together in the courtyard and it was just as great!

Working for Food & Water Watch has allowed me to see the different career and service opportunities available in politics and urban planning has led me to fall in love with my major and field of choice a little more than I already did. I’m learning a lot about what it takes to plan and carry out a successful campaign, from outreach to organization and everything in between. This work is really great because I know that it has the potential to benefit countless others.

How I Heard About My Internship:

rachel2

Recording for the March for a Clean Energy promo!

I first heard about my internship through Lantern Link, Bryn Mawr’s online job/internship portal. It’s a really great resource, especially for students who want to see all of the options available for their major and/or interests!

Why I Applied for My Internship:

When I first began the internship application process earlier this year, I knew that I wanted to participate in something that would allow me to contribute to something larger than myself, help me to explore the intersection of city planning and politics, and be service-oriented. I had read about Food & Water Watch’s efforts in the past against several proposed pipelines and really admired their work! As a participant of LILAC’s Summer of Service Program — a cohort of ten students selected to live together on Bryn Mawr’s campus and pursue a service-oriented internship — I knew that I wanted to remain in the Philadelphia area (plus the excitement surrounding the DNC was extremely contagious, so I knew that I wanted to do something in conjunction with it). It seemed perfect!

A Postcard from: Ingrid Bethuel ’18

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fullsizerender1Name: Ingrid Bethuel

Year: 2018

Major: Mathematics

What’s happening? We’d love to hear how your internship is going!

This summer I will be volunteering 32 hours each week to Women’s Opportunities Resource Center in Philadelphia. The organization works to advance social and economic independence for financially disadvantaged women and their families. Amongst these individuals WORC also extends their services to refugees and immigrants, which will be my primary focus during my time here. Part of my job responsibilities include occasionally communicating with refugees/asylums in their native language of French/Swahili to acquire the necessary information in order to better help them with their financial situation. My duties also extend to following up with clients and assessing their progress post-loan received and whether or not they require further assistance or simply would like to discuss the current status of their entrepreneurial endeavors, thereby maintaining relationships. Through my time here thus far I have not only enhanced my communication skills but also learned about a variety of new technology software used to improve the micro-financing loan process. My incentive for choosing to work with WORC is to be a positive change in people’s lives and to empower them, especially women, to not only be financially independent but encourage personal assessment which educates individuals on their strengths and weaknesses and gives them the tools to truly live in their purpose. I hope to open a similar non-profit organization in my own country because microfinance has allowed less privileged individuals usually excluded from the traditional banking system to obtain credit to develop microenterprises and build savings. It is a real means of reducing poverty by improving both people’s standard of living and economic self-sufficiency, as well as offering a pathway to education, health care and equity between men and women. As a Math major and French minor I look forward to pursuing a career in consulting or global wealth management. My career aspirations are part of my desire for economic empowerment in underprivileged communities. I believe that a finance background can be beneficial to a non-profit organization through budgeting and cash management as well as providing some socially desirable need on an ongoing basis.

A Postcard From: Lia Yoo ’18

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12631087_10205649371622677_1833827357_oName: Lia Yoo

Year: 2018

Major: Mathematics

What’s happening? We’d love to hear how your internship is going!

This summer I am interning at Vision Driven Consulting, a business management and consulting firm based in West Philadelphia. The company works mostly with non-profits and currently hosts a monthly workshop series that aims to support Philadelphia’s local artists. My time at Vision Driven is going very well! I’ve learned about some great organizations in the city that I didn’t know about before my internship, and it is great to have the chance to work with these organizations for the rest of the summer. My work with Vision Driven is helping me learn more about my community; it’s giving me new ideas on how I can become more involved and support my community to my best ability, and I’ve only been here for a few weeks!

Why I applied for my internship:

I applied for Vision Driven Consulting because I wanted to discover new ways to apply my math skills to projects not necessarily related to math, like non-profits. At Vision Driven, I knew I would be able to learn about the financial strategies and structures of working for a non-profit, while simultaneously learning about the financials involved in running a for-profit business. I just recently declared my major in math, and I thought the company would give me an interesting look into the different applications of my math-related skills in industry rather than academia.

A Postcard From: Ruth McLeod ’19

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20150108_214632Name: Ruth McLeod

Year: 2019

Major: Undecided

What’s happening? We’d love to hear how your internship is going!

I am doing mitochondrial research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. I am currently working on a project with two other colleagues where we are using code to match two research data sets together. The IDs of the two data sets are different but they are about the same thing. Our goal is to write a program in python that matches the two data sets using patterns in the data as a guide. This opportunity is truly exciting and amazing.

How I heard about my internship: I heard about this research opportunity at a talk that graduate students of the University of Pennsylvania had at Bryn Mawr in the year. They were talking about their research and their journey into grad school. It sounded interesting.

Why I applied for my internship: I applied for my internship because I wanted to experience what it was like to do research. This is my first research opportunity and it is incredible that I got to do it at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia with such amazing people. This opportunity was one that one lives for. I could not have had a better fit.

A Postcard From: Diana Kelley ’17

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Name: Diana Kelley mtk_color

Year: 2017

Major: International Studies

What’s happening? We’d love to hear how your internship is going!

This summer I am interning at the Women’s Foreign Policy Group (WFPG) in Washington DC. As an intern, I get to oversee the logistics of the events we host, research relevant topics, and correspond with V.I.P. guests, including ambassadors. The first event I helped coordinate was the Celebration of Women Diplomats honoring the leadership and contributions of women ambassadors and deputy chiefs of mission in foreign policy. I then helped plan and research for one of our Embassy Series events called Looking Forward: the Future of the EU and Transatlantic Relations. At this event, Ambassador to the European Union David O’Sullivan gave brief remarks on the current political climate in Europe. I will be taking the lead on all logistical elements of our UN Briefing event: Emerging Challenges and Opportunities in Combatting Human Trafficking. I am lucky to work with three other talented interns and I am very grateful for the opportunity to spend the summer working with WFPG.

I applied for this internship because it directly relates to my interests in international relations and foreign policy, specifically in advocating for the voices of women in foreign affairs. As an International Studies major with a concentration in economic development I am interested in pursuing a career in diplomacy and foreign policy. The exposure to foreign policy issues, and the ability to interact with strong female leaders in the field of I.R. represent invaluable resources and experiences that will aid in my personal as well as my intellectual growth.

diana

A Postcard From: Nayanthi Peiris ’18

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10383975_10206755186062288_2771633618354351728_nName: Nayanthi Peiris

Year: 2018

Major: Economics

What’s happening? We’d love to hear how your internship is going!

I am currently completing an internship at the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York. I’m one of four interns and we were all assigned a Diplomat at the beginning of our respective internships. My Diplomat assigns me various tasks everyday in line with the needs of the Mission and also in line with my interests. As the Sri Lankan Mission is very small in comparison to other missions, there are a good number of meetings at the UN headquarters everyday that the Minister Counsellors are unable to attend. In such cases, they assign interns to attend meetings and write meeting reports.

I just concluded a 1.5 week long conference held in the UN Headquarters which I had to attend everyday as my supervisor was unable to attend it due to other commitments. As part of the conference I had the opportunity to hear from an activist who was formerly a teen radicalized by a large terrorist organization, a lady who lost her husband to gun violence, and other inspiring individuals. The internship so far has been a great opportunity for me to explore various aspects of public policy, diplomacy, and the functioning of the UN as a whole.

I have now spent one month living in New York, and three weeks at my internship. Starting this summer with almost a naive expectation of what it would be like to live in and experience NYC, I can safely say that as of now the city has not let me down. Prior to this experience I had only visited New York for a couple days at a time, and having lived in Sri Lanka prior to starting college at Bryn Mawr, my impressions of New York were mainly borne out of *exaggerated* representations of the city from movies and TV shows. I am so very excited to complete the remainder of my internship, gain a deeper understanding of the UN, and explore more of New York!

A Postcard From: Kelsey Rall ’17

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img_7214Name: Kelsey Rall

Year: 2017

Major: English

What’s happening? We’d love to hear how your internship is going!

This summer I’m working as a ranch hand on a horse rescue ranch in California. My day starts at 6:30am when I feed, clean, and water all of the horses, mules, goats, and burros living on the ranch. After that, I have a training session with Michael, the owner and manager of the ranch; typically we work with horses who were abused or neglected and therefore fear humans and have little experience being ridden. My job is to get the animals used to human contact and to get them comfortable performing basic tasks people want from their horses (riding, backing up, following a lead rope) before they get re-homed. I’m also in charge of setting up and running a horse camp for underprivileged kids to attend this July. It’s a lot of hard work, and I’m generally covered in dirt by the end of the day, but I couldn’t be happier!

How I heard about my internship:

I was looking for jobs as a ranch hand when I came across a listing for this internship. I checked out the ranch’s website and began an email correspondence with my current boss, Michael.

Why I applied for my internship:

I’ve already had a lot of experience working with animals, but I’ve always been interested in learning more about horses. Also, I really wanted to try living in a completely new place for a summer, and the high desert in California seemed as good a place as any!