Tag Archives: 2018

A Postcard From: Sarah Green ’18

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11811516_740745166051091_4972423412645550231_nName: Sarah Green

Year: 2018 at Haverford

Major: Sociology

Internship Placement: City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program Summer.

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

This summer I am interning with the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, which is a Philadelphia­ based public art nonprofit organization working to create lasting social change through socially conscious artistic practice. My job mainly involves assistance with summer events, such as a symposium hosted by Moore College of Art & Design and Mural Arts called In/Out: Ethics, Attention, and Intention in Socially Engaged Art, and research for the planning phase of a public art festival slated for the Fall of 2017. I applied for this internship because, as a Sociology major and as an artist myself, I am fascinated by the intersection of sociology and art. I believe that art can be a powerful tool of social change. I hope to pursue a career in artistic social practice after graduating, focusing on its sociological applications and its role as a force of positive social transformation. This internship has really helped me navigate my interests in a productive way, and I have gained valuable insight into what my ideal career may be.

A Postcard From: Linh Nguyen ’18

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Name: Linh Nguyen

Class Year: 2018

Major: Economics

Internship Placement: Centre for Sustainable Development (CSD).

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

As the Special Project Intern of CSD, I will work to assist the operation of assigned projects. My main responsibility include working closely with the Finance Team to conduct budget projection for the project., building a simple model to forecast the expenses that will be used during the project time and keep track of those expenses, working on project proposal and raise fund for the project and helping the Logistics Team with project operation if needed

Why I applied for my internship:

I want to apply my knowledge and leadership skills built at Bryn Mawr to the Project so as to increase the productivity and the success of the whole project. And I also hope to bring a fresh view and energy to the whole team as a new comer!

A Postcard From: Miriam Myers ’18

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img_0904Name: Miriam Myers

Year: 2018

Major: Political Science

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

Greetings from San Francisco!

This summer, I am interning in the Office of Supervisor David Campos, who serves on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. I have thoroughly enjoyed the past month working in this office, and I have learned a lot about how government works on a local level. My very first day of work (June 7th—Election Day!) was a big one: the Board of Supervisors passed a groundbreaking resolution that had reporters calling our office from all over the country. This new legislation is intended to address the housing crisis that San Francisco has struggled with over the past years. The City is directly targeting Air B&B, which has limited the amount of available and affordable housing for many long-time residents. The following week something tragic occurred in the district that Supervisor Campos represents: there was a terrible fire that burned down half a block, leaving 60 people without homes. Most of these people were low-income, immigrants, and our office is helping these constituents find new permanent housing and get back on their feet. Just last week, our city celebrated Gay Pride weekend, and I had the opportunity to march in the parade with Supervisor Campos (see photo). That experience has been one of my most memorable moments so far—it felt incredible to walk with such an admirable, progressive politician in the city that I grew up in and love so much! I have done quite a bit of legislative research projects for Campos’s staff, and I look forward to helping them more in the coming weeks. This exposure has truly been transformative and has allowed me to think critically about the issues that my city (and country).

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A Postcard From: Ketki Chinoy ’18

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Name: Ketki Chinoy

Year: 2018

Major: Biology

Internship Placement: Research Intern at Duke-NUS Singapore

Walking into the ice cold lab at Duke-NUS in the morning is the perfect way to wake up if the traditional Singaporean coffee, Pokka, hasn’t already. The lab smells strongly of the chemical concoctions left to react over night and experiments that have been worked on all night. As other members of the lab walk in, we being our daily briefing of tasks which need to be completed and any updates there may be. I then spend the day with on of my two supervisors, who are post-docs in the lab, working on cell cultures, data analysis and preparation for future experiments.

Lab work requires an unpredictable time commitment as one does not know how their experiment will turn out and if they need to change or redo it. Due to this variability, planning my evenings revolves around flexibility of activities. Most days my day begins at 9am and ends at 7pm, so by the time the day is done I am exhausted and lazy to make myself some dinner. But don’t worry, this is a fantastic thing! Singapore is a foodie’s dream destination. There is cuisine from all over the world available for all range of prices. I simply pick a new spot everyday and use the fantastic MRT system to hang out the restaurant or bar for the evening. Most of the evening hotspots come with a great view of the city, a buzzing street, the beach or a river so it proves to be a fantastic place to meet some people and relax.

The weekends allow me to explore the city even more! Aside from the internationally acclaimed Singapore Zoo, Bird Park, Botanical Gardens, Gardens by the Bay and Sentosa, there are a ton of vibrant museums, festivals and electric nightlife throughout the country. Traveling is so simple because of the wonderful public transport systems and also because traveling from one end of the country to the other is a maximum of one hour by road!

It has been one month since I first came to Singapore and I have already made memories to last a lifetime, both personally and academically. I still have one more month is this truly gorgeous country and I cannot wait to see what this month unravels for me!

A Postcard From: Selena Martinez ’18

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bostonName: Selena Martinez

Year: 2018

Major: Comparative Literature

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

This summer I am interning in the Visitor Education Department at the New England Aquarium in Boston, Massachusetts. As a Visitor Educator I have the unique opportunity of connecting visitors with marine life through interpretation. Interpretation allows me the chance to breakdown information about a specific type of animal, habitat, ecosystem or conservation issue and translate that information to the visitor through something more relatable. This connection plays an important role in emphasizing the impact the visitors can make through conservation. I also assist visitors with interacting with a variety of marine animals. So far I have been able to gain hands on experience with sharks, shark eggs, sting rays, sea stars, jellies, hermit crabs, octopi, horseshoe crabs, scallops, oysters, flounders, red bellied turtles, and so many more marine animals. Working with these animals further strengthens my passion for protecting them and always excites me to spread more information about them to our visitors.

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Edge of Sea Touch Tank

Why I applied to my internship?:

As a comparative literature major I frequently analyze communication between cultures especially during moments of translation. Translation is not only limited to translating language. It also focuses on translating any idea in the most effective manner between parties. In this sense the Visitor Education Internship allowed me the chance to practice my translation skills over a topic I am extremely passionate about, conservation and the protection of marine animals. The New England Aquarium also provided the type of informal educational environment I was interested in. Educating others in a gallery setting with the live animals around me was the kind of classroom I wanted to work in. Furthermore this internship provided me a chance to better understand how a nonprofit organization functioned.

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My favorite marine animal, the Cuttlefish.

A Postcard From: Abbygail Brewster ’18

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kName: Abbygail Brewster

Year: 2018

Major: Sociology

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

My internship is going great! I am interning at Consumer Credit Counseling Services. Their main role is to provide financial education and counseling to people, so they are able to make sound financial decisions. With my internship, I am doing a lot of outreach within the community. One of my primary roles is building a social media presence. Another role that I enjoy is going out to the Summer Activity Camps throughout Wichita, and helping lead their Summer Savings Program which is hosted by Consumer Credit Counseling Services and a local credit union. I have also had the opportunity to research about the options for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) homebuyers, and first time homebuyer grants in Kansas.abby1 One of my favorite task was researching the cost of attending college or a technical school in Kansas versus predicted salaries of college graduates. The data was then presented to teachers across Kansas to help them understand about how they can better advise students for college, but to also be conscious of student debt. This is because the average student graduates with $33,000 of debt and the total student loan debt as of March 2016 was 1.3 trillion dollars. Yikes!

How I heard about my internship:

I knew that I wanted to stay in the Wichita area for the summer, so that was my starting point. Then I found a local organization that matched non profit organizations with grants, people, and other key components for running a non profit organization. I was able to forward my resume to organizations that they had worked with. Then Consumer Credit Counseling Services was one of the organizations I heard back from and that is where I thought the best fit would be.

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Why I applied for my internship:

I knew that I wanted an internship that gave me some level of experience dealing with finances to get exposure and determine if this is where my interest truly is. I think the most typical place to work in finance is at a bank and I wanted an internship that wasn’t typical. My internship allows me to be exposed to finances, but from a different perspective. Our goal here is to help people make firm decisions about their finances by educating and counseling them, not to sell a product. I think this is a unique experience because I am able to learn and understand about a wide array of finance related topics like bankruptcy, retirement savings, buying a house, and debt management. My co-workers are certified to help people understand their options and what they can do, and the advice they give is from a true and honest place. So in simple terms, I get to work with finances and get to help people at the same time.

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A Postcard From: Dana Gold

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image1Name: Dana Gold

Year: 2018

Major: Spanish

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

My internship is going great! I’m working at Nationalities Service Center (NSC) in Center City, which is an organization that works with refugees in the area. I’m the ESL Intern, which means I help out in the English class every morning as well as do various longer term projects in the afternoons. Right now, I’m working on an attendance project and devising a better system for the teachers now and going forward to use. I also assist with escorting clients to medical appointments and other social services appointments.

Here is a picture of me on World Refugee Day. We took the ESL class to Philadelphia City Hall for Mayor Kenney’s press conference in honor of the day. It was so exciting for us at NSC as well as the clients!

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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!

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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:

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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.