Internships are short-term professional experiences with organizations. Most commonly, they are opportunities to build skills, gain experience, and develop your network in a specific field. Even for graduate students, internships have become a critical building block of resumes for positions in industry, nonprofits, and government. This is because hiring managers want to see that you applied your graduate training in a practical manner and that you have experience in the environment in which you seek to work after graduate school. Even in academia, where internships are less integral, hands-on experiences can be a useful way to build complementary skills in administration or advising.
UChicagoGRAD’s flagship program, the Advance Internship Program, enables students to create meaningful, skill-building internships that make use of their graduate training, and offers a limited number of $6,000 stipends to pursue these opportunities.
Set up a meeting with your UChicagoGRAD career advisor to discern what internship opportunities may be right for you, and how to find and apply to them.
UChicago offers multiple resources for locating, applying for, and funding internships. Please refer to the GRAD Guide to Finding an Internshipto learn more about these resources.
Students interested in building experience in higher education administration should consider UChicagoGRAD’s Credential in Higher Education Administration, a co-curricular professional development program that supports aspiring college and university administrators.
Do you want to build professional experience but are unsure where to start? Are you looking for a way to break into your dream organization or field? UChicagoGRAD’s Advance internship program supports you in creating a customized internship opportunity that will move your career forward.
Each year, the Advance program provides funding and coaching to graduate students who seek to build new skills and apply their advanced-degree training in the career path of their choice. The program has supported more than 500 internship projects around the world since its inception in 2015. We offer two Advance internship options:
Master’s Advance. Master’s students can create an internship in academia, industry, nonprofits, or government and apply to receive one of a limited number of $6,000 stipends. The funding supports projects that are otherwise unpaid. The deadline to apply for Master’s Advance is February 28.
PhD Advance. Students in any UChicago doctoral program can design an internship project in academia, industry, nonprofits, or government and receive a $6,000 stipend. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and students may receive funding twice during their time at UChicago.
Advance your career by designing a master’s-level internship with a host in academia, industry, nonprofits, or government.
The Master’s Advance internship program invites UChicago master’s students to create a 300-hour summer internship with an organization of their choosing. The internship should be otherwise unfunded, and it should provide the intern with new professional skills. Master’s Advance internships are open to international students and can take place anywhere in the world. Successful applicants will receive a $6,000 stipend to support their pursuit of the opportunity.
The Master’s Advance program prioritizes applicants who design customized, project-based internships. Project-based internships are those that engage the intern in a coherent set of responsibilities that progressively build toward a specific deliverable or outcome. Internships involving unrelated, ad-hoc tasks are not considered project-based opportunities. The program also gives preferences to internship projects at organizations at which the applicant has no previous affiliation. For more details, attend the information session hosted each January.
Internship Hours and Timing
Internships must be 300 hours in duration and occur during Summer Quarter. Students and their host organizations collaborate to determine exact weekly hours and beginning and end dates for the internship.
Eligibility for Master’s Advance
The program is open to master’s students in full-time, degree-granting academic programs at the University of Chicago. Both domestic and international students are eligible. If you graduate in Spring Quarter, your internship can occur in the summer following your graduation. UChicagoGRAD internship funding is available once during your time at UChicago. Currently, master’s students in professional schools (Chicago Booth, the Crown School of Social Work, Policy and Practice, the Harris School of Public Policy, the Law School, and the Pritzker School of Medicine) are ineligible.
Non-Transferability of Funding
Master’s Advance funding is intended to support the specific internship experience described in the application materials. While students may adjust their internship projects, they may not change host organizations after submitting their applications.
Application Deadline
Applications are due at 5:00 p.m. Central Time on February 28. Students may only submit one application.
The Process
Step 1: Develop a Project with Coaching from UChicagoGRAD
Students who are interested in Master’s Advance should set up a meeting with their UChicagoGRAD career advisor. Your advisor will help you reflect on your career goals, craft an outreach strategy, and develop a realistic project. Your advisor can also provide feedback on your application materials. If you are an international student, please familiarize yourself with the work authorization processes and connect with the Office for International Affairs if additional support is needed.
Step 2: Submit Your Application
Submit (1) an application letter, (2) a resume, and (3) your host’s confirmation of the internship to UChicagoGRAD by February 28 at 5:00 p.m. Central Time. Use the GRAD Gargoyle Job and Internship board posting (search for “Master’s Advance Internship Program”) to submit your application.
A field-appropriate, one-page resume is required.
Application Letter. Prepare a two-page, single-spaced letter addressed to UChicagoGRAD.
Discuss your academic work and its connection to the internship project.
Describe the host organization, including your supervisor’s name.
Explain the internship project, including your duties, timelines, and deliverables.
Clarify how the project will help you develop new skills and advance your career.
Internship Confirmation. Submit an email or letter from your host that confirms your internship project. This short note should include your name, your supervisor’s name, and the internship project you would be pursuing.
Step 3: Receive a Decision
A selection committee will assess applications and select awardees. UChicagoGRAD will then notify awardees, connect with their host organizations, and contact applicants’ Deans of Students to confirm that applicants are in good academic standing. Awardees must agree to the program conditions before internship funding is confirmed.
Step 4: Complete Your Internship and Program Requirements
Awardees begin their internships after attending a UChicagoGRAD prep session. Upon completion of the internship, awardees must respond to a survey and be available to mentor the following year’s interns.
Other Funding Sources
The Master’s Advance program provides financial support for students who are participating in otherwise unpaid (or underpaid) opportunities. Applicants are encouraged to consider other potential funding sources to support an internship, including those available from the host organization. UChicagoGRAD will only award a stipend that brings the total support for this experience up to $6000. This condition does not include regular student support that you may receive unrelated to this internship. It does apply to funds supplied directly by the host or by another granting unit that are intended to support this experience. If the amount awarded from another source is less than $6000, UChicagoGRAD will award a stipend for the difference between these awards.
Advance your career by designing a PhD-level internship with hosts in academia, industry, nonprofits, or government.
The PhD Advance internship program invites UChicago PhD students to create a 300-hour summer internship with an organization of their choosing. The internship should be otherwise unfunded, and it should provide the intern with new professional skills. PhD Advance internships are open to international students and can take place anywhere in the world. Successful applicants will receive a $6,000 stipend to support their pursuit of the opportunity.
The PhD Advance program prioritizes applicants who design customized, project-based internships. Project-based internships are those that engage the intern in a coherent set of responsibilities that progressively build toward a specific deliverable or outcome. Internships involving unrelated, ad-hoc tasks are not considered project-based opportunities. The program also gives preference to internship projects at organizations at which the applicant has no previous affiliation. For more details, attend the information session hosted each January.
Internship Hours and Timing
Internships must be 300 hours in duration. Students and their host organizations collaborate to determine exact weekly hours and beginning and end dates for the internship. Internships can take place at any time of the year.
UChicago PhD students can receive UChicagoGRAD internship funding twice during their time at UChicago. We do not recommend the pursuit of internships in the first two years of a doctoral program. Applicants should work with their UChicagoGRAD career advisor and academic department to determine the optimal timing for an internship given degree requirements and the applicant’s career goals. Internships that occur during or immediately following a student’s departure from UChicago are likely the most optimal, as they send an important signal to potential employers about an applicant’s professional trajectory.
Eligibility for PhD Advance
The program is open to doctoral students in full-time, degree-granting academic programs at the University of Chicago. Both domestic and international students are eligible. Participation may require approval from an applicant’s Dean of Students. Internship funding is available to those who decide not to continue in their program. Internships can occur in the quarter after the student leaves UChicago. In this case, UChicagoGRAD must receive the internship application eight weeks prior to the student’s departure.
Non-Transferability of Funding
PhD Advance funding is intended to support the specific internship experience described in the application materials. While students may adjust their internship projects, they may not change host organizations after submitting their applications.
Application Deadline
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. PhD students can apply for internship funding from UChicagoGRAD twice during their time at UChicago. If the student intends to leave UChicago, their application must be received eight weeks before the student’s departure.
The Process
Step 1: Develop a Project with Coaching from UChicagoGRAD
Students who are interested in PhD Advance should set up a meeting with their UChicagoGRAD career advisor. Your advisor will help you reflect on your career goals, craft an outreach strategy, and develop a realistic project. Your advisor can also provide feedback on your application materials. If you are an international student, please familiarize yourself with the work authorization processes and connect with the Office for International Affairs if additional support is needed.
Step 2: Submit Your Application
Submit (1) an application letter, (2) a resume, and (3) your host’s confirmation of the internship to UChicagoGRAD by February 28 at 5:00 p.m. Central Time. Use the GRAD Gargoyle Job and Internship board posting (search for “PhD Advance Internship Program”) to submit your application.
Resume or CV. A field-appropriate, one-page resume or a CV is required.
Application Letter. Prepare a two-page, single-spaced letter addressed to UChicagoGRAD.
Discuss your academic work and its connection to the internship project.
Describe the host organization, including your supervisor’s name.
Explain the internship project, including your duties, timelines, and deliverables.
Clarify how the project will help you develop new skills and advance your career.
Internship Confirmation. Submit an email or letter from your host that confirms your internship project. This short note should include your name, your supervisor’s name, and the internship project you would be pursuing.
Step 3: Receive a Decision
A selection committee will assess applications and select awardees. UChicagoGRAD will then notify awardees, connect with their host organizations, and contact applicants’ academic advisors and Deans of Students. Awardees must agree to the program conditions before internship funding is confirmed.
Step 4: Complete Your Internship and Program Requirements
Awardees begin their internships after attending a UChicagoGRAD prep session. Upon completion of the internship, awardees must respond to a survey and be available to mentor the following year’s interns.
OTHER FUNDING SOURCES
The PhD Advance program provides some financial support for students who are participating in otherwise unpaid (or underpaid) opportunities. While you are encouraged to consider other potential funding sources to support your internship, UChicagoGRAD will only award a stipend that brings the total support for this experience up to $6000. This condition does not include regular student support that you may receive unrelated to this internship. It does apply to funds supplied directly by the host or by another granting unit, intended to support this experience. If the amount awarded from another source is less than $6000, UChicagoGRAD will award a stipend amount for the difference between these awards.
Past Advance Winners
2021-22 COHORT
STUDENT
HOST
SOFIA BARNETT
MAT Student, Urban Teacher Education Program
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Cook County, Chicago, IL
Acted as educational consultant for remote learning support and engaged directly with children served by CASA
ROWAN BAYNE
PhD, English
Office of Experiential and Applied Learning, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Conducted research aimed at assessing service-learning program and wrote funding proposals for training programs for incarcerated people
MARTIN BECK
MA Student, Social Work
The Chicago Low Income Housing Trust Fund, Chicago, IL
Partnered with City government to improve efficiency and effectiveness of services for vulnerable populations
Analyzed irrigation practices in a farming region in service of proposing policy changes and agricultural transformation
GEORGE BI
MS Student, Analytics
Red Fuji Furniture Co., Ltd, Yantai, Shandong, China
Built a customer database to aid future business development, built a facial recognition tool, and generated business intelligence reports
RACHEL CARBONARA
PhD Student, Divinity School
Illuminations, Cambridge, MA
Produced four podcast episodes, contributing and developing ideas and conducting interviews, writing scripts, and editing audio
JAMIE COUNTRYMAN
PhD Student, Anthropology
USDA Forest Service, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Wilmington, IL
Integrated archaeological knowledge and historical ecology of the site into efforts to restore the area and make it more accessible to visitors
GRACE DEHORN
MA Student, Social Work
Center for the Study of Social Policy, Washington, DC
Developed a child allowance research project in collaboration with local organizations
GABRIELLE DOHMEN
JD Student, Law School
ACLU of Kansas, Kansas City, KS
Conducted research for litigation involving the Wichita Police Department
GABRIELA ESPINOSA
MA Student, Divinity School
The Rubin Museum, New York, NY
Developed publication, exhibition, and digital resource material for Project Himalayan Art seeking to advance public understanding of the Himalayan region and its art
SOPHIA ETLING
MA Student, Social Work
The University of Chicago Doula Project, Chicago, IL
Provided new qualitative analyses of interview transcripts to be used to enhance community-based doula services in Chicago
BASTIAN HERRE
PhD Student, Political Science
Our World in Data at the Global Change Data Lab, Oxford, United Kingdom
Conducted research, wrote reports, and visualized data on the historical development of democracy and conflict
SHRADHA JAIN
MDiv Student, Divinity School
One Project, San Francisco, CA
Helped fundraising team identify and prioritize potential grant funding opportunities
WALAA JUMMA
MA Student, Social Work
GirlForward, Chicago, IL
Planned and facilitated events, programs, and workshops supporting female-identifying high school students who have come to the United States through refugee resettlement
PARITOSH KANORIA
MDiv Student, Divinity School
Krea University, Sricity, Telangana, India
Collected data to help faculty and administrative staff understand and improve students' experiences around their aspirations, academics, and daily lives
TOPHER KINDRELL
PhD, History
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Chicago, IL
Created written content and provided analysis on COVID-19 vaccine rollout, vaccine equity, impacts of public health measures, and cities' responses to public health crises
EMMA KITCHEN
PhD Student, History
Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL
Conducted research and interviews to explore the relationship between exhibition development and scientific stufy
NORA LAMBERT
PhD Student, Art History
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cataloged objects in the Italian Renaissance and Spanish ceramics and glass collections with bibliographic information and wrote interpretive texts for online publication
DANA MAIER-ZUCCHINO
MA Student, Social Sciences
ThinkLive!, Inc., Atlanta, GA
Coded student handbooks and field notes from previous cohorts to help improve and further develop youth programming
AMY MCLACHLAN
PhD, Anthropology
Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL
Interviewed members of Indigenous Amazonian communities impacted by COVID-19 and contributed to multi-media archive around the ongoing pandemic
DAVE MEI
MA Student, Divinity School
International Holographic Ecology, Boston, MA
Edited and translated part of a book that will promote interfaith dialogue in spiritual education
SELINE MESSMER
MA Student, Social Sciences
SPARK for German, Chicago, IL
Devised lesson plans around German language and culture intended for K-12 students in collaboration with the Chicago Public Library
PRIYANJALI MITRA
PhD Student, Sociology
Self Employed Women's Association Bharat, New Delhi, India
Conducted research and interviews with stakeholders, then analyzed data and prepared a report on the impact of and challenges in community centers
SIYANDA MOHUTSIWA
PhD Student, Sociology
Irrational Agency, London, United Kingdom
Provided research and data analysis to drive the production of digital consumer behavior tools
DYLAN PETIPRIN
MA Student, Social Sciences
The To&Through Project, Chicago, IL
Analyzed data around issues of college equity among Chicago Public School high school students and prepared a report that examins post-secondary outcomes for stakeholders
GREY PIERCE
PhD Student, Sociology
Center on Halsted, Chicago, IL
Created an end-of-life fair for LGBTQ seniors to help them access legal, housing, and other resources
JORDAN PRUETT
PhD Student, English
Post45 Data Collective, Atlanta, GA
Assisted researchers in the preparation of datasets for publication over five open-access quantiative and computational humanities projects
IBRAHIM RASHID
MPP Student, Public Policy
Refugee Investment Network, Washington, DC
Performed research and analysis to help with the proposal of a fund and acquisition of a property for future refugee center and affordable housing
HANNA SHARIF-KAZEMI
MA Student, Social Work
The Safer Foundation, Women's Justice Institute, Chicago, IL
Built and pitched policy and infrustruture to support developmental projects, developed partnership with local government to expand and sustain community treatment services
LUIZA SILVA
PhD Student, Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations
The British Museum, London, United Kingdom
Created a system to make object drawings easy to store and track digitally
OLIVIA SPENCE
MA Student, Social Work
Heartland Alliance, Chicago, IL
Conducted client intake and research about medicaton-assisted treatment programs
MOOD SUDCHAROEN
PhD, Anthropology
UChicagoGRAD, Chicago, IL
Conducted research into the challenges faced by international graduate students and postdocs; recommended strategies and created programming based on findings
CARLY UEBEL
MA Student, Social Work
UChicago Medicine Violence Recovery Program, Chicago, IL
Faciliated trainings on trauma-informed interventions with survivors of sexual violence and legal, medical, and ongoing support options available to them
DANIEL WITKIN
MA Student, Humanities
Kartemquin Films, Chicago, IL
Coded raw footage for an upcoming film and conducted research for the transfer of archive to Washington University
PHILANA WOO
MA Student, Social Sciences
Asian American Psychology Association, San Diego, CA
Produced and promoted 6 episodes of a new podcast, setting up speakers, contributing research and scriptwriting, and writing companion shownotes for each
TOBY WU
MA Student, Humanities
Smart Museum of Art, Chicago, IL
Identified works relevant to an upcoming exhibition on Transpacific art
MICHAL ZECHARIA
PhD Student, English
Locus, Tel Aviv, Israel
Researched possibilities for pursuing foreign publications rights for Israeli authors and built database of potential buyers
WILLIAM ZHU
MA Student, Computational Social Sciences
RealEats, Geneva, NY
Generated analyses to understand customer retention and identify characteristics of most engaged customers
2020-21 Cohort
STUDENT
HOST
JOSHUA BABCOCK
PhD Student, Anthropology
Michicagoan Conference, Chicago, IL
Developed a strategic plan and new organizational model for an anthropology conference
ROWAN BAYNE
PhD Student, English
Calgary Queer Arts Society, Alberta, Canada
Expanded and reimagined programming around the Calgary Pride festival
BOWEN BAO
MS Student, Computer Science
HeartBioPortal, Chicago, IL
Developed a web application to support doctors and biomedical researchers in searching for guidelines and data supplements used in diagnosing cardiovascular disease
XHESIKA BARDHI
MA Student, Middle Eastern Studies
Hyde Park Refugee Project, Chicago, IL
Lead a college-readiness program, promoted language-acquisition, and engaged in development work at a local refugee resettlement organization
ALYSIA MANN CAREY
PhD Student, Political Science
Cite Black Women, Chicago, IL
Used organizational, research, and archival skills to support a campaign to push people to engage in a radical praxis of citation that acknowledges and honors Black women’s transnational intellectual production
SONJA CASTANEDA
PhD Student, Political Science
Center for Alaska Education Policy Research, Anchorage, AK
Conducted a research project on the role of state-tribal compacting in K-12 education
ABHIMANYU CHANDRA
PhD Student, South Asian Languages and Civilizations
Supported fundraising, development, adult and K-12 education, and script assessment activities at the largest repertory theatre in the Southeast
TIM DEMAY
PhD Student, English
Double Change, Paris, France
Provided financial, administrative, and research support for a poetry and translation non-profit
LIVIA DEWAELE
MA Student, International Relations
Institute for Strategic Dialogue, London, England
Collabored on ISD's European Polarization Index Project, which aims to create a standardized way of measuring polarization
OMER EREN
PhD Student, Linguistics
Laz Institute, Istanbul, Turkey
Contributed to the maintenance of the endangered Laz language by creating an advanced course book
SUAY SEYMA ERKUSOZ
PhD Student, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
The Oriental Institute, Chicago, IL
Enhanced the informative and visual aspects of the OI's Syro-Anatolian exhibitions
ANEESAH ETTRESS
MDiv Student, Divinity School
Los Angeles Education Partnership, Los Angeles, CA
Conducted fund development work, including soliciting corporate sponsorships and hosting small-scale fundraising events, for a nonprofit that advances educational equity
NATALIE FARRELL
PhD Student, Music
Chicago Federation of Musicians, Chicago, IL
Organized a series of concerts for a musicians' union to promote social justice amid the COVID-19 pandemic
MARISSA FENLEY
PhD Student, English and Theater and Performance Studies
Theater Director and Designer Tom Lee, New York, New York and Tokyo, Japan
Provided dramaturgical support for The Akutagawa Project, developed in collaboration with puppeteer Koryu Nishigawa V
MOLLY GIBSON
MA Student, Social Service Administration
EverThrive Illinois, Chicago, IL
Supported the planning stages of an evaluation project at a nonprofit by helping to create infrastructure to guide the initiative
AIMEE GONZALEZ
PhD Student, Music
Gabinete Patrimonio Musical Esteban Salas, Havana, Cuba
Prepared a critical edition of early music and helped plan an international classical music festival
CHRISTOPHER GRANT
PhD Student, Anthropology
University of New Orleans Archaeological Research and Curation Center, New Orleans, LA
Developed a conservation program, including an electrolysis apparatus that could be used by students and scholars, at an emerging cultural institution
EMRE HAKGUDER
PhD Student, Linguistics
Chicago Project on Security and Threats, Chicago, IL
Conducted analysis to predict the behavior of terrorist organizations through a combination of Turkish language skills, natural language processing, data mining and analysis, and statistical inference
JOHN-PAUL HEIL
PhD Student, History
Good Soil Farm, Emmitsburg, MD
Created K-12 educational programming and an undergraduate agricultural history curriculum for an agriculture curriculum for a sustainable educational farm
RACHEL HOWARD
PhD Student, Anthropology
Temple Beth Shalom, Phoenix, AZ
Researched the past performance of faith organizations in the Phoenix area to
identify ways to support current and future grant-making and collaboration at a synagogue
CAMERON HU
PhD Student, Anthropology
Institute for Advanced Sustainability, Potsdam, Germany
Conducted a policy-oriented research project that examined how emerging climate engineering technologies and Earth-scientific concepts are currently reshaping national- and international-level projects of environmental governance
ZOE HUGHES
PhD Student, English
Everspring, Chicago, IL
Consulted with faculty members to design courses and drafted papers and decks on remote pedagogical practices at an educational technology company
LELAND JASPERSE
PhD Student, English
City of Santa Monica, Community and Cultural Services Division, Santa Monica, CA
Provided research support to an innovative community behavioral health initiative to address failings in Santa Monica's existing mental health and homelessness services
MATT JOHNSON
PhD, Germanic Studies
Jüdisches Museum Wien, Vienna, Austria
Engaged in exhibition planning and research at a Jewish museum
FRANCESCA LAMBERT
PhD Student, Cinema and Media Studies
Texas Archive of the Moving Image, Austin, TX
Created a Google Arts & Culture exhibit for a nonprofit film archive
HELEN LEE
PhD Student, Comparative Human Development
Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community, Chicago, IL
Lead the development of a culturally responsive curriculum for facilitating conversations about racial equity with first-generation Chinese Americans
KEVIN MAGNAYE
PhD Student, Human Genetics
Pasteur Institute, Paris, France
Interrogated the role of RNA editing and human immune responses in EVOIMMUNOPOP, an experimental and computational effort to understand immune response variation in human populations
KATHRYN MCGEE
MA Student, Social Service Administration
Modern Reliance, Chicago, IL
Conducted research to inform the kinds of support and services that Modern Reliance and its student workforce provide to older adults and their families
ALMAZ MESGHINA
PhD Student, Comparative Human Development
Academic Support and Learning Advancement, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Revitalized the curriculum for a seven-week, peer-led course for first-year and/or at-risk university students, helping them acquire the skills and resources necessary for academic success and wellness
WILLIAM OCKENDON
PhD Student, Anthropology
The Lighthouse | Black Girl Projects, Jackson, MS
Created a report card for the impact of legislation on Black girls and women in five states in the Southeast region for a nonprofit organization
SARAH OUTLAND
PhD Student, Sociology
Girls Who Code, Chicago, IL
Developed and assessed a marketing campaign for Computer Science Education Week to change sentiments around women as tech workers
ADAM PERI
PhD Student, Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science
Franke Institute for the Humanities, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Oversaw digital initiatives--including online conferences, luncheons, meetings, and outreach--at a humanities research institute
ERIC POWELL
PhD Student, English
Verge Books, Chicago, IL
Conducted editorial, marketing, and publicity work at an independent publisher of poetry and translation
SOPHIA RHEE
PhD Student, Anthropology
Center for Asian American Media, San Francisco, CA
Center for Asian American Media, San Francisco, CA
Developed programming and communications for a twice-annual film festival showcasing new films by Asian American filmmakers working on topics relevant to the Asian Diaspora
JULIA ROSSI
PhD Student, English
The Odyssey Project, Chicago, IL
Tutored students and planned, designed, and edited a student publication at an organization committed to expanding access to humanities education
SHARVARI SASTRY
PhD Student, South Asian Languages and Civilizations and Theater and Performance Studies
The Spaces Project, India
Supported a creative and contextual documentation of the alternative and experimental spaces for the arts (particularly theatre), that have been emerging in India
AMY SKJERSETH
PhD Student, Cinema and Media Studies
Sound Arts and Industries MA Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Provided career mentoring, technical skill building, and co-curricular programming for MA students studying sound design
ZOË SMITH
PhD Student, English
Abrams ComicArts, New York, NY
Served as an assistant editor for two forthcoming graphic novels at the publisher's Megascope imprint
WINNIE TONG
PhD Student, Sociology
United Nations Development Programme, New York, NY
Contributed to several core projects, including facilitating meetings of member states and conducting research for the Human Development Report 2020
ERIC TRIANTAFILLOU
PhD Student, Anthropology
Center for Cultural Innovation, Los Angeles, CA
Produced a publicly accessible report on non-accredited, self-organized,
participatory, and equitable “art schools” in the US for a leading arts incubator
EMILY VERBURG
MA Student, Social Service Administration
Collective Action for Safe Spaces, Washington, DC
Created an online resource hub, facilitated bystander intervention trainings, and conducted policy research at a nonprofit working to end gender-based harassment and assault
JESSICA VILLASEÑOR
PhD Student, Sociology
Amnistía Internacional México, Mexico
Assisted in the completion of the Feminicides in Mexico project, an in-depth investigation of feminicides in Ecatepec, Mexico
ALEXANDREA WILSON
MA Student, Social Service Administration
Chicago Food Policy Action Council, Chicago, IL
Engaged in outreach and developed an internship program that expanded capacity and created career entry points for those interested in food justice
WARREN PAUL WILSON
PhD Student, Philosophy
Justice is Global, Chicago, IL
Recruited and managed a volunteer research team and produced a coalition analysis for a grassroots organization working towards an equitable and sustainable global economy
2019-20 Cohort
STUDENT
HOST
JOSHUA BABCOCK
PhD Student, Anthropology
soft/WALL/studs, Singapore
Implemented an integrated marketing, media relations, and social media strategic plan for an arts organization
SEAN BATTON
PhD Student, Cinema and Media Studies
Chicago Film Archives, Chicago, IL
Inspected, catalogued, and researched a collection at a non-profit film archive
NILANJANA BHATTACHARYA
MA Student, Public Policy
Slum Dwellers International, Capetown, South Africa
Drafted monitoring, evaluation, and risk assessment plans for a transnational social movement of urban poor communities
ROLAND BLACK
PhD Student, History
Antiracist Research and Policy Center, Washington, D.C.
Conducted research on the negative health and policy outcomes of whiteness at a public-facing research center
ANDREA BONACCORSI
MA Student, Humanities
Ford Heights Community Service Organization, Ford Heights, IL
Created a youth-driven agricultural education program that addressed food insecurity in the Village of Ford Heights
CLAIRE BOWMAN
PhD Student, Anthropology
Charlevoix Village Association, Charlevoix, MI
Researched, produced, and printed a neighborhood-level history booklet for free distribution to community members
Researched and wrote news articles for a quarterly mental health-focused newspaper
MARGARET BROWER
PhD Student, Political Science
Institute for Democracy and Higher Education, Medford, MA
Developed new curricula and pedagogical approaches for political learning at a research institute
COSETTE BRUHNS
PhD Student, Romance Languages and Literatures
Visual Resources Center, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Developed a digital humanities project, teaching guides, and resource guides with a focus on access and sustainability
LAUREL CHEN
MA Student, Social Service Administration
East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative, Oakland, CA
Developed press materials and improved organizational management at a community housing cooperative
CARLOS CISNEROS
PhD Student, Linguistics
Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indigena Oaxaqueño, Fresno, CA
Documented and advised advised the development of instruction methods and materials for an introductory minority language course for primary school students
AMY COOMBS
PhD Student, History
History of Science Museum, University of Oxford, Oxford, England
Participated in collections research, condition evaluation, and content planning for an exhibit on botanizing and microscopy at a history of science museum
BASTIEN CRAIPAIN
PhD Student, Romance Languages and Literatures
Digital Library of the Caribbean at FIU, Miami, FL
Processed, catalogued, preserved, digitized, and promoted Caribbean collections and edited and translated newsletter at a digital research library
MICHAEL FISCHER
MA Student, Humanities
Storycatchers Theatre, Chicago, IL
Supported Changing Voices, an arts employment program for justice-involved youth at a local theater
YAEL FLUSSER
PhD Student, Comparative Literature
Zoomin Software, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Tackled product challenges at a startup company focused on making tech content more accessible to non-experts with the help of artificial intelligence
ARIANNA GASS
PhD Student, English and Theater and Performance Studies
Headlong Dance Theatre, Philadelphia, PA
Served as an archivist for a theater company, conducted oral histories with current and former directors and collaborators, and curated an event based on archival finds
TALIA GORDON
PhD Student, Comparative Human Development
Neighborhood Engagement Hub, Flint, MI
Helped design, manage, and carry out a neighborhood group mapping and resource directory development project for a community-based nonprofit agency
MARCOS GOUVEA
PhD Student, Classics
Mars Hill Audio, Charlottesville, VA
Produced a template for an updated catalogue and adapted content for a weekly app at a small nonprofit
PIA HECHER
MA Student, Middle Eastern Studies
European Stability Initiative, Brussels, Belgium
Researched and wrote reports, collected quantitative data, and produced data visualizations focusing on refugees and migration at a think tank
DAVID HOGUE
PhD Student, East Asian Languages and Civilizations
Bamboo and Silk, Wuhan, China
Translated academic articles and provided support for staff at a peer-reviewed academic journal
CAMERON HU
PhD Student, Anthropology
Ditch Projects, Springfield, OR
Edited a volume of essays that accompanied an exhibition at nonprofit contemporary arts organization
KEVIN IRAKOZE
PhD Student, Philosophy
Burundi Memory Project, Burundi
Gathered data, coordinated field researchers, and drafted reports on the historical memory of Burundian youth regarding the history of ethnic conflict in the country
KATERINA KOROLA
PhD Student, Art History
Art Institute of Chicago Photography Division, Chicago, IL
Served as curatorial assistant for an upcoming rotation of the permanent collection and researched, interpreted, and catalogued a nineteenth-century photo-collage album
EDUARDO LEAO
PhD Student, Romance Languages and Literatures
Restless Books, New York City, NY
Created content, monitored social media platforms, developed marking plans, critiqued submissions, and identified potential grants for a small publisher
LAUREN LEDIN
PhD Student, Anthropology
Field Museum, Chicago, IL
Documented North American human remains and helped improve the approach that museums take in the respectful curation of human remains
PATRICK LEWIS
PhD Student, Anthropology
Mesopotamia Foundation, Turkey
Translated text and compiled a feasibility report for a Kurdish-language education course
TESSA DI MANTOVA
World Relief Change, Chicago, IL
Identified grant opportunities and performed community outreach at a relief agency
FIONA MAXWELL
PhD Student, History
Center for Women's History and Leadership, Evanston, IL
Brought the history of nineteenth-century parlor performance and women’s public speaking to public audiences by leading museum tours, created educational programming and special events, wrote blogposts, and created plans for a digital exhibit
SARAH MCDANIEL
PhD Student, English
Modern Philology, Chicago, IL
Developed and publicized an archive of critical work in the back catalogue of a leading academic journal
JENNIFER MONDAL
PhD Student, English
Critical Inquiry, Chicago, IL
Copyedited two issues, fact-checked footnotes, and proofread and formatted posts for the blog of an academic journal
ERIN NEWTON
PhD Student, History
International Museum of Surgical Science, Chicago, IL
Catalogued texts into an accessible and searchable catalogue, contributed to a blog, and assisted with regular conservation workshops at a history of science museum
VICTORIA NGUYEN
PhD Student in Anthropology
Materials and Applications, Los Angeles, CA
Managed donor relations and served as a program associate at a creative cultural center
NIDA PARACHA
PhD Student, Anthropology
Balance Lab, Chicago, IL
Served at an alternate healing practice helping victims of trauma
KARA PERUCCIO
PhD Student, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
UChicagoGRAD, Chicago, IL
Relaunched externship program to connect students and employers
NORY PETERS
PhD Student, Comparative Literature
MAKE Literary Magazine, Chicago, IL
Planned, moderated, and produced a podcast on forced migration for a literary magazine.
MEDARDO ROSARIO
PhD Student, Romance Languages and Literatures
Newberry Library, Chicago, IL
Surveyed the Caribbean geographical collections at an independent research library to create a research guide meant to support future researchers
TYLER SCHROEDER
PhD Student, Cinema and Media Studies
UChicago Special Collections, Chicago, IL
Described and classified Special Collections’ holdings of the photographs and personal ephemera, largely uncatalogued, of the street photographer Vivian Maier
RENUKA SHAH
MA Student, Threat and Response Management
Will County Emergency Management Agency, Chicago, IL
Developed a new premise alert program, updated an operations plan, and tested programs at an emergency management agency
ZHENZHOU TAN
MA Student, Humanities
UChicago Press International Rights Department, Chicago, IL
Translated marketing materials from English to Chinese, explored an academic press’s backlist for translation licensing, and prepared accordingly special subject catalogs
NIU NIU TEO
PhD Student, History
US History Scene, Remote
Developed a podcast that interviews professors about the process of writing of their first book
MARCO TORRES
PhD Student, History
Northeastern Illinois University Library, Chicago, IL
Contributed to a Latin American historiography bibliographic project and planned a public discussion series on contemporary social and political issues at a college library
ASHLEY TRUEHART
PhD Student, Cinema and Media Studies
South Side Home Movie Project, Chicago, IL
Led community cataloguing events to gather descriptive information about the home movies preserved and stored on the SSHMP website; developed a film festival and outdoor screenings
BRANDON TRUETT
PhD Student, English
Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia, PA
Produced object white papers about two paintings by the Spanish artist Joan Miró for curatorial files and a museum website
SILA ULUG
PhD Student, Art History
Performa, New York City, NY
Performed curatorial, production, and public engagement work at a non-profit visual arts organization
CAROLINE ZADINA
MA Student, Social Service Administration
FutureCourse Education, Chicago, IL
Lead the creation of a research-informed curriculum for high school and college team captains that educates how to recognize and respond to the mental health pressures, environmental pressures, and interpersonal challenges present in sport contexts
