At the start of the academic year, five Wellesley College students began internships through the Class of 1967 Internship Program at the Wellesley Centers for Women. Throughout the 2024-2025 academic year, each student intern gained social science research experience under the mentorship of a WCW research scientist. Interns had opportunities to help with data collection and analysis in ongoing research studies, contribute to academic journal articles, attend conferences, and present alongside their mentors.
The named internships, which were established by generous gifts from Wellesley College alums and friends of WCW, are awarded each year to Wellesley College students who seek to make a difference in the world through research and action.
The Class of 1967 Internship Fund
I am currently working with Dr. Nyasha Karimakwenda, conducting interdisciplinary research on theories, best practices, and training programs for addressing sexual and gender-based violence within institutions of higher education in Africa and other parts of the world.
The Linda Coyne Lloyd Student Research Internship
I am conducting research under the mentorship of Pashtana Durrani on how technology impacts girls' education in Afghanistan. My work includes a literature review to identify research gaps. I've also been involved in development of an NGO incubator curriculum through case studies highlighting key leadership skills in the nonprofit sector.
This internship has been an incredible opportunity to deepen my research skills and learn from the praxis of international organizations dedicated to women's rights. Working with Pashtana Durrani has been especially inspiring—seeing how she is dedicated to supporting women in conflict zones has strengthened my commitment to this work.
The Anne Murray Ladd Student Internship Fund
In the course of this internship I have been learning about mental health stigma and stereotypes among different cultural and ethnic groups.
Since my freshman year of college, I have had the privilege of working at the Wellesley Centers for Women. The opportunity to continue growing and pursue a project of my own interest has been invaluable. Through the Class of 1967 internship, I am exploring the societal, national, and global impact of mental health issues while also gaining insight into the necessary changes and how they can be effectively implemented.
The Morse Fellowship
At the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab, I worked with Dr. Linda Charmaraman on a variety of projects such as our Human/Animal Interaction project, the Afterschool Digital Wellbeing Workshops, and a systematic review that focuses on highlighting the discrepancies in research for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ adolescents.
I had a great experience working with Linda, Maya Hernandez, Ph.D., and so many others at the YMW Lab. I feel like I learned so many new skills to add to my toolbelt such as interviewing participants, classroom management, and new software like Nvivo. I also had the chance to connect with collaborators at other institutions and meet researchers who do work I admire. I'm extremely grateful to have been part of the Class of '67 Internship Program this year and I value this experience so much.
Shirley R. Sherr Student Internship Fund
I am a WCW student intern currently working with Dr. Georgia Hall to investigate and support high-quality youth program experiences in Massachusetts.
My goal coming in was to gain research experience within a field that interests me. I have been able to do just that by conducting observations in the Boston area, practicing data management, and writing summaries on research and data. The most valuable aspect of this experience overall has been working in collaboration with WCW researchers to do this. Dr. Hall's mentorship has helped me see myself as a researcher, an outcome which I had not predicted for myself before working as an intern.
