The Importance of Experiential Learning in an Urban Atmosphere by Augusta Clusen Moses ‘27

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Name: Augusta Clusen Moses
Class Year: 2027
Major: Growth and Structure of Cities

Internship Organization: Metropolitan Planning Council
Internship Title: Research Assistant
Location: Chicago, Illinois

What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!

Group outing to visit the display of a project we are a finalist for

This summer, I have been conducting research across many projects, all within the realm of transportation in Chicago. My work has ranged from riding public transportation across the city and documenting the user experience, to mapping bus routes and county forest preserves, to more mundane activities like reading and watching materials/reports and writing a summary to provide to my supervisors. While working for a small, non-profit organization, it became apparent just how much creativity and adaptability is required, and I am grateful to have learned such skills so I can carry them with me as a transition into new positions in the future.

Why did you apply for this internship?

Transportation team photo after the conference Transport Chicago

Truthfully, I was applying for anything that came my way. Throughout the search process, it became glaringly obvious that LinkedIn was not going to be the pathway to finding a summer internship. I began reaching out to anyone I knew or looked up to, searching for opportunities for undergraduates to get hands-on experience in the urban planning world.


What is something you have learned from your internship that you didn’t expect?

I did not expect to make so many connections! Everyone is so friendly, and wants to help out the next generation of urban planners. I talked to people from all levels ranging from CEO’s to other research assistants like me. It was exciting to find that everyone just wants to talk about their shared passions and interests, no matter the title you hold. I hope that these connections can remain in my life, and help to grow my network as a leave Bryn Mawr in the spring.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced at your internship?

A guided walking tour of transit-oriented development (TOD) in the Chicago suburb of Mount Prospect

I have realized that sitting at a desk is not the ideal workplace environment for me. I had never had a desk job before, so I was excited to experience a more technical job. I quickly realized that being at desk did not feel fulfilling, and is hard on your body. I have always been an active person, working in environments where I am required to be on my feet, interacting with people all day. Although that can be exhausting, I find it far more rewarding.

Iris Wright ’29: Exploring the Local History of My Hometown

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Name: Iris Wright
Class Year: 2029
Intended Major: Linguistics

Internship Organization: Lakewood Historical Society
Internship Title: Generalist Intern
Location: Lakewood, Ohio

What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!

At the Lakewood Historical Society, one of my favorite things that I do is leading tours in our local house museum – The Oldest Stone House, built in 1834. I love getting to share fascinating bits of history with curious visitors. Our community is small enough that a lot of museum guests have family roots in early settlers of the area, so I often get to learn information from the visitors as well, which is always exciting.

Leading tours at the Oldest Stone House Museum always lead to interesting questions about the gravestones we have outside – they are from an old family cemetery and were moved to the site of the house

I also spend time helping with administrative tasks and organization, which is helpful to better understand what exactly goes on behind the scenes in a historical society. Many people will send in questions about local history which I get to research in the historical society’s archives. I love seeing how excited people are when they finally get their questions answered.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied for this internship because I was interested in having a better understanding of what working in a museum and a historical society is like. I also am interested in history, especially the local history of the Rust Belt and North East Ohio and am always interested in learning more.

What is something you have learned from your internship that you didn’t expect?

The inside of the house is set up how it would have looked in the 1830s-1850s, with almost entirely authentic artifacts found in other old houses in Lakewood. This is the parlor, where much entertainment was had

Growing up in the area, I learned a lot of local history in school and had attended summer camps and events led by the historical society as child. Because of this, I thought I already knew most of what there was to know about our town’s history. I was immediately proven wrong! There is always so much to learn. One of the tasks I had was sorting through all of the books in the library – a daunting, but exciting task for a book lover like me.

There were so many interesting books, including many autobiographies and memoirs from Lakewood residents, historical and current, with fascinating stories. I also learned so much from giving tours from community members and other docents, about local history and other things they were interested in.


What is most rewarding about your internship?

I did a lot of research into Lakewood’s Plank Road, which was a toll road. Here is a picture from our archives of the old toll house, which is now a regular family home in Lakewood

The most rewarding part of my internship has been being able to see the community engage with local history. I got to help out at the historical society’s summer camp, which introduces kids to local history through hands on experiences. It was so fun to see what parts of history brought out the kids’ interest and curiosity. They would ask questions I had never even thought about and bring a whole new viewpoint to the history I have become so familiar with throughout the summer. Outside of that experience, it was also rewarding to get to see other community members gain interest in history as well. The historical society does a century home program, and seeing people so excited to see their houses turn 100 this year was so amazing!

My Summer at The Photo Review: Exploring all Angles by Ella Sokulski ‘27

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Name: Ella Sokulski
Class Year: 2027
Majors: Classical Culture and Society, Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology Minors: Fine Arts, Museum Studies

Internship Organization: The Photo Review
Internship Title: Intern
Location: Langhorne, PA

What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!

I started this internship by getting to know the office in Langhorne, and generally exploring the area. I had never really explored that suburb of Philly. I worked on adding new records to the data base at Photo Review, we had just received many photos and I worked to scan and add them into our collection. The Photo Review also has a publication where there is a large listing of all the upcoming photography shows throughout the US. I have been working to prepare for the Sep-Oct edition by updating and finding now shows that are going to be opening in museums and galleries.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I took Intro to Dark Room Photography last semester as Haverford and I really enjoyed my experience, I have continued shooting on my film camera. I asked my professor if he knew of any art related internships for the summer and he pointed me in this direction.

Working remotely for the first time? What has that experience been like for you?

This is my first time working heavily remotely, there are definitely many positives and negatives! I really enjoy being able to choose where I work, I have been able to explore cool cafes around Philly. I also enjoy being able to have the flexibility to travel, especially in the summer. I find that sometimes it is harder to get my questions answered, it is different not to have your boss so readily available. I have had many in-person working and intern experiences so this is definitely expanding my horizons when it comes to work environments and I think it will be super helpful for when I am applying to jobs in the feature, I will know what I like.

Was this internship what you expected it to be?

To be quite honest I was not to sure what this internship was going to be like. It was suggested to me by a professor that I really like so I had high hopes. On the website there was a long list of things the internship could include but I was not too sure what I was actually going to be doing. I was just excited to be working on something creative. It has been a very fun experience so far, I have expanded my skills for how to use databases, which through my many internships I can say with full confidence is one of the most important parts of a functional creative space. I have also been very happy to help with the publication. This is something I had not done before, I have little experience with any sort of magazine and the work that comes with one. Overall, I am happy with the way this internship has been going.

Jadyn Anderson ’28 Interns at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts

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Name: Jadyn Anderson
Class Year: 2028
Major:  History of Art
Minor: Museum Studies

Internship Organization: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts
Internship Title: Research Intern
Location: Omaha, NE

What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!

This summer, I’ve been digging through Bemis’ physical archives of exhibition catalogues, interorganizational communications, artist records, and more. While I create an inventory of our archive, I’m searching for information about the history of Bemis, such as interesting exhibits, community outreach initiatives, and notable individuals that the gallery has worked with. One of my favorite artists, Hiroshi Sugito, was a Bemis artist in residence in 1996, and I was so excited to find an interesting quote from him in the archive. The gallery’s curator, Rachel Adams, is planning to use the information I find for upcoming projects in celebration of Bemis’ 50th anniversary.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I’ve helped out at Open House Open Studios, an event where our artist-in-residence (AIR) studios are open to the public. Two of this summer’s AIRs have been working on tangible models of botanical drawings.

I was an intern at Bemis last summer where I primarily organized digital records. Though the work I did was in communications rather than with art directly, the gallery environment I was in confirmed my love for, passion for, and desire to work in art spaces. I was thrilled to be accepted back this summer for a museological research role where I could explore my interest in how art spaces influence and interact with their communities.

What is something you have learned from your internship that you didn’t expect?

In my field, I’m interested in the ineffable and ephemeral, what cannot be archived, and rethinking the constraining effects of hypercategorization in museum spaces. I wasn’t sure what task Bemis would assign me this summer, but I certainly wasn’t expecting my role to be so intertwined with these interests. Working with Bemis’ archive has helped me confront the grey area between a demand for systematization and what I consider a necessary shift away from methodologizing art history.

What is most rewarding about your internship?

As I’ve pored over decades of faxes between Bemis and other art spaces, I’ve gathered so much insight about how exhibitions come to be. I’m pursuing a career in curation, and the amount of coordination and collaboration required to put on a show can feel daunting, but I understand the process better now that I’ve seen the behind-the-scenes operations and what timelines tend to look like. I look forward to bringing this insight to my museological studies and future career.

Akosua Boatemaa Sarpong ’27: A Dizzy Summer

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Name: Akosua Boatemaa Sarpong
Class Year: 2027
Major: Chemistry

Internship Organization: Bryn Mawr College Summer Social Science Research
Internship Title: Undergraduate Research Assistant
Location: Bryn Mawr, PA

What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!

This summer, I conducted an extensive literature review on dizziness, vertigo, vestibular migraine, and post-viral syndromes through a historical, medical, and social science lens. I searched databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Zotero to identify research gaps and synthesize evidence. I contributed to the development of a dizziness syllabus by researching topics such as the history of dizziness, diagnostic classifications, gender bias in diagnosis, patient experiences, medically unexplained symptoms, and the societal impacts of chronic illness.

I also designed semi-structured interview guides and survey questions to better understand patients’ experiences with dizziness and post-viral conditions. Throughout the summer, I critically evaluated the existing literature, traced historical terminology and disease classifications, identified areas where evidence was lacking, and explored how cultural and social perspectives influence the understanding and treatment of vestibular disorders.

Why did you apply for this internship?
I applied for this internship because I worked on it last summer and I was genuinely interested in continuing this internship further. I’m specifically interested in this research because it’s an opportunity to speak up for people who have lived with contested illnesses in a society that doesn’t bat an eye towards their illness.

What has been your favorite part of this internship?

My favorite part of this internship has been finding answers to questions that was seemingly impossible to find. I enjoyed the struggle and the reward of finding useful information.

Can you give us three adjectives and three nouns that describe your internship experience?

I was curious because I was constantly asking questions and exploring new areas of research, even when there wasn’t much literature available.

I was persistent because many of my searches came up empty or required tracing citations and trying different approaches before finding useful information.

I became more analytical as I learned to critically evaluate the literature, identify research gaps, and connect ideas across medicine, history, and anthropology.

Research – I spent most of my internship conducting literature reviews, searching databases, and synthesizing evidence.

Discovery – I enjoyed uncovering historical perspectives, new terminology, and interdisciplinary connections that I hadn’t encountered before.

Growth – I developed stronger skills in literature searching, critical thinking, and designing interview and survey questions

Noa Kaufman-Nichols ’29: Laɣim Tehi Tuma and Tityga Schools

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Name: Noa Kaufman-Nichols
Class Year: 2029

Internship Organization: Laɣim Tehi Tuma and Tityga Schools
Internship Title: Tityga Fellow
Location: Dalun, Ghana

What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!

This summer I have had the opportunity to participate in Laɣim Tehi Tuma (LTT). Laɣim Tehi Tuma, meaning ‘Thinking Together’ in Dagbani, is a community-powered, co-created, inquiry and learning fellowship program that is done in collaboration with Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College, Lincoln University, The University for Development Studies and local leaders and organizations in the community of Dalun, Ghana. In my time with LTT I have been able to learn through having an internship in a pre-school in Dalun, lectures and discussions with faculty, students, and leaders, and through creating an inquiry project.

In my work with the local preschool Tityga I was able to learn many teaching skills, working in the classrooms alongside the wonderful teachers at the school. I also was able to collaborate with the school leadership to create digital materials and build an online presence for the school. In our discussions and research I have learned much about Pan-Africanism, diasporic-studies, the Ubuntu philosophy, educational studies, and feminism. The program not only offered traditional educational experiences but weekend trips and unstructured discussion that lead to deep learning and growth. The ability of the program to enrich the mind and spirit was one of a kind.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied for this internship because of my interest in education and cross-cultural connection. I was very interested to see how thinking together can help shape how we teach and the systems that impact it.

What has been your favorite part of this internship?

My favorite part of this internship has been the people I have met. Both the connections with my peers from the other institutions and the amazing mentors, faculty, and leaders that support the work of the program. I have truly created life long friendships and relationships!

Can you talk about the skills you are learning and why they are important to you?

I have learned many skills in teaching through a child-led focused pedagogy. I learned about different ways to teach math and phonics in a hands-on, accessible way. These new skills are important to me as I plan to become a teacher after graduating and hope to connect and teach my students in the most impactful way possible. I am beyond grateful for this summer as it has allowed me to learn from some of the most invested and caring teachers I have ever met.

Learning Together: My Internship at an Education Non-profit by Dalia Ibrahim ‘27

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Name: Dalia Ibrahim
Class Year: 2027
Major: Growth and Structure of Cities
Minor: Data Science

Internship Organization: CollegeTogether
Internship Title: Student Analytics & Support Intern
Location:  Philadelphia, PA

What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!

I am currently interning at CollegeTogether, a non-profit organization committed to providing affordable education by offering degree programs that cost less than the Pell Grant. Our organization operates as a mentorship program in partnership with Southern New Hampshire University, which enables participating students to earn their Associate’s and/or Bachelor’s degrees through the completion of over 50+ projects at their own pace (or an average of 1-3 years), serving as an alternative to traditional college coursework. Upon successful completion of the program, students are awarded their degrees directly from SNHU, a well-regarded online university with national and international recognition.

Picture of the office

In my role, I collaborate closely with the Head of Academics on various projects such as consolidating and cleaning student records data sheets, analyzing trends, and compiling relevant data. I also assist in using education-focused CRM software accredited by universities to improve data management and streamline communication processes related to student records. Additionally, I develop project trackers for each degree pathway and potential career options associated with those degrees. My responsibilities also include assisting with website building, preparing student content for newsletters, and supporting basic office organizational tasks and operational functions

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied for this internship to diversify my professional experience beyond my previous roles in working for government and historical preservation. While I am currently working for a non-profit organization, I want to broaden my professional experience as a Cities major; I previously pursued internships in government or urban planning. Additionally, I wanted to gain firsthand experience working in an urban environment for local Philadelphia communities understand post-graduate life in a city setting. Finally, I was eager to learn more about the operations of an education startup dedicated to supporting lower-income communities in Philadelphia.

Was there anything special about how you found this internship?

I learned about my internship through a friend’s connection. Isabelle Gershon ’29, who heard about the opportunity through one of her courses and shared it with me. The founder of the organization, Oscar Kirschwang, is a Haverford alum who previously gave a guest lecture in one of my friend’s education classes, during which she obtained his contact information. She mentioned this to me, provided his contact details, and I reached out via email to inquire about available positions. Typically, Oscar collaborates with the Haverford Center for Peace and Global Justice, but since the position was still vacant and the funding deadline for Haverford students passed when I applied, I was able to secure funding through my Bryn Mawr internship program.

What is something you have learned from your internship that you didn’t expect?

During my internship, I gained valuable insights into the internal operations and planning processes of a non-profit organization, including the historical context and expectations that contributed to the development of CollegeTogether. Additionally, working with a start-up CRM software provided a new perspective on how a mentorship and education-focused non-profit functions. I also learned a great deal from my colleagues, such as my supervisor, Sanya, and the most recent hire, Leslie. Both are recent graduates (within the past two years) who completed their college education through the CollegeTogether program and successfully presented their job ideas to the founder, Oscar. Their experiences demonstrate that taking initiative and advocating for oneself can lead to unique opportunities and the creation of roles aligned with one’s passions. It never hurts to ask and put yourself out there.

Paula Ferreira ’27 Conducts Economics Research through Social Sciences & Humanities Research Program

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Name: Paula Ferreira
Class Year: 2027
Major: Economics

Internship Organization: Social Sciences & Humanities Research Program at BMC
Internship Title: Economics Research Assistant
Location:  Remote

What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!

This summer I worked as a research assistant for Professor Minuk Kim in the Economics Department at Bryn Mawr. Our project looks at how US tariffs affected American consumers’ purchasing behavior across different counties. My work has been a mix of things. A big part of it was data gathering and cleaning such as pulling employment data from the BLS, agricultural sales data from USDA’s NASS database, farm income data from the BEA, and tariff schedules from trade policy databases, then getting everything into a format that could actually be analyzed together at the county level.

I also replicated tariff exposure measures from existing papers on the topic, which meant digging into other researchers’ code and methodology to understand exactly how they constructed their variables and whether their approaches fit our question. Most recently, I helped build and compare different ways of measuring how exposed each county was to tariff shocks and ran regressions to see whether more exposed counties showed different income trends after tariffs hit.

Why did you apply for this internship?

This summer I wanted to do something different and more intellectually challenging than what I had done before, and the further I got into my econ major, the more I realized research was something I genuinely enjoyed. During my spring semester, I took International Trade with Professor Kim so when I found out that his summer research project was focused on tariffs specifically, it felt like a great opportunity to go deeper into something I was already curious about.

What has been your favorite part of this internship?

My favorite part has been feeling genuinely challenged and engaged. Working through large datasets and picking up new coding skills pushed me more than I expected, and seeing what the patterns in the data were actually telling us about a real world problem made it all feel worth it

Working remotely for the first time? What has that experience been like for you?

This was my first remote internship and honestly it worked really well for me. My past experiences had very structured office days that weren’t always the most productive, so having the flexibility to work on my own schedule this summer was an amazing change. I learned pretty quickly how to manage my time and stay on track with deadlines without someone looking over my shoulder, which felt like a useful skill to build. Being remote also meant I could spend the summer in Chicago, which made the whole experience a lot more enjoyable. I could run my code, draft a memo, and then head out to explore the city or spend time with friends and family. It was a really nice balance.

Hannah Bruggeman-Ton ’27 Spends Summer Interning with American College of Physicians

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Name: Hannah Bruggeman-Ton
Class Year: 2027
Major: Economics

Internship Organization: American College of Physicians
Internship Title: Ryan Mire, MD Summer Internship Program
Location: Washington, D.C.

What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!

For my internship at the American College of Physicians, I worked in their regulatory affairs department. Outside of a project for the regulatory affairs department, I attend site visits and webinars with the other interns in the Ryan Mire, MD Summer Internship Program. I have gone to Philadelphia via Amtrak to visit the American College of Physicians’ headquarters as well as learn about a variety of careers in healthcare.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied for this internship as an opportunity to gain professional skills and apply my knowledge outside an academic context. Additionally, I was drawn to the American College of Physicians’ focus on health equity and access to care. My study of economics at Bryn Mawr has made clear the impact a population’s health has on the growth and strength of a nation’s economy the necessity of health equity.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced at your internship?

The biggest challenge with this internship was the travel. Usually once a week, the other D.C. office based intern and I would take Amtrak to meet the Philadelphia based interns at various locations in and around Philadelphia. While the Amtrak ride from D.C. to Philadelphia is very familiar to me as a D.C. area based Bryn Mawr student, riding there and back in a single day was something of a game of chicken trying to balance Amtrak delays around work hours. Beyond one day where our train ended up three hours delayed, we never ended up canceling the trips up and overall it taught me to be more flexible with plans and to be prepared for anything with a book (no better way to kill two hours in William H. Gray III 30th Street Station).

What has been your favorite part of this internship?

My favorite part of the summer internship was winning a trivia night event hosted by a Congresswoman Maxine Dexter. I attended the event alongside members of the American College of Physicians’ legislative affairs team and the other D.C. office-based intern. While going to the event was an extension of the American College Physicians’ lobbying efforts, it did not feel like work at all and we happily bantered with the other trivia teams lead by the Congresswoman herself and another medical society over correct trivia answers. Not only that but between all the fun we were able to bring home the first place trophy.

Ariya Bandy ‘27 Crafts Character Arcs for a Magical Game World

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Name: Ariya Bandy
Class Year: 2027
Major: Philosophy

Internship Organization: Icarus Alpha Inc.
Internship Title: Game Writer
Location: Remote

What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!

This summer, I am a game writing intern on a 3D game in development at Icarus Alpha Inc. These past few months, I have been constructing character profiles, including backstories, personalities, and relationships for the main characters of the project, weaving these elements with existing and expanding worldbuilding. In collaboration with other writers as well as members of other teams, we are making sure the narrative aspects of the game seamlessly integrate with the art and level design.

Why did you apply for this internship?

Prior to applying to this position, I had been writing and publishing my own creative writing, and in the summer of 2025, I made and released my first interactive fiction game. While I fully intend to continue to pursue personal creative projects, through working behind the scenes at Querencia Press and khōréō magazine, I learned that I really have a passion for working in teams on projects that are larger than the sum of their parts. I found what some people at Icarus had been working on and, upon further investigation, discovered that their goals of bringing creatives from around the world together to create innovative and meaningful experiences were highly aligned with my own. Frankly, I wasn’t expecting to hear back when I first applied, but I am incredibly grateful that I did!

Can you talk about the skills you are learning and why they are important to you?

I’d have to say that my favorite part of this internship has been getting the opportunity to work with so many other talented and intelligent people. Writing can sometimes be a fairly isolating act, so it has been incredibly refreshing to get to bounce ideas off of other writers and gain new perspectives from people who may have more experience writing for games than I do. Collaborating with members of other departments has introduced an entirely new dimension to how I think about creative projects. I am not required to attend meetings of other departments, but I always love to join because I gain a much better understanding of what all goes into making a game and what all I need to consider in writing for one. It is so inspiring to witness the processes of creatives in different mediums, and I will take what I have learned from them into future endeavors.

What is most rewarding about your internship?

The fact that my work has a direct impact on the work that others do and the creative direction of the game is definitely the most rewarding aspect of my internship. At first, I was terrified. My first task was to develop the player character of the game. I was so afraid of suggesting something that wasn’t in line with the existing vision, and it took time for me to not fear my own voice, but as I have gotten to know my peers and project leads and they have gotten to know me this summer, it has become much easier to share my perspective. Seeing how my ideas shape this larger project reminded me of why I do this. It turns out there was nothing to be scared of.