At the start of the academic year, seven Wellesley College students began internships through the Class of 1967 Internship Program at the Wellesley Centers for Women. Throughout the 2025-2026 academic year, each student intern gained social science research experience under the mentorship of a WCW research scientist or project director. 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.
Chloe Guntrip
The Morse Fellowship
I work mostly with Dr. Maya Hernandez on the Media and Identity project. My work includes examining associations between parental political attitudes and beliefs about their child's social media use, analyzing the impacts of using social media as a coping mechanism for election-related distress, and educating youth about AI's relation to wellbeing.
This internship experience has fostered my research skills and has helped me discover my specific academic interests. I appreciate how the Youth, Media and Wellbeing Research Lab has encouraged and supported me to pursue projects that align with my interests, while also exposing me to new ideas and perspectives. I have become a better student and more interested in pursuing research post-Wellesley because of this experience!
Anika Gupta
The Class of 1967 Internship Fund
This academic year, I worked with Dr. Jennifer Grossman on a qualitative study of fathers’ and teens’ perceptions of an online program to support healthy father-teen communication about sex and relationships.
I have worked with Dr. Grossman and her team on this project since my first year at Wellesley, when I helped create an online program to support healthy father-teen communication about sex and relationships. It has been amazing to see this project grow and reach fathers and teens across the country. Through this internship, I have learned how to be a better communicator, researcher, and writer. I am extremely grateful to Dr. Grossman and her team and the Wellesley Centers for Women for this incredible opportunity.
Mariam Hassan
The Anne Murray Ladd Student Internship Fund
I am a WCW student intern currently working with Pashtana Durrani on research exploring how education can improve outcomes for women in conflict-affected regions, with a particular focus on Afghanistan.
My goal coming in was to connect academic research to real-world advocacy and policy work, and this internship has allowed me to do exactly that. I have had the chance to dig into the structural barriers women face in accessing education in conflict zones and to develop my skills in research, writing, and policy analysis along the way. The most valuable part of this experience has been seeing how closely this work ties to real lives and impact. Working alongside Pashtana has deepened my commitment to contributing to work that makes a tangible difference for women.
Soha Khan
The Class of 1967 Internship Fund
My internship focuses on researching girls’ education in conflict settings, particularly Afghanistan, and translating those insights into policy-relevant content and advocacy campaigns that amplify the work of Pashtana Durrani and her organization LEARN Afghanistan.
This experience has allowed me to connect academic research with real-world impact, especially by working at the intersection of education, gender, and global policy. Through developing literature reviews, media content, and advocacy materials, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of how education shapes long-term inequality in conflict regions. I also value the opportunity to contribute to meaningful work that not only raises awareness but actively supports alternative learning pathways for girls who are denied formal education. Moving forward, I hope to continue strengthening my ability to bridge research, storytelling, and policy to drive tangible change.
Cecilia Miller
The Class of 1967 Internship Fund
I worked with Dr. Linda Charmaraman and the Youth, Media & Wellbeing (YMW) Research Lab on a variety of projects. This included work on a human-animal interaction project that explores the role of pet dogs in the lives of adolescents with social anxiety and their families; various work on digital wellbeing workshops; and contributing to multiple writing projects focused on LGBTQ+ experiences, parenting, social media use, and mental health.
I hope to pursue graduate school in psychology in the future, and having had the opportunity to work in the YMW Lab has been incredibly valuable in helping me prepare for this. I have worked with Dr. Charmaraman since my sophomore year and have gained experience in every part of the research process, from helping to develop interview protocols, conducting interviews, analyzing data, presenting findings, and integrating research into practice. I'm infinitely grateful to Dr. Charmaraman, the YMW Lab, and the Class of '67 internship for providing me with this experience.
Noely Irineu Silva
Shirley R. Sherr Student Internship Fund
My internship with Dr. Wendy Wagner Robeson focuses on researching Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian practice, and examining its cultural significance in community building and identity formation in the United States.
Through this internship, I have found value in connecting academic research with lived cultural experience, especially by exploring how Capoeira serves as both a form of resistance and a space for community and belonging. As a Brazilian student, this work allows me to engage more deeply with my own cultural heritage while also analyzing its broader social and historical impacts. I developed skills in research and critical analysis, and I hope to continue strengthening these abilities through future experiences.
Mallika Sunder
The Linda Coyne Lloyd Student Research Internship
In my internship with Dr. Kate Price in the Justice and Gender-Based Violence Research Initiative, I research how different states treat survivors of human trafficking and how public awareness of human trafficking issues leads to the passage of laws that are more beneficial for survivors.
Through this internship, I have gained an understanding of juvenile justice law, the criminal justice system, and what lawyers can do to advocate for survivors of human trafficking in a meaningful and survivor-centered way. Because of this work, I have also been able to meet a variety of different legal practitioners, service providers, and researchers who have helped me learn more about the different ways people can change human trafficking laws, and who have helped me realize my professional goals. As an aspiring family lawyer myself, I am grateful to my advisor, Dr. Price, for immersing me in the world of human trafficking advocacy and for teaching me how to research and communicate my policy interests effectively.
Working at WCW is a unique opportunity for undergraduates to get firsthand experience with research and action that drives social change. Click here to learn about WCW’s available internship positions.
