Through various internship opportunities, our students contribute to impactful work and build invaluable skills. Here are some highlights from their experiences over the summer.
Jasmine Akoba
- Jasmine's Time with the UNDP Gender Equality Seal Team
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Jasmine interned virtually with the United Nations Development Programme Gender Equality Seal Team in Madrid in the summer of 2026.
Reflecting on her experience, Jasmine shares:
“During my internship with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), I had the opportunity to contribute to the Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions by analyzing assessment data for nearly 50 public institutions across multiple countries that have participated in the program. I developed analytical reports, synthesized cross-country findings, and designed knowledge products that translate complex assessment data into practical guidance for public institutions seeking to strengthen gender equality. This experience strengthened my quantitative data analysis and policy communication skills while giving me valuable insight into how data can inform institutional reform and public policy. I am grateful to UNDP and the Ford Institute for Human Security for this incredibly rewarding experience.”
Matthew Hickey
- Matt's Time with the UNDP Gender and Development Team
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Matt interned with the United Nations Development Programme Regional Hub for Europe and Central Asia in Istanbul, Türkiye in the summer of 2026.
Reflecting on his experience, Matt shares:
“It was a privilege to be able to support the Gender and Development team at the Istanbul Regional Hub. In this role, I gathered the latest data on women in government and public administration across 19 countries in Europe and Central Asia. This work contributed to the Equal Future Platform, a digital hub for regional knowledge on participation and leadership in politics and public administration. This provides essential data, analysis, good practices, and resources to inform researchers, policymakers, and the public on gender equality and women’s representation.
Outside of the office, I explored Istanbul and Bursa and volunteered at the Global Zero Waste Forum for UN Türkiye, for which I received a Letter of Appreciation from Babatunde Ahonsi, the Resident Coordinator of UN Türkiye.”
Eleanor Yale
- Eleanor's Time with the UNDP Gender Equality Seal Team
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Eleanor interned virtually with the United Nations Development Programme Gender Equality Seal Team in Madrid in the summer of 2026.
Reflecting on her experience, Eleanor shares:
“During my time as a research intern for the UNDP Gender Equality Seal Team... I aided in the creation of training materials for initiating gender equality initiatives within public administration entities. I created PowerPoint presentations and facilitation guidelines for activity-based learning for professionals to carry forward into international ministries. These frameworks will improve gender equality outcomes within the ministries. I have enjoyed learning more about what the UNDP Gender Equality Seal Team does and to contribute to their meaningful work while simultaneously fine-tuning and improving my research and writing skills.”
Megan Debski at UNDP Instanbul Regional Hub
- Megan's Time in Istanbul
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Megan interned with the United Nations Development Programme regional hub in Istanbul, Türkiye in the summer of 2024.
Reflecting on her experience, Megan shares:
“During my time as a research intern for UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub office, I provided support for the 2024 update of the Equal Future platform. The platform is a hub for knowledge on women’s participation and leadership in politics and public administration for the 19 countries in the Europe and Central Asia region, featuring data, analysis, good practices, resources, and inspirational stories of women leaders throughout the region, featuring data, analysis, good practices, resources, and inspirational stories of women leaders throughout the region. It aims to provide knowledge and resources for women leaders, researchers, activists, etc., to advance women’s representation and equality.”
Amanda Zaner as an Extern with the Center for Democracy & Technology
- Amanda's Time with CDT
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Amanda worked as a remote intern over the summer for the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), a DC-based nonprofit organization focused on digital civil rights and liberties. She worked with CDT's Research Team, conducting joint research on online violence against politicians before the 2024 US elections, and supporting the team's other projects.
Here is Amanda's insight on her time:
"I am really grateful for my time with CDT's Research Team. Even working remotely, they created such a welcoming environment that allowed me to connect and learn from everyone. I had the opportunity to take the lead on data collection and organization for the Ford Institute's partnered research, but also had the chance to support the team by reviewing other projects. From Monday morning memes to mini reading circle shares, little experiences made my work joyful. I love to stay updated on what CDT does, as the organization contributes to so many relevant values for human rights!"
Natty Good at UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub
- Natty's Time in Bangkok
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Natty returned as an Intern with the United Nations Development Programme in Bangkok, Thailand this past summer.
Natty shares her thoughts on rejoining the UNDP team:
"I was most excited to reconnect with and learn from the UNDP Gender Team, and delve deeper into their work in the Aisa Pacific Region. I learned about the STEM4ALL platform by the UNDP and UNICEF. As a returning intern, I was also happy to see some of my work from last year. I hope that the resources I've gathered will be useful to current and aspiring STEMinists."
For a deeper look into our student internship experiences, visit us on LinkedIn!