“Empathetic Understanding”: What Bowdoin's Funded Interns Take Away

This year's 188 funded interns (seven more than last year) are engaging in a rich variety of employment experiences—and they’re doing it all over the place.

Whether it’s teaching English in Thailand, doing international humanitarian work for an NGO in New York City, helping to combat human trafficking in Nepal, or—closer to home—helping to run an arts and performance space in Portland, Maine, funded interns are working across the country and around the world.

Students must first secure a full-time internship offer before applying for a funded internship grant through the Office of Career Exploration and Development (CXD). Each of the 2025 recipients earned grants of $6,000, with those on aid receiving an additional $1,000.

“The application process was highly competitive this year, and students put a lot of time and effort into creating or securing summer internships to apply for funding for,” said Meg Springer, CXD's senior career advisor/grants manager. “Obviously we wish we could have funded all of the applicants, but we are incredibly thrilled and grateful to have awarded so many. The applications were so inspiring and aspirational!”

From Maine to California, from Honolulu to Saipan, from Egypt to Australia, students are getting a taste of the working world, undergoing experiences that will help them figure out what kind of future they want to pursue after Bowdoin. 

Here’s a snapshot of what some of those summer interns are up to:

Amaya Reddy ’27

Majors: Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies and Government and Legal Studies
Organization: South Dakota Voices for Peace
Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota

What: “South Dakota Voices for Peace works with migrant communities to educate them of their constitutional rights, provide accurate immigration updates in both English and Spanish, and grants free legal services to unaccompanied minors. Personally, my responsibilities include tabling at local events, designing and translating informational posters, aiding in the production of our weekly bilingual news broadcast, and overseeing our canvassing operations.”

Why: “I chose this internship because it provided me with the opportunity to connect with my local migrant community and learn about their challenges. As a government major, this job has also opened my eyes to the way immigration policy affects real lives.”

Two words that sum up my experience: empathetic understanding.

Angel Del Valle Cardenas ’26

Majors, minor: Biology and Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies, Earth and Oceanographic Science 
Organization: GreenRoots
Location: Chelsea, Massachusetts

What: “GreenRoots is an environmental justice organization that is dedicated to enhancing the urban environment and public health in Chelsea and East Boston. My work is primarily focused on air quality data-sharing methods, data collection for the C-HEAT project addressing extreme heat exposure, and our tree-keeping program for improving our tree canopy. I’ve also been learning so much from the different program areas at GreenRoots such as climate justice, food justice, transit justice, and more.”

Why: “In the future, I would like to pursue a biology research career to inform public policy and conservation, as well as engage with communities and the environment through it. Most of my background has been in biology, and this internship allows me to explore the intersection between science and community engagement and directly contribute to impactful community work.”

Two words that sum up my experience: community and justice.

Brigit Len Tabuena ’27

Majors: Environmental Studies and Biology
Organization: Hardt Eye Clinic 
Location: Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

What: “At Hardt Eye Clinic, I am gaining practical skills in eye exams, using tools like phoropters, retinoscopes, and slit lamps, while deepening my knowledge of eye anatomy, diseases, and treatments. I also collect and analyze local HbA1c diabetes data to advocate for better awareness and access to diabetes and eye care, directly supporting the clinic’s mission to advance quality vision health and education in the CNMI.” 

Why: “Growing up in Saipan, I saw how the high diabetes rates, eye issues, and limited health care put a burden on families’ well-being. This inspired my dedication to optometry and my goal to expand local eye care and community health literacy. So I designed this internship with Hardt Eye Clinic through the CXD grant to provide HbA1c tests for patients and gather local diabetes data, while also gaining hands-on clinical skills and outreach experience to bring me one step closer to a future in optometry.”

Two words that sum up my experience: eye-opening and educational!

Claire Crawford ’27

Majors: Classics and Mathematics  
Organization: SPACE, an arts nonprofit
Location: Portland, Maine

What: “The building itself is home to a gallery, artist studios, and a music venue. SPACE also facilitates a handful of re-granting programs for artists. I am a music programming intern, which means I am focused on the music venue aspect. This summer I have been spending my time doing some writing for SPACE’s blog (mostly artist interviews), working on projects in their archives, working at concerts, helping with communications projects, and a whole lot of other little things to help keep the organization running!”

Why: “I am on the management team for Bowdoin’s student radio station, WBOR. Working in the music world by way of the radio station has been a whole lot of fun and sparked an interest in the music industry. I was connected with Peter McLaughlin ’10, the music and community programmer at SPACE, through WBOR, since he had been involved with the station. The internship at SPACE provides me with a next step in exploring the music world, as I am learning all about what it looks like to operate an independant music venue.”

Two words that sum up my experience: creative and inspiring.

Dudley Holdridge ’27

Major, minor: Psychology, Biology
Organization: MaineHealth Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Location: South Portland, Maine

What: “I work with a team of highly trained physical therapists, occupational therapists, and other health care professionals to deliver patient care and ensure their needs are met. As a student intern, I assist the therapists with treatment preparation and sanitation practices, support patients with the rehabilitation process, and deliver direct care using medical equipment. My experience also includes shadowing providers and learning about various injuries and recovery techniques during patient visits.”

Why: “I have always been passionate about health care, and my personal experiences in physical therapy led me to pursue a career in the field. One of the largest aspects of a successful recovery is the motivation and support that a patient receives, and this internship has given me the opportunity to bridge patient care and operational success. ”

Two words that sum up my experience: rehabilitation optimization!

Emmanuel Nwodo ’27

Majors: Biochemistry and Government and Legal Studies, Theater
Organization: PETAL Consortium
Location: Boston, Massachusetts

What: “The PETAL Consortium is a worldwide consortium that integrates machine learning and genomics to create personalized treatment plans for patients with relapsed/refractory T-cell lymphoma. In my role, I work on communications for the consortium, preparing content for social media and for the website to spread awareness about the research and T-cell lymphoma, an extremely rare disease. This includes highlighting papers published in various scientific journals, sharing information about team members, and eventually interviewing patients to share their stories of resilience and strength.”

Why: “I want to become a physician, and shadowing a dedicated doctor while engaging with patients has given me meaningful insight into the realities of the profession and has deepened my commitment to pursuing this path. Additionally, the experience of learning what a clinical trial involves will be helpful as I hope to become more involved in clinical research as I matriculate from Bowdoin before applying to medical school.”

Two words that sum up my experience: spreading awareness.

Fotis Zafiriou ’27

Major, minor: Government and Legal Studies, Mathematics 
Organization: Middlesex District Attorney's Office, Malden Superior Trial Team 
Location: Woburn, Massachusetts

What: “As a legal intern at the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, I perform discovery review, assist in trial preparation, create non-legal written products, and observe and assist in court proceedings. I also provide arguments for or against motions to suppress by reviewing calls, texts, and body camera footage, and I even had the chance to train in a simulated suppression hearing, acting as a key witness.”

Why: “I chose this internship because I want to be a lawyer in the future. This summer, I wanted to experience the law in action and not just from textbooks or Netflix series, but from inside a courtroom and behind the scenes of real cases. It’s given me a front-row seat to how evidence is built, challenged, and ultimately used to serve justice.”

Two words that sum up my experience: eye-opening. 

Izzy Tsuchitori ’26

Majors, minor: Environmental Studies and Computer Science, Earth and Oceanographic Science
Organization: Hawaii’s Coastal Zone Management Program
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

What: “Within the state of Hawaii’s Coastal Zone Management Program, I am helping with a refresh of the Ocean Resources Management Plan. My main project is in the wetlands focus area, where I have been researching definitions, regulations, and existing map layers, delineating historic wetlands in ArcGIS, and making a StoryMap of my findings. The long-term goal of this project is to create a statewide map of wetlands to inform permitting decisions that consider wetlands protections.”

Why: “As a computer science and environmental studies major, I’ve found GIS to be an ideal way to combine my passion for conservation with data analysis skills. I am excited to focus on a place that is meaningful to me, and because most of my experience has been with NGOs, it’s been insightful to see how things work at the state level.”

Two words that sum up my experience: resilience and planning!

Jackson Codd ’27

Majors: Computer Science and Physics
Organization: Duke University's Brain Tools Lab, which fuses engineering and neurosurgery. 
Location: Durham, North Carolina

What: “I apply reinforcement learning to train surgical robots in simulated tasks like cautery and precision tool manipulation. I work with LapGym, an open-source laparoscopic surgery simulator, and am building on its foundation by modifying the environment to model tissue cutting more realistically. I’m also improving the training setup to more effectively evaluate and compare how well different agents perform on high-precision surgical tasks.”

Why: “I wanted to explore how AI can directly improve real-world outcomes. This internship combines my interests in robotics and machine learning and gives me the chance to work on research with meaningful impact.”

Two words that sum up my experience: AI surgery.

Saruul-Erdene Jagdagdorj ’27

Majors, minor: Theater and Dance and Earth and Oceanographic Science, Asian Studies
Organization: Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL)
Location: Washington, DC

What: “CAPAL is a nonprofit committed to increasing access to public service opportunities, helping build leadership, and empowering the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. I work closely with other staff to coordinate and facilitate events for CAPAL, mostly through our weekly Washington Leadership Program (WLP) series. I am also revamping the website and assisting in our grant applications and research. Since federal funding has been allocated to other organizations for this summer, we’ve had to pivot a lot on where we source our funding and where we use our remaining resources.”

Why: “I wanted to connect to and uplift the AANHPI community during these times of political uncertainty. Through events like the WLP series, I have learned so much from speakers in how they’ve continued forging paths in their respective fields while leaning on our community. I have had such meaningful conversations, gaining an invaluable community and network that I look forward to giving back to in the future.”

Two words that sum up my experience: invigorating and empowering.

Shivani Schmulen ’26

Majors: Government and Legal Studies and Sociology
Organization: International Rescue Committee’s Signpost AI team
Location: New York, New York

What: “I help support digital tools that use AI to provide refugees and displaced communities with critical and accessible information. My role focuses on research, analytical writing, and assisting with AI-driven solutions to improve how people access critical resources.”

Why: “As a government major focused on international relations, I was drawn to the IRC’s mission of global humanitarian aid. I chose this role because I believe in the power of technology to help create real-world impact. Signpost is looking to incorporate AI into the humanitarian field by blending empathy with new tech solutions to best serve vulnerable communities.”

Two words that sum up my experience: forward-thinking and impactful.

Yahairy Colin ’26

Majors, minor: Education and History, Anthropology
Organization: 826LA
Location: Los Angeles, California

What: “826LA is an organization focused on supporting students in their creative writing endeavors by offering workshops, tutoring, and an array of programs. As a summer programs intern, I participate in community outreach, administrative tasks, and most importantly, supporting students with writing. From attending book releases from our own student publications to developing lesson plans for our programs, I have seen a multitude of inspiring students and peers!”

Why: “As an education-history major, I am passionate about reading and writing as it opens new pathways to transformative ideas. Additionally, the internship extends my knowledge of the intricacies of an educational nonprofit organization.”

Two words that sum up my experience: inspiring and innovative.

Zellie Lipman ’26

Major, minor: Biology and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
Organization: American Museum of Natural History
Location: New York, New York

What: “I conduct molecular research in the Goodheart Lab to characterize previously undescribed species of Western Australia nudibranchs, a kind of gastropod mollusc, using DNA barcoding. The process begins with extracting DNA from specimens, amplifying it with PCR [polymerase chain reaction], and then sending it out for sequencing. Once the sequences are back, I analyze the data to make inferences about the genetic and evolutionary relations between the species.”

Why: “This work supports ongoing efforts to document the diversity of marine invertebrates at a time when marine ecosystems are rapidly changing due to climate stressors. Understanding how species are related and where they occur is essential to protecting vulnerable ecosystems and populations. I prefer my work to have an element of conservation, and this internship allows me to develop molecular lab skills and contribute to relevant research.”

Two words that sum up my experience: incredible biodiversity!