Month: September 2025

Honors Summer Internship Fellow: Isaac

Author: Isaac Muir, senior

This past summer, being an Honors Summer Intern Fellow afforded me the privilege of interning for Theatre Y, a performing arts center in the Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago’s West Side that is committed to the geographically equitable allocation of the arts economy in Chicago, and the practice of theatre as a liberatory tool of artistic expression. A key dimension of Theatre Y is its partnership with The Inside Ensemble, a group of men serving natural life sentences with whom Theatre Y goes into prisons to work with on arts campaigns. These campaigns consisting of theatre exercises, writing workshops, and plays are in the name of reparative justice for the incarcerated and innovation in the fight for social justice. 

Theatre Y’s working relationship with The Inside Ensemble is in graceful tandem with the Honors ethos of putting writing, oration and academic instruction to the end of a social justice impact. During my internship, I was tasked with working on a collaborative publishing project with Selva Oscura, a micro press also based in Chicago. This project entailed curating an anthology of poetry, plays, short stories and memoir pieces by a collective of incarcerated men dubbed “The Inside Ensemble”. I was able to get the unique experience of being at the helm of the project, and thus having creative control in the process of making the manuscript.  This involved an intense immersion in Theatre Y’s physical and digital archives in the way of sifting through hundreds of pages of writing and taking copious notes, listening to recordings of theatre exercises and poetry, and viewing short films made about the Inside Ensemble. 

A central focus in my work was to make visible the lived experiences, creative capacities and intellectual worlds of The Inside Ensemble, as well as create a work which others who are interested in restorative justice, prison abolition, and art by incarcerated people can draw from. In order to carry this out I was supervised by Theatre Y’s director, Melissa Loraine, who transmitted the parameters given by the press. I was also directed on the project by a member of the press, MacArthur Genius Grant recipient, Fred Moten.  

The way in which this opportunity contributed to my personal and academic edification as well as the conception of my career and post-graduate plans cannot be overstated, and yet while this experience was rigorous and thought provoking, the work did not have the infrastructure of financial abundance that other internships do. This is why the Honors grant, which allowed my summer work to function as a paid internship was essential. Because of Honors, I was able to take part in an opportunity that moved my career ahead by opening up powerful networks in the work I am interested in while strengthening my commitment to the values I form connections around. 

Preliminary draft of the cover of Notes From the Inside from the most recent manuscript

Honors Summer Internship Fellow: Andres

Author: Andres Caballero, senior

This summer, I had the privilege of interning at Jonas Bronck Academy (JBA) in the Bronx through the support of the Fordham Honors Program and the nonprofit Friends of JBA (FOJBA). FOJBA’s mission is to support the academic and social-emotional development of JBA scholars, and my work was aimed at strengthening that mission while laying foundations that can last beyond my time at Fordham.

A central focus of my internship was creating a well-being intervention for incoming 6th- and 9th-grade students during summer orientation. Over four weeks, we introduced daily practices of mindfulness, loving-kindness, and gratitude, led by teachers using guided scripts I developed. Early feedback was encouraging, and the next steps involve refining the program and exploring ways for teachers, counselors, and social workers to adapt it into their ongoing work with students.

In addition, I helped design several initiatives that are set to launch in the coming year. These include a Spanish-language wellness series for JBA parents (to be facilitated by my mother), a weekly newsletter for families to improve communication, and a new partnership with the local nonprofit POTS (Part of the Solution). With POTS, we’re planning a YEP volunteer day this fall and developing flyers and presentations to connect families with services such as meals, legal assistance, and employment support.

I also worked on expanding the Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) by building a partnership with Fordham’s Psychology Club. Their involvement will help with mentor recruitment, event planning, and even potential funding—strengthening YEP’s ability to support students long-term.

This experience has affirmed my passion for working in schools to improve student well-being. The Honors Program’s support allowed me to combine intellectual inquiry with community engagement, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute to JBA in ways that I hope will last well beyond my time there.

Honors Summer Internship Fellow: Isabella

Author: Isabella Alcantara, junior

This summer, I had the privilege of interning with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a global nonprofit dedicated to supporting refugees and immigrants through resettlement and essential services such as education, legal aid, medical care, and social support. Within the IRC’s Youth Education department, I worked as both an Administrative Intern and a Youth Peer Mentor for the Newcomer Youth Summer Academy (NYSA), a program designed to help refugee and immigrant youth transition academically, socially, and emotionally into the NYC public school system.

In my administrative role, I developed logistical and management skills essential to running a summer program for vulnerable communities. Before the program, I assisted with curriculum evaluation to ensure teachers created trauma-informed classrooms that accounted for cultural diversity and varying English proficiency. Afterward, I analyzed student progress data to assess growth across the summer.

As a Peer Mentor, I had the unique opportunity to directly support and guide youth from diverse cultural, linguistic, and migration backgrounds. I connected with students in ways I never anticipated—whether by speaking with Spanish-speaking students in their native tongue to ease loneliness, or by creating safe spaces that met students where they were. These moments showed me how layered and diverse migrant youths’ experiences and emotions truly are.

Through this work, I came to appreciate the vital role organizations like the IRC play in fostering community, offering protection, and encouraging youth to set goals they can carry forward. Refugee and immigrant youth face barriers beyond academics—language, trauma, and cultural adjustment are daily challenges. With nearly a one-to-one ratio of youth to volunteer mentors, NYSA provided holistic individualized care most students would not otherwise experience in public schools. Being part of this intentional model deepened my commitment to showing up for each student and made the connections I built some of the most rewarding experiences of the summer.

Professionally, this internship deepened my understanding of the challenges nonprofits face, revealing how even the most well-intentioned programs are often limited by funding and resources when serving marginalized communities. At the same time, it reaffirmed my passion for nonprofit and humanitarian work and strengthened my sense of purpose moving forward. As I write this, I plan to continue my journey at Fordham through pursuing an Accelerated Master’s in the Humanitarian Studies program—an opportunity that feels all the more meaningful because of this experience. I am truly grateful to the Honors Program for supporting me in such impactful and rewarding work!



Honors Summer Internship Fellow: Hannah

Author: Hannah Valencia, senior

This summer, I worked at Part of the Solution (POTS), a Bronx-based nonprofit dedicated to advancing the stability of its clients through a comprehensive range of services that address both immediate needs and long-term challenges. During my internship with the Director of External Relations and Communications, I applied the social justice lens cultivated in the FCRH Honors Program to real-world contexts. Indeed, POTS embraces a deeply human-centered approach, embedding its commitment to community-building into each facet of its operations. 

This ethos emerged most clearly during my client interviews, each contributing to the creation of a testimonial database. I was afforded a unique perspective on the lived experience of clients, including a man who sought refuge at POTS after fleeing political persecution in his home country. His recollection was vivid; he not only recounted the moment he first encountered the organization but also spoke with deep reverence about the first staff member he met, referring to him as a brother. Years later, their bond endures, a testament to the meaningful relationships POTS nurtures—relationships rooted in dignity, trust, and care that outlast the immediate provision of support. 

Furthermore, beyond client engagement, I also contributed to the organization’s broader communications strategy. Most notably, I have been closely involved in the development of POTS’ upcoming Giving Tuesday campaign, participating in every stage of both the behind-the-scenes and public-facing processes. From conducting interviews with clients, donors, and volunteers to editing final video content for social media, I have worked to ensure that every narrative faithfully reflects the values, voices, and lived experiences that comprise the POTS community. 

Ultimately, I hope to pursue a career in a communications-related field, such as marketing or public relations, and this internship has provided me with a strong foundation for that path. Indeed, under my manager’s guidance, I have cultivated a versatile skill set through diverse responsibilities across internal communications, social media, and public relations. Whether drafting board bulletins, monitoring engagement metrics across social media platforms, or writing press releases for key events, each task has provided meaningful, hands-on experience aligned with my long-term professional goals. 

Honors Summer Internship Fellow: Frankie

Author: Frankie Stella, junior

This summer, I was a legal intern for the Community Law Project at Sanctuary for Families. Sanctuary for Families is a non-profit organization that helps survivors of gender-based violence, which includes domestic violence, sex trafficking, and other forms of abuse. Sanctuary for Families is a large organization that provides legal services, clinical services, economic empowerment, housing, and more. The mission of providing help at no cost to survivors is essential to every aspect of work at Sanctuary.

As a part of the Legal Department, I got to work one-on-one with our clients and gain hands-on experience with legal writing and trial preparation. The Community Law Project focused on every single aspect of family law, rather than one specific focus. This internship threw me into the deep end immediately, having me sit in on calls and draft petitions. Family Offense Petitions and Custody Petitions had become second-nature to me by week two, as I had drafted many that were eventually filed in court. Throughout the summer, I was able to work on affidavits of many kinds, as well as uncontested divorce proceedings and motions for different types of service. These writing assignments allowed me to have a greater understanding of family law, legal terminology, precedent cases, and legal proceedings. 

Due to each attorney having one intern, I was able to work on the same group of clients over the whole course of the internship. That meant meeting them many times, attending court with them, and reaching out to work on petitions and gathering evidence. Working one-on-one with clients was the best part, as I got to know them and see their cases progress throughout the whole summer. Being able to provide some small amount of relief for them was extremely uplifting, especially during the moments when the content of our work would feel extremely heavy.

I am so grateful that, as only an undergrad, I have now already had extensive experience with legal writing, which affirms my desire to go to law school and work in Public Interest law.  Being able to work on cases that deal with immigration law, family law, LGBTQ+ law, housing law, and more has given me the inspiration to do this in the future. I am extremely grateful to Sanctuary for Families, specifically the Community Law Project, as well as the Fordham Honors Program, for making this experience possible.