News & Events

Aysha Akter spent the summer interning with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at its Physical Sciences Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, where she focused on earth observation, remote sensing, and next-generation technology.

One of the highlights of her internship was presenting her research at the 12th NOAA Educational Partnership Program (EPP) Biennial Education & Science Forum, hosted on CCNY's campus, where her work earned third place for Best Poster Presentation. 

“Presenting my research at the EPP Forum and discussing it with NOAA scientists, researchers, and fellow students was a highlight,” Aysha says. “I learned from experts, received valuable feedback, and strengthened my scientific thinking.”

Samantha Demander interned with the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), where she gained insight into the inner workings of a city agency while connecting with nonprofit organizations that support immigrant communities.

The experience allowed her to engage in hands-on outreach work, which ranged from canvassing and tabling to networking with community partners. 

“This office gave me a lot of responsibility and respected my time!” Samantha says. “I highly recommend MOIA to future interns.”

During her internship with the Office of Staten Island President, Nicole Foto helped lead and plan several community-based initiatives, including the 3rd Annual Staten Island Mental Health Symposium, the Healthy is Happy Block Party, and various community health fairs, while also taking part in statewide health conversations with the NYS OMH Commissioner and organizations such as the Child Mind Institute.

One of the most meaningful lessons Nicole took away from the experience was the importance of grounding public service in direct community engagement. 

There is no way to work for the public good without being boots on the ground and listening to your community. Someone who speaks about the community but never steps foot in the diverse locations of their community will never truly know what their community really needs.”

We’re excited to share that Nicole will have the opportunity to continue this work, as her internship has been extended!

Fatiath Ibraheem spent the summer interning with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health, supporting the pilot and launch of the Men Heal program and conducting research for an ongoing youth suicide prevention initiative.

For Fatiath, the experience was an opportunity to develop her professional skills, from collaborating across agencies to building confidence in networking and public engagement. 

Reflecting on her growth this summer, Fatiath shared, “My self-introduction got better, communication skills got better, confidence grew stronger... and I am confident in my ability to table for events and put guidelines and resources together.”

Salmatou Karamoko interned with NYC Health + Hospitals’ Center for Emergency Management and System-Wide Special Pathogens Program, supporting efforts to monitor and prepare for public health threats.

The internship gave her a firsthand look at emergency preparedness in practice. Salmatou sat in on meetings with emergency management professionals and visited hospitals to observe how healthcare workers prepare for public health emergencies. 

In her own words, “The most enjoyable part of the internship was how hands-on it was. I gained so much information by being brought to hospitals and seeing firsthand what materials and procedures are utilized by healthcare professionals to prepare for public health emergencies.”

Victoria Lu’s internship with Whose Knowledge, strengthened her ability to take ownership of independent projects, including self-initiated exploratory research across India and East Africa.

She was able to see her research translated into tangible outcomes. Victoria published Wikipedia articles on a prominent Kenyan activist and on memory work in Kenya, and helped facilitate a connection between a Kenyan archive and the WK LAMY team.  

“I completely self-initiated exploratory research in India and throughout East Africa,” shared Victoria. “I was able to not only make the initial contacts but also learn how to follow up and ensure that they were seen through once I was in the country.”

At New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI), Ishika Nawar conducted policy and legislative research across a range of issues, including accessible transit for people with disabilities, the impact of waste facilities on New York City communities, and analysis of the FY2027 City Council Budget.

One standout aspect of her internship was the program’s hands-on, well-organized structure, which gave Ishika opportunities to engage with public interest legal work in a variety of settings. Her experiences ranged from sitting in on a criminal trial at the Eastern District Court of New York to visiting the Met Museum’s 2026 Met Gala exhibit with fellow interns. 

Looking back on her experience, Ishika reflected on how fully interns were integrated into the program: “Interns were treated as a part of the workspace… we were invited to attend and contribute to monthly staff meetings, NYLPI’s annual board meeting, and even had the opportunity to collaborate with and pitch project ideas to teams aside from our own.”

Zakia Safsaf spent the summer as a Public Policy & International Affairs (PPIA) Fellow at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. There, she completed graduate-level coursework in microeconomics and statistics and presented a capstone project examining the effect of DACA status on workforce participation and economic mobility.

Some of her most memorable moments, however, happened outside the classroom. “The highlight of my time at U of M was probably the tour of the ‘Big House,’” Zakia shared, referring to Michigan’s iconic football stadium. 

Farhin Sarwar interned with the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, where she supported youth-focused initiatives including the Youth Ambassador Leadership program, which showcased young people’s creativity in combating hate.

The experience reshaped her understanding of the criminal justice system, deepening her interest in public service. “I did not know the extent of the damage it does to incarcerated individuals... It changed my whole view on prosecution and criminal defence. Starting out, I thought I wanted to be a prosecutor, now I’m leaning more towards criminal defence.”