The Gueron Scholars Program offers paid internships for undergraduates and master’s-level students and doctoral fellowships (with stipends) for students engaged in dissertation research. The program is designed to introduce students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the education and social policy research communities to MDRC.
All interns and fellows participate in the intellectual life of MDRC by attending seminars and project meetings, and have the opportunity to attend trainings to develop specific skills and knowledge areas. At the end of the eight-week program, interns and fellows also have an opportunity to give a presentation on their summer experience at MDRC.
About the Program
The Gueron Scholars Program was established in 2004 by MDRC and six founding partners, the Annie E. Casey, Rockefeller, Jerry Lee, Spencer, William T. Grant, and Grable Foundations, in honor of Judith Gueron, president of MDRC from 1987 to 2004.
A widely published, nationally recognized expert on employment and training, poverty, and family assistance, Gueron directed many of the largest federal and state evaluations ever undertaken of interventions for low-income adults, young people, and families and was a pioneer in developing research methods that have made it possible to base social programs on rigorous evidence of effectiveness. She has trained a generation of policy researchers and has always been committed to expanding opportunities for young professionals from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the education and social policy research communities.
The Gueron Scholars Program seeks to promote her enduring legacy in diversifying the field.
“The skills that I acquired during my doctoral fellowship have helped me become an expert in research design and multi-site formative, impact, and cost-effectiveness evaluations in housing and asset development programs.”
Delia Kimbrel, 2012 MDRC Doctoral Fellow
Internship Opportunities
The GSP Undergraduate Internship invites rising undergraduate seniors of diverse backgrounds to be part of multidisciplinary teams developing evaluation research on current social policy issues at our NYC office.
The GSP Operations Internship is open to master’s degree candidates who have work experience in a non-research field and who would like to be exposed to working in a research setting.
The GSP Doctoral Fellowship brings Ph.D. candidates pursuing independent, self-directed research on economic and social problems affecting low-income Americans to both our NYC and California offices.
In the Spotlight
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Stacey Fishler, 2022 Undergraduate InternStacey Fishler is a rising senior at Brooklyn College studying adolescent education with a concentration in English. Stacey is passionate about the education system and aspires to be a school psychologist. She recently interned at the National Coalition Against Censorship, where she helped the organization to build their Youth Censorship database. Stacey will be working on the Tools for Postsecondary Schools and Network for School Improvements projects this summer.
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Surina Goel, 2022 Undergraduate InternSurina Goel is a rising senior at Barnard College studying economics with significant coursework in urban studies. She is looking forward to learning more about qualitative research and research operations. Surina recently interned at a policy advocacy group called Americans for Financial Reform, has worked for Students for Justice, and is a student admissions representative on campus. Surina will be working on the Purpose-Built Communities and Building Evidence on Employment Strategies (BEES) projects this summer.
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Iman Khan, 2022 Undergraduate InternIman Khan, a native of Queens, NY, is a rising senior at Hunter College, where she majors in political science and public policy and minors in English. She has interned for Citizens Union, working on their ElectNYC Campaign, and the Minaret Foundation, where she advocated for the No Kids In Cuffs bill, which would prohibit the use of unnecessary restraints on children in schools. This summer she will be working on the Career Impact Bonds Project and the New Jersey Criminal Justice Reform Advancing Racial Equality (NJ ...
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Ximena Morales, 2022 Undergraduate InternXimena Morales is a rising senior at Harvard University studying government. Ximena recently interned at SKDKnickerbocker, a public affairs and political consulting firm, where she worked on a number of diversity, equity, and inclusion research and recruitment efforts. Ximena will be working on Scaling Up College Completion Efforts for Student Success (SUCCESS) and Los Angeles County Reentry Integrated Services Project (LA-CRISP).
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Hafsah Ansar, 2021 Undergraduate InternHafsah Ansar was a rising senior at Hunter College, where she majored in psychology and minored in sociology.
MDRC’s Commitment to Diversity
To advance our mission, we must recruit and retain staff that encompass a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives, ensure equity in our policies and practices, and build a culture of inclusion, in which all of our staff feel welcome and valued. Promoting these values at MDRC improves the quality and relevance of our research, as well as the daily experiences of our staff. Read the full statement