The GSP Undergraduate Internship
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 eight-week internship provides the opportunity to work with MDRC teams on a range of organizational and analytical tasks, as well as participate in regular meetings to network and learn more about the context of MDRC’s policy work. Interns will also have the chance to attend trainings and talks to develop specific skills and knowledge areas.
Applications for the summer 2023 undergraduate internship are now closed.
Questions? Contact HRQ[email protected]
2023 Gueron Undergraduate Interns
 David Alvarracin
David Alvarracin, born and raised in Queens, is a rising senior at the University of Rochester, where he majors in financial economics. David is passionate about the intersections of economics and life outcomes with a special interest in supporting students in the public education system. He previously worked at Legal Outreach as a college access intern, where he tutored rising high school seniors for the SAT and provided them with insights to the college process. In the future, David would like to pursue a military career and earn a PhD in Education Policy. David is the recipient of the Gueron Scholars Program undergraduate internship named in honor of the late Rebecca Blank, former member of the MDRC Board of Directors. David will be working on projects in MDRC’s Postsecondary Education and Economic Mobility, Housing, and Communities policy areas. |
 Michael Guerrero
Michael Guerrero is a rising senior at New York University’s College of Arts and Science, where his academic pursuits encompass psychology, business studies, and Spanish. With a passion for research, Michael has gained experience in aiding dual-language learners in preschool settings and implementing motivational strategies to foster positive adolescent development. He has worked for America Reads, Proud to Be First, and the Social Perception Action and Motivation Lab. His keen interest in data analysis and behavioral research further highlights his dedication to understanding the workings of human behavior in the social policy field. Looking ahead, Michael envisions a future in public interest law, aspiring to pursue this path at NYU Law. Michael will be working on projects in MDRC’s Family Well-Being and Children’s Development policy area and Youth Development, Criminal Justice and Employment policy area. |
 Rachel Pena
Rachel Pena is a rising senior at Barnard College majoring in sociology and education. Rachel is passionate about pushing for systemic change through the creation of more equitable systems within our society, particularly in improving education policy that support schools in reflecting the needs of marginalized students. Before coming to MDRC, Rachel worked with other nonprofit organizations, such as Make the Road New York and College Access: Research and Action. In the future, Rachel would like to attend law school where she hopes to use her degree to help create and defend equitable policies. Rachel will be working on projects in MDRC’s Family Well-Being and Children’s Development policy area. |
 Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas is a rising senior at Pomona College, where he studies sociology and biology. Bryan recently interned in immigration law and wrote asylum applications for Afghan refugees. In 2021, he worked with the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City on its annual Inner City 100 Award. Bryan has a passion for conducting research and is interested in developing skills and exploring careers in research this summer. In the future, he hopes to explore his passion for the intersections of sociology and geography. Bryan will be working on projects in the Youth Development, Criminal Justice, and Employment and the Economic Mobility, Housing, and Communities policy areas. |
Previous Undergraduate Interns
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Internship Year:2022Stacey Fishler, 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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Internship Year:2022Surina Goel, 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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Internship Year:2022Iman Khan, 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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Internship Year:2022Ximena Morales, 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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Internship Year:2021Hafsah Ansar, Undergraduate InternHafsah Ansar was a rising senior at Hunter College, where she majored in psychology and minored in sociology.
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Internship Year:2021Liz Saiz, Undergraduate InternLiz Saiz, originally from Houston, was a rising senior at New York University when she interned at MDRC in 2021. Liz recently joined MDRC as a research assistant in our Economic Mobility, Housing, and Communities policy area.
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Internship Year:2021Kathryn Chatman, Undergraduate InternKathryn Chatman, a native of Detroit, was a rising senior at New York University where she studied applied psychology.
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Internship Year:2020Francis Estrada, Undergraduate InternFrancis Estrada was a senior at Baruch College majoring in economics with a minor in law and policy when she was a Gueron Intern in 2020. Francis has joined MDRC’s Center for Applied Behavioral Science as a research assistant.