Since 2015, Bard students have participated in a summer internship program about hate. After a preparatory text study on hate, students spend the summer with a nongovernmental organization, not only working against hatred, but also examining how that organization understands and addresses hatred, how it measures success, what additional scholarship would be useful for its work, and writing a report of their findings and analysis (past reports are here). Interns support each other over the summer with regular online discussions. Students have interned with the Southern Poverty Law Center, PEN America, the Montana Human Rights Network, Political Research Associates, the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights, Human Rights First, Women Wage Peace, and elsewhere. (Current list of possible placements [subject to change] with direct links to their websites, is at bottom of this page.)
Awards vary based on the length, cost, merit and number of applications, and can be anywhere up to $3,000 dollars. Generally, summer internships range in length from 10 to 12 weeks.
2019 summer interns were (click on their names to see their reports about their internships):
Olivia Donahue, who interned with the Southern Poverty Law Center
Katrina Gonzales, who interned with the Center for Popular Democracy
Miranda Kerrigan, who interned with the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations
Sabrina Slipchenko (from Bard Berlin), who interned with the Syrian Archives.
Information on applications for summer 2020 is below.
Application Requirements
The internship application consists of the following:
1. A brief statement of purpose (between one and three pages)
2. A completed internship application form.
3. A budget proposal (living and transportation expenses, if applicable)
4. A transcript or list of courses taken to date
5, A letter of recommendation from a faculty member.
Questions? Email or call BCSH Director Kenneth Stern – kstern@bard.edu, 718-503-4441.
The application submission deadline is March 2, 2020. Email to kstern@bard.edu with a copy to RIOU@bard.edu.
Internships may be possible with the following organizations, among others (list is subject to change – and BCSH is open to other appropriate placements):
Council on American-Islamic Relations (NY Chapter)
Japanese American Citizens League
National Network for Arab American Communities
National Organization for Women
UnidosUS (formerly National Council of La Raza)