A Message from the Career & Civic Engagement Center

Summer InternshipsCareer & Civic Engagement Center

Since the 2020–2021 academic year, the Black Alumnae/i Fund has been administered by the Career & Civic Engagement Center to provide funding for meaningful summer internship experiences. This summer, the Fund supported seven undergraduate students who identify as part of, or share a cultural heritage with, the African Diaspora, helping them pursue opportunities aligned with their academic, personal, and professional interests. Click on the Summer Internships logo above to read more about students’ experiences.

As students return to Bryn Mawr for another academic year, we see the impact of their summer experiences come back to campus with them—in new skills, greater confidence, and a clearer sense of what they hope to pursue next.

Summer internships can be an important bridge between a Bryn Mawr education and what comes after graduation. They give students the opportunity to explore a field, take on meaningful responsibilities, develop practical skills, build professional relationships, and connect their classroom experiences to the world. For the past six years, as part of the Beyond Bryn Mawr Internship Program the Black Alumnae/i Fund has helped ensure that students can pursue these experiences based on their goals and interests, rather than their ability to afford them.

That support is especially meaningful as Bryn Mawr continues to expand access to funded summer experiences. The Beyond Bryn Mawr Internship Program supported nearly 150 students in summer 2026, with stipend amounts also growing to better reflect the true costs associated with participating in an internship.

The Black Alumnae/i Fund has been an important part of that effort, but the numbers tell only part of the story. Through their internships, students work alongside professionals, encounter new ideas and perspectives, navigate unfamiliar environments, and learn more about where their own interests and talents might lead them.

"This internship was way more than what I expected it to be, mainly because of the  kindness and support from my supervisor and the other attorneys in the office... My  supervisor has been especially helpful as we have many discussions about legal  concepts, bias in public defense, and law school in general. I also did not expect to  learn so much about different aspects of public defense. I am doing a research  project specific to CAFL about how to enhance bias training... and how to  encourage attorneys in Massachusetts to report judicial bias." -  2026 Black  Alumnae/i Fund Recipient  

" I expected to spend most of my time [during my internship] learning Mathematical  techniques, but I didn’t realize how much independent thinking research requires. I  learned that research is rarely a straight path; understanding one concept often  raises new questions to explore. I also discovered how important reflection and  discussion are in the research process. Regular conversations with my supervisor  helped me think more critically about my work and showed me that developing as a researcher is just as much about asking thoughtful questions as it is about finding  answers." - 2026 Black Alumnae/i Fund Recipient

These experiences shape more than a student’s résumé. Students carry what they learn into their remaining time at the College and, ultimately, into the lives and careers they build after graduation.

As we begin the 2026–2027 academic year, we are grateful to the alumnae/i and friends whose generosity makes these opportunities possible. Your support gives students the freedom to pursue ambitious experiences, learn beyond the classroom, and return to Bryn Mawr ready to build on what they have discovered.

Thank you for continuing to invest in our students and in the experiences that help prepare them for what comes next.

Katie Krimmel 
Dean, Career & Civic Engagement Center