Overview
The College of Human Ecology (CHE) offers a summer internship program in New York City (NYC) for rising juniors and seniors. This exciting opportunity underscores our commitment to provide students with community-engaged learning experiences and professional development.
During the day, students will intern at an internship site, and during some evenings and weekends, they will engage in field trips and professional development. Internship sites represent a variety of fields, such as youth development, nutrition, medicine, law, administration, fashion/design, and more. Students will take a 7-week 1 credit internship preparation course (HE2400) in the Spring in advance of their summer internship and a 7-week 1 credit internship reflection course (HE3301) in the Fall after their summer internship.
Watch our short video about the experience of students last summer!
Eligibility
Rising juniors and seniors in good academic standing (GPA 2.7). Students who are studying abroad the Spring before the summer internship or the Fall after the summer internship will not be eligible to apply as they cannot attend the required internship preparation/reflection courses.
*Preference given to College of Human Ecology students
Internship Schedule
Students will spend Monday-Friday (9am-5pm) at the internship site engaging in a variety of activities (e.g., teaching food justice classes to teens, designing website and social media content, assisting law students with legal education classes for high schoolers, planning a mental health conference, etc.). During some evenings and weekends, students will go on field trips (e.g., museums, Broadway shows) to advance their knowledge and understanding of equity in NYC and engage in professional development (e.g., networking with alumni).
You will be working at your internship site for 8 weeks, unless otherwise noted below in the "Available Internships" section below.
Stipends & Housing
Students will receive a minimum of a $3,000 stipend for the internship. The exact stipend amount will vary based on site. Stipends may be disbursed by Cornell University or your internship site. If from Cornell, this income will generate a 1099 (typically 1099-MISC or 1099-NEC). Taxes are not withheld from these payments unless you are a foreign national, in which case withholding may be determined by the tax treaty with your country of residence. If you receive your stipend from your internship site, you will need to confirm with them about the tax documentation and withholding.
Student housing will be available at the 92NY (92nd Street Y) in Manhattan if needed. In the application, students will be able to indicate if they also need a scholarship for housing.
Selection Process
We will choose 20-25 students for the program as a whole, with multiple sites hosting multiple students.
Students will submit their cover letter, resume, transcript, and the email address of 2 recommenders that can complete an evaluation form on their behalf. Internship sites will select students to interview and notify the CHE in NYC team as to whom they would like to extend an offer to.
Timeline
October 15, 2025: Application portal opens
January 23, 2026: Application portal closes
February 2026: Interviews with sites & decisions announced
March - May 2026: HE 2400 Internship Prep Course
June - July 2026: CHE in NYC internship program
August - October 2026: HE 3301 Internship Reflection Course
Info Sessions
We are holding the following info sessions where you can learn more about the CHE in NYC Summer Internship Program, as well as ask questions about your application as you are preparing it.
Friday, November 7th 12-1pm: REGISTER HERE (Zoom only)
Thursday, December 4th 4:30-5:30pm: REGISTER HERE (Zoom only)
Tuesday, January 13th 2-3pm: REGISTER HERE (Zoom only)
Tuesday, January 20th 4:45-5:45pm: REGISTER HERE (in-person only)
Available Internships:
Glamour Gals
About: Glamour Gals (GG) empower teens (HS/College) to reduce senior loneliness in local communities through volunteer chapters providing conversation, companionship and our signature beauty makeover programs.
Roles and Responsibilities: Interns will work on GG's Intergenerational Leadership Program. Responsibilities include outreach marketing, securing new volunteers, hands on leadership and participation, event planning, and program survey and evaluation. Specifically, interns will help coordinate, plan, and attend beauty makeovers, and they may also help create social media and other outreach content for GG. The internship also highlights weekly mentor calls/meetings, exclusive networking events, direct engagement with the founder and alum, and a look into what it takes to run a nonprofit for over 25 years! This site is ideal for students interested in gerontology, public health, nonprofit management, youth leadership and business analytics.
New York Law School
About: New York Law School (NYLS) has a rich history of fostering legal innovation, civic engagement, and public service. Established in 1891, NYLS is renowned for its commitment to training lawyers who are not only skilled advocates but also leaders in their communities, equipped to tackle some of the most pressing legal challenges of our time. NYLS's commitment to diversity, inclusion, and public interest law creates a nurturing environment where students are encouraged to explore the intersections of law, policy, and social justice.
Roles and Responsibilities: Interns will rotate through several key departments and affiliated centers/organizations, gaining exposure to various facets of higher education, public policy, law and legal education. For example, interns will work at the Center for New York City and State Law's team to support initiatives aimed at addressing urban legal issues, public policy, and municipal governance. Responsibilities may include conducting research, assisting in the journalistic coverage of City and State government, and assisting in the preparation of reports or presentations. Additionally, under supervision of affiliated faculty, interns will also research legal hot topics, prepare law-based activities for middle and high school students, and support law students in teaching middle and high school students in underserved communities. In addition to these main roles, interns will also learn about various aspects of higher education management and operations based on the needs of the institution. Tasks may include assisting with event planning, communications, student services, or data management. This work may also include the opportunity to work on ongoing faculty research projects. This site is ideal for students interested in law, public policy, social justice, and civic engagement.
Centric Brands
New Heights Youth
About: New Heights is a sports-based youth development organization that creates opportunities for youth to rise to their potential on the basketball court, in the classroom and in their communities. Their mission is to educate and empower promising underserved youth to be leaders, champions and student-athletes by developing the skills necessary for success in high school, college and life. Their coaches and educators are positive role models who guide youth through adolescence and into young adulthood, and motivate them to develop the social, behavioral, academic and athletic assets necessary for maintaining physical and mental health throughout their lives.
Roles & Responsibilities: Interns will be primarily assisting with New Heights' Summer Academy. Summer Academy is a 5-week day camp that combines academic enrichment with basketball skill development for middle school youth. In 2022, the curriculum grew to include financial literacy, technology and coding, health and wellness, and sports and social justice. Some intern responsibilities will include helping prepare for Summer Academy, implementing the program, and joining youth on a college visit. This role is ideal for students who have an interest in basketball, youth development, education, & health and wellness.
Note: New Heights' internship is 10 weeks and extends until August 14. Interns will be required to stay for the duration of their internship, which is additional time after the official end of the CHE NYC program. Housing will be available if needed.
Henry Street Settlement
About: Henry Street Settlement, founded in 1893, is an organization that works to open doors of opportunity for Lower East Side residents and other New Yorkers through social services, arts, and health care programs.
Roles and Responsibilities: Henry Street is seeking interns to support community-based programs serving older adults, residents of public housing, and other low-income community members through community engagement and outreach, data collection and analysis, event planning, and workshop development. Examples of tasks include creating programming for Henry Street's Jobs Plus, which provides public housing residents opportunities to improve skills and build confidence to find and keep a job, and working with CONNECT (Continuous Engagement between Community and Clinic Treatment), a health and wellness program that helps adults with mental health care, finding housing, and employment support in a flexible model that meets clients where they are. This role is ideal for students with strong communication, writing, and research skills, and who have an interest in gerontology, public health, public policy, nutrition, and/or social justice.
Boys and Girls Club of Harlem
About: The Boys and Girls Club of Harlem's (BGCH) mission is to empower young people through workforce development, academic enrichment, and social-emotional learning.
Roles and Responsibilities: The BGCH is seeking interns for a summer position to support program implementation with K-12 students on a variety of topics (e.g., food justice, college readiness, coding), data analysis, and community outreach related to urban food systems and youth mental health. Specifically, interns may be involved in independently teaching college and career readiness courses, organizing dynamic and educational field trips around NYC for students, and planning site wide conferences and programming. This role provides hands-on experience in a dynamic, fast-paced environment designed for those with strong teaching, communication, and writing skills. This site is ideal for students interested in youth development, education, social work, and counseling.
Well Behavioral Health
About: Well Behavioral Health is an outpatient ecosystem for behavioral health, offering in-person and virtual therapy, coaching, nutrition counseling, and groups. We offer mental health care to those needing support with eating disorders/disordered eating, trauma, dissociative disorders, neurodivergence, OCD, anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders.
Roles and Responsibilities: Interns will be working in one of Well Behavioral Health's NYC offices. They will be involved in mental health care from supporting our clinical programming to organizing outreach efforts. Interns may also be assisting Well Behavioral Health with their clinical outcomes data collection effort which would include collecting, managing, and analyzing patient outcomes to learn more about best provider practices. This role is ideal for students who have an interest in health & wellness, mental health care, and clinical work.
Ronald McDonald House New York
About: Ronald McDonald House New York (RMH-NY) provides families of children with cancer and other serious illnesses a strong, caring and seamless circle of support. During some of the darkest days for each of our families, we’re devoted to easing the burden. With the use of our modern facilities, varied services and customized programming, we address family's underlying social factors of health so they can focus on what matters most: their child's health.
Roles and Responsibilities: The Population Health Intern will provide support for RMH-NY’s health equity-related strategic goals by assisting in relationship-building, outreach, and collaboration with managed care providers, hospitals, health systems, and community-based organizations. Under the guidance of the Head of Population Health, interns will gain exposure to administrative, research, and project management tasks while working closely with other teams across RMH-NY.
Interns will take part in the following activities: 1) Research assistance: Conduct research on healthcare trends. Assist with literature reviews and development of evidence-based protocols for population health initiatives advancing health equity in areas such as food insecurity, maternal health, pediatric cancer, sickle cell disease, and severe asthma management, 2) Presentations: Assist in preparing reports for internal and external stakeholders. Aid in the development of presentations and materials for meetings with managed care organizations, healthcare systems, and community-based organizations, 3) Outreach: Conduct outreach calls and social care needs screenings as needed, and help connect participants to appropriate resources. Document all work in internal and external systems, and 4) Data Management: Work closely with the Population Health team to gain a deeper understanding of health equity initiatives and assist with tracking deliverables for projects. Help with entering partner/contact details into organizational databases to support relationship tracking and outreach efforts.
Note: This internship is run through AmeriCorps, so applicants must be United States citizens.
Mayor's Office of Urban Agriculture
About: The Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture (MOUA) in New York City, launched in 2022, works to increase access to locally grown food, reduce the city's environmental impact, and stimulate economic growth through urban agriculture. MOUA leads efforts in food access, climate resiliency, innovative land use, and building a green economy, and is recognized as a national leader in the field.
Roles and Responsibilities: The office is seeking students to support research, policy development, data analysis, and community outreach related to urban food systems, climate-smart agriculture, and labor in urban farming. The role offers hands-on experience in a fast-paced environment, ideal for students with strong research, writing, and communication skills interested in urban agriculture and climate issues.
