Undergraduate Summer Internship: Boston Equity & Inclusion Cabinet

The Boston University Initiative on Cities and the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground seek an outstanding undergraduate student for a summer internship with the City of Boston’s Equity and Inclusion Cabinet. The Intern will work directly with the Senior Advisor on Racial Justice, Ms. Lori Nelson, and the team to support activities overseen by her office.

As Senior Advisor, Ms. Nelson is responsible for leading the development and implementation of Boston’s Resilience Strategy, specifically in advancing racial equity, social justice, and social cohesion through community engagement, public policy initiatives, collaboration with non-governmental institutions, and research projects.

This internship is the successor to a longstanding partnership with what was formerly known as the Mayor’s Office of Resilience & Racial Equity (MORRE).

Read about the experience of the 2022 MORRE intern and other past interns and fellows here.

Summer 2023 Internship Information

The intern’s work during the summer of 2023 will focus on the team’s reparations framework project and preparation for the NAACP National Convention to be held in Boston from July 26–August 1.

The intern will be paid approximately $4,500 for a full-time internship (35 hours per week), which will run for 8 weeks between June and August 2023. Lori Nelson and her team will determine the exact start date as the summer approaches.

Qualifications

Strong work ethic and initiative
Excellent oral and written communication skills, as this person will be asked to help organize and execute public events, community meetings, and social media marketing
A passion for issues of race and racial equity, especially as they relate to Boston
Enthusiasm for public service and local government
Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite
Excellent research skills and advanced social media skills

How to Apply & Timeline

Application Deadline: Sunday, February 26, 2023, at 11:59 PM ET

We expect to notify applicants in early April 2023.

Please note that your completed application must contain all of the following in a single PDF:

Cover letter
Resume
Essay of 500 words or fewer about your perspective on racial equity in Boston
A list of two references, either academic or professional. Please include their title, organization, phone number, and email.
Unofficial copy of your academic transcript
- Your BU unofficial academic transcript can be obtained free of charge on student link. You may use the preview transcript page (print -> save as PDF) on the transcript ordering page on student link without completing your order of an official transcript. If you have questions regarding obtaining an unofficial BU transcript without ordering one, please contact the registrar or your academic advisor.

Eligibility Details

Only current Boston University undergraduate students who meet the following conditions are eligible:

Applicants must be in good standing at Boston University
Applicants must be enrolled in classes as part of a degree-seeking program at Boston University for the current semester. They must continue in either the same or a new degree-seeking program at Boston University in the 2023 fall semester or the 2023 summer 2 term.
- Graduating seniors are eligible if they are entering a graduate degree program at Boston University and meet the above requirements.
- Undergraduate students continuing at BU in Fall 2023 or in the summer 2 terms are eligible. However, students working on an incomplete to finish a graduation requirement are not considered enrolled, according to the Student Employment Office, and are therefore ineligible.
- Students may enroll in summer 1 courses but must also meet the above requirements.

Responsibilities/Terms of Award

The intern will work 35 hours per week for the entire eight weeks.
Intern must be responsive to the Initiative on Cities requests during the internship and may be asked to submit content for web and/or social media.
Interns must complete a reflection piece by August 31, 2023, reflecting on their work in the office and the project(s) they worked on throughout the summer. This piece should emphasize the Intern’s core focus for the summer, their project’s impact, as well as lessons learned. They are encouraged to incorporate interactive elements, including video and photography. This reflection will be shared on the IOC website.
Interns may participate in a roundtable discussion held in Fall 2023 to share their experience working in city government.

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact David Gross, MetroBridge Program Manager, at davgross@bu.edu.