Leadership Rice Mentorship Experience (LRME)

SUMMER 2025 PLACEMENTS

The Leadership Rice Mentorship Experience (LRME) is a summer internship program for returning Rice undergraduates who wish to develop their professional, personal, and civic capacities through the mentorship of experienced professionals. On this page you'll find descriptions of each placement and a short summary of intern responsibilities (click the brief description to expand for more information and the Mentor bio). While the internships might vary, all students accepted into the program are expected to be in Houston physically for the summer.

If you have any questions about the placements, please see the descriptions below before reaching out for assistance. If you still have questions or would like to be added to this year's CCL mailing list, you can contact Domenique Montgomery at dm72@rice.edu with the subject line "LRME Placement Info" for more information.

This webpage is best viewed on a computer -- it may be difficult to see on a phone.

Acres Home Community Advocacy Group

Sector - Nonprofit

Social Issue - Community & Coalition Building

Acres Home Community Advocacy Group aims to preserve and empower the community and promote neighborhood participation through educational training, organizing, leadership, and economic revitalization while gathering resources from the public and private sectors to address the immediate needs of our community.

This internship will be hybrid. You would attend at least one civic club meeting per week.

Placement requirements:

Interpersonal communication skills and organizational skills.
Attend at least one civic club meeting per week and be available for 2 hrs on Saturday to attend community events.
Civic club meetings are in the 77088 and 77091 zip codes. Most community meetings are available via public transportation and virtual calls.

Placements description:

Work as a thought partner to help develop an outreach strategy to assist civic associations, the super neighborhood, and other neighborhoods within the community to create functioning civic associations and robust lines of communication between themselves and other orgs that serve the community.
Gain hands-on experience by visiting and assisting civic associations with various block walking campaigns and small strategy sessions to help them achieve their goals

Mentor Bio

Long time Acres Homes resident and Community Advocate, Rain Eatmon has had the opportunity to work alongside all levels of government in pursuit of uplifting the Acres Homes Community. Rain has worked within Council Member Tarsha Jackson's Office and State Representative Jarvis Johnson's Office and has volunteered as a member of the Complete Communities Initiative since its inception in 2017

Advocates for Immigrant Survivors

Sector -Nonprofit

Social Issue - Refugee/Immigrant Justice

Advocates for Immigrant Survivors' mission is to provide immigration legal services and social services to aid survivors in accessing the rights to justice, dignity, and restoration.

This internship will be hybrid: The arrangement is flexible but would likely b 2 days in office, 2 days remote. Car is not required as the organization is accessible via metrobus.

Placement requirements:

Ideally bilingual in Spanish or another language.
Interest or previous experience working with indigent population.
Students should be comfortable working with survivors of domestic violence.
Advocates for Immigrant Survivors will support the student with trainings and mentorship to ensure they interact appropriately with clients.

Description of placement:

Student can support legal services and/or case management services depending on their strengths and interests and the organization's needs. Our immigration legal services team prepares applications and declarations, organizes supporting documents, writes legal briefs, and prepares court filings. Our case management team provides wraparound services, including safety planning, enrollment in victim-based programs, law enforcement advocacy, and referrals to community partners.

Students could work with a few clients over the semester in their immigration processes under attorney supervision.

Mentor Bio

Sarah Bryan is a Co-Executive Director at Advocates for Immigrant Survivors and has over 11 years of experience representing immigrant survivors of crime in their path to seeking stability post victimization. She has also provided direct representation and extensive supervision in the areas of asylum, family-based petitions, naturalization, and other affirmative immigration processes. Sarah earned her J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law and her B.S. from Vanderbilt University.

As immigrants navigate the aftermath of victimization, they face unique barriers in accessing services due to fear of deportation, misinformation about the criminal justice system, language and cultural barriers, and lack of work authorization. Through our services, AIS not only restores and empowers immigrant survivors, but also makes Houston a safer community.

Bayou City Waterkeeper

Sector - Nonprofit

Social Issue - Environmental Justice, Wetland Protection, Clean Water, Flood Mitigation and Protection

Diluvial Partner

Bayou City Waterkeeper (BCWK) is a Houston-based organization focusing on water quality, wetlands protection, and flood mitigation across our region with an emphasis on climate resilience and environmental justice. BCWK serves the lower Galveston Bay watershed, a 10-county region that encompasses greater Houston.

This internship will be virtual.

Placement requirements:

Ideal candidates will have previous academic experience conducting research and writing research papers
Preference for Juniors and Seniors
Ideally backgrounds in natural or earth sciences or similar fields of work.

Description of placement:

Data analysis and research on science/policy intersection of water, wetlands, and/or flooding
Community needs assessment
Power mapping in local water policy decision-maker and policies affecting wetlands, clean waters, and flooding
Interviews of community members, reporting of finding to community for feedback, documenting community-led tours on neighborhood water injustices

Mentor Bio

Mashal Awais joined Bayou City Waterkeeper in February 2021. Mashal utilizes her skills as an environmental scientist to partner with communities in the pursuit of healthy waters and communities throughout the Lower Galveston Bay Watershed.

Having received her Masters in Environmental Analysis from Rice University, she has worked alongside environmental justice communities advocating for communities’ right to clean air and water. Prior to joining Bayou City Waterkeeper, Mashal’s work focused on risk management in disaster recovery and mitigating health impacts from environmental pollution for fenceline and underinvested communities. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from UT-Austin.

Mashal supports local environmental education efforts and youth-based climate resilience initiatives throughout the region. She has been living in the Houston area since 2008. As an immigrant from Lahore, Pakistan, she enjoys the richness and diversity of Houston, meeting new people, finding new music and art.

PAIR

Sector -Nonprofit

Social Issue - Education/ Refugees/ Immigration

PAIR helps over 350 refugee students each year through mentoring, tutoring, college access, and leadership development programs. Supported by committed volunteers and partnering organizations, PAIR provides middle school, high school, and first-year college students opportunities to find connection, academic support, and skill building build skills through a variety of opportunities to lead and build skills and prepare for the future. The primary method of carrying out this mission is through regular after-school programs and individual mentoring at partner schools in West and Southwest Houston.

This internship will be in-person: Ideally the candidate will have their own car, but it is not required as long as they can come to the PAIR office - public transportation is a slow but viable option!

Placement requirements:

We're looking for someone with a positive attitude, organizational skills, and a willingness to jump in whenever and wherever is necessary to join our small, close-knit team for the summer! Experience working directly with youth is strongly preferred. Preference for a candidate that is interested in a career in education, social work, psychology, international work, language studies, non-profit management, or a similar field. Not required, but speaking a refugee language (Spanish, Swahili, Dari, Arabic, French, etc.) is very advantageous.

Placement description:

Students will have the opportunity to work with a variety of PAIR staff members ranging from direct service providers to behind-the-scenes support staff, giving them the chance to learn the ins and outs of a small non-profit organization.
The student would engage directly with middle and/or high school aged refugee and newcomer students individually and in groups in a summer camp and classroom-based setting.
PAIR would love to have a student to assist with summer programming - this could include preparing for and assisting with middle and high school student summer camps, volunteer coordination, lesson plan and material organization, and other organizational office-based projects.

Mentor Bio

Melanie Hering
I am a passionate non-profit program director with a commitment to education access and equity. With a background in English language teaching and international educational development, I aim to build and sustain programs that are high quality, needs based, culturally responsive, and enjoyable. In my current role, I have designed, implemented, and grown innovative educational initiatives addressing the unique needs of refugee youth. The work done at PAIR is critical for the success of young people who have moved to America without adequate support - academically, systemically, linguistically, emotionally, or financially. Providing consistent, reliable programs built on trust while also expanding young peoples' opportunities to engage in cultural exchange is essential in order for them to feel safe and thrive in this country.

Harris County Office of Sustainability

Sector - Public

Social Issue - Environmental Justice, Climate Action, Climate Justice

Diluvial Partner

The Harris County Commissioners Court created the new Office of Sustainability (OS) in 2021 to further the County’s commitment towards a more environmentally just future.

Our vision is to move the County towards more resilient, healthier communities, focus County investments on sustainable technology and infrastructure, and address environmental justice issues

This internship will be hybrid: Remote with preference of at least one day in office - accessible via Metrorail.

Placement requirements:

Preference for Junior or Senior
Ideally background in sustainability, public policy, engineering, architecture, environmental science, sociology or related field
Effective and clear writing skills, able to convey complex ideas in a simple way
Self-starter, motivated, collaborator, team player, creative

Description of placement:

Support in implementing and planning the county's internal Climate Action Plan and Climate Justice planning effort.
Conduct research and data analysis, produce reports, and exercise effective communication skills (verbal and written)
Potential projects include:
- Developing a place-based community engagement strategy with local partners
- Developing a community/equity working group and planning processes to voice historically underserved communities
- May be involved in community conversations or 1:1 interviews with community members to get their thoughts on the County's role in climate planning.

Mentor Bio

Lisa Lin has over 15 years of experience as a sustainability practitioner in the public, private, non-profit, and higher education sectors. She began her role as the first Director of Sustainability for Harris County in January 2022. Her previous roles and responsibilities include leading the implementation of sustainable transportation initiatives at Rice University, coordinating San Antonio’s first Climate Action and Adaptation Plan during her time as Climate Program Manager for the City of San Antonio’s Office of Sustainability, and serving as the Sustainability Manager in the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability for the City of Houston.

Addressing sustainability, equity, and resilience at the County level is crucial to ensuring that these economic drivers of the region are also balanced with local climate action to mitigate development and industrial impacts as well as equitable access to health and prosperity.

Ashoka

Sector - Nonprofit

Social Issue - Social Impact via Entrepreneurship

Currently working on building this partners profile. Please refer to their website for more details on the org mission and community work. HERE

This internship will be remote.

Placement requirements:

coming soon

Description of placement:

coming soon

Mentor Bio

coming soon

Creative Group Economics

Sector -Nonprofit

Social Issue - Community Building

Creative Group Economics believes that breaking out of poverty begins with spending your own dollars in your own community. Our goal is to change the mindsets of our people and be the kind of leaders that we hope to be and echo the morals required to take on our community's biggest problems. It starts by standing with those who support you, listening to voices unheard, and recognizing potential where others see despair. “It demands investing as a means, not an end, daring to go where markets have failed and aid has fallen short.” It makes our capital work for us, not control us. It prospers on imagination, the humility to see the world as it is, and the courageousness to imagine the world as it could be. It’s having the motivation to learn at the edge, the wisdom to admit failure, and the audacity to start again. Its leadership that rejects complacency, breaks through systems, and challenges corruption.

This internship will be Hybrid - Students will need transportation to/from office location.

Placement requirements:

Expertise in community engagement, policy analysis, and system navigation.
Hands-on experience advocating for systemic change and implementing sustainable programs.
Students that have no issues with public speaking and talking to people.

What you Could Learn from this Experience:

Opportunities to network with community leaders, local officials, and residents.
Professional growth through leadership roles and public speaking opportunities.
Certificate of completion and potential academic credit (subject to university approval).

Description of Placement:

Policy Analysis and Solutions
Analyze laws, ordinances, and policies that impact seniors, students, and residents (e.g., accessibility to services, equitable resource distribution).
Identify actionable solutions to reduce barriers, such as:
- Expanding community services or support hours.
- Increasing access to healthcare or transportation.
Advocating for neighborhood improvements, like community centers or green spaces.

Mentor Bio

Lloyd C. Ford II is an entrepreneur, activist, author, and founder of Creative Group Economics. A passionate and proactive leader, Lloyd is known for his ability to develop and inspire others through his unwavering dedication to community and economic empowerment. With hard work and determination, he has built a platform designed to cultivate and support the next generation of leaders. Driven by his belief in the power of community and economic development, Lloyd remains committed to fostering meaningful change. He is a proud alumnus of Prairie View A&M University, where he majored in Management Information Systems.

January Advisors

Sector - Private

Social Issue - Housing Equity, Criminal Justice & Civic Court Reform, Environmental Justice, Educational Equity

January Advisors is a data science consulting firm that guides nonprofits, governments, academic leaders, and communities to explore the world through data so that they can ask better questions, come up with innovative approaches, and make a lasting social impact.

This internship will be virtual.

Placement Requirements:

Pursuing a degree in social sciences, public policy, or related field. Strong research and analytical skills. Excellent written and verbal communication abilities. Experience with data collection, organization, and basic analysis. Ability to work independently.
Preferred: Previous experience volunteering in a community-based organization. Experience with survey design and implementation.

Description of placement:

Research and synthesis, analysis, community engagement, data strategic planning, evaluation
Possible project areas are housing, evictions, debt collection, environmental justice, criminal justice reform, education, or other pressing public policy issues
Attend daily team meetings and weekly client meetings
We always encourage our interns to reach out to community members as they try to answer their research questions. We draw upon our network of nonprofits, academics, and foundations to provide the student with introductions and information. We're also open to ideas that are more directly involved in community work.

Mentors Bio

1) Carly Sessions as Principal at January Advisors, Carly Sessions leads nonprofit data strategy and evaluation work, helping organizations use data to make policy, advocate for change, and improve performance. With more than 15 years of experience bridging direct service work and data systems, she brings a unique perspective on how organizations can use data to be more transparent with and responsive to their communities while building more equitable systems.

2) Katie Schergen brings over a decade of nonprofit and public sector experience to her role at January Advisors, where she supports organizations in developing and implementing data strategies through community engagement, facilitation, research, and comprehensive analysis. With a thoughtful approach to community engagement and a commitment to human-centered design, Katie excels at facilitating complex projects while ensuring that community voices remain central to the process.

Native Healthcare

Sector - Nonprofit

Social Issue - Healthcare justice

Native Healthcare Center is dedicated to improving the health, wellness, and social well-being of Native Americans within Texas, underserved, and diverse populations through culturally respectful healthcare, education, and community-driven initiatives.

Native Healthcare Center is a community-focused organization based in Houston, Texas, committed to serving Native American, Indigenous, and underserved populations. Established in 2021, the center bridges traditional and Western medicine to provide culturally competent healthcare, education, and wellness services. With a focus on addressing health disparities, supporting aging populations, and promoting mental health, the center collaborates with partners throughout to offer programs that empower communities and foster equitable access to care.

This internship will be Hybrid Every 3rd Saturday of the month we participate in a tabling event. At least 1-2 days in office to help with administrative tasks. The rest of the days hybrid or in the community if doing outreach.

Placement requirements:

Cares about mental health, organized, self-starter, interest with working with the Native American community.

Description of placement:

We need a student to help build a behavioral health program for Native Health Care. Will be working on this new project with the program director Denise Morales. We will do community outreach to gain an audience, collect data, and set up programming.
Community outreach is a big part of this role, including tabling events and scouting different places to reach natives in Houston and Texas.

Mentor Bios

1) Denise Morales, earned her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Houston Christian University. As a certified mediator and Certified Licensed Professional Counselor-associate, Denise is passionate about supporting her community’s mental health and creating spaces for growth and healing. I believe that it is important to make mental health accessible for community members that tend to get neglected nor have funds to receive assistance.

2) Jenny Kham, a proud member of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe, member of the Elder's Council and founders of the Native Healthcare and Community Center

Momentum Education

Sector - Nonprofit

Social Issue - Education

Momentum Education helps first-generation low-income students get to and through post-secondary education. We provide mentorship to help high school students explore careers, prepare for standardized tests, and apply to and enroll in post-secondary programs (four-year degree, two-year degree, or vocational certifications). Moreover, once students get into post-secondary education, we provide mentorship to help students transition academically and reach their career goals.

This internship will be Virtual

Placement requirements:

We would love to have a student who is passionate about education and post-secondary access. If this person was a rising senior that would be wonderful, as we could potentially hire them for the following year after graduation.

Description of placement:

Helping us plan and host our college student events
Attending meetings with the Executive Director
Interacting with our volunteers through events.

Mentor Bios

Raj Salhotra is a native Houstonian who attended Rice University. He majored in Economics and Policy Studies and then joined Teach For America and became a high school math teacher. He taught Pre-Calculus and AP Statistics. He left teaching and attended law school at Harvard and returned to Houston to launch Momentum Education.

I believe Momentum Education is critical because only 23% of low-income high school students ultimately earn a post-secondary credential (four-year, two-year, or vocational program) whereas 72% of all jobs require such education. This gap traps low-income students in poverty, and Momentum Education helps students achieve upward economic mobility.

LINK Houston

Sector - Nonprofit

Social Issue - Transportation Equity, Climate Justice, Social and Racial Justice

LINK Houston advocates for a robust and equitable transportation network so that all people can reach opportunity.

We envision a world in which all people in Houston can easily access not only jobs, but also educational experiences, medical appointments, grocery stores, parks and greenspaces, and other important destinations, regardless of mode of transportation.

We move ideas into action through community engagement, research, and shaping public policy. Through our advocacy activities, we specifically aim to ensure quality mobility options; improve transportation access to affordable housing; and keep communities united in the face of highway and other transportation infrastructure developments.

This internship will be hybrid: LINK Houston will be in-office on Tuesday and Thursday. Other days will be remote. Interns are encouraged to ride transit, bike, or walk to the office.

Placement requirements:

Communication skills, graphic design preferred but not required
Creative and self-motivated.

Description of placement:

In 2023, we will continue out work by influencing policy and funding to increase safe, accessible, multi-modal, and sustainable transportation; support environmentally just policies and initiatives that create resiliency and mitigate the impact of climate change; and co-power with individuals and communities to advocate for safe and dignified mobility alternatives.

Support this work through:

Work on research and data analysis, community engagement, fundraising, or writing and editing
Fund development and grant writing
Community outreach

Mentor Bios

1) Ines Sigel serves as the deputy executive director of LINK Houston, a non-profit organization that that advocates for transportation equity. Since launching in 2017, LINK Houston has successfully shaped a $7-billion transit plan; compelled the Houston Mayor to fix Houston’s dangerous intersections and launch a zero-fatality safety campaign; influenced an alignment between affordable housing and transportation; and supported advocacy that led to the Federal Highway Administration halting a major highway expansion project and Harris County filing a lawsuit over inequities in the project.

2) Gabe Cazares serves as LINK's Executive Director. Gabe brings to LINK Houston years of experience leading advocacy and legislative efforts for disability rights and most recently led the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities at the City of Houston. As a proud Texan, a queer, disabled Latino, and a self-described policy wonk, Gabe is well poised to advance LINK’s mission toward a robust and equitable transportation network so that all people can reach opportunity.

Love146

Sector - Nonprofit

Social Issue - Human Trafficking

Love146 journeys alongside children impacted by trafficking today and prevents the trafficking of children tomorrow.

Love146's Prevention Education department developed an anti-human trafficking curriculum for youth ages 12-18.

Nationwide, we train youth-serving professionals on how to facilitate the curriculum, so that they can use it within their communities.

This internship will be hybrid: In-office Tuesday and Thursday, Virtual - Monday, Weds, Friday. Flexibility if transportation is an issue.

Placement requirements:

Proficient with Google Suite
Proficient oral and written communication skills
Must be a self-starter, flexible, and responsible
Working knowledge of human trafficking in the U.S. is a plus but not required.

Description of placement:

Support in developing a new platform to more efficiently track the date of the professionals who are using the curriculum with youth.
Support the prevention education team with various projects, including curriculum and resource development, youth engagement materials, research, and data collection
Conduct research on local and national human trafficking laws and youth-serving organizations
Open to collaborating with the intern if they have any special interests they would like to work on.

Mentor Bio

Desiree Lakey is a Houston native with a drive to serve others. She received her bachelor’s degree in health studies from Texas Southern University (TSU) in Houston, Texas. While attending TSU, she developed such a passion for community health that she went on to receive her master’s in public health at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. During graduate school, Desiree became committed to eliminating health disparities at the state and national level. She participated in breast cancer research, worked for a maternal mortality and morbidity task force, and developed curricula to aid children who have experienced interpersonal violence. Desiree enjoys being a part of the Love146 team where she continues the fight to mitigate disparities and inequities within human trafficking.

DivInc

Sector - Nonprofit

Social Issue - Wealth Gap Closure via Entrepreneurship

We’re on a mission to generate social and economic equity through entrepreneurship

This internship will be hybrid: Expectations are that they attend any in-person programming (which is usually one week at a time) - outside of that, the student can be virtual.

Placement requirements:

Open to all students with an interest in the start-up community.

Description of placement:

Student will work to support our 2025 DivInc Sportstech Accelerator - in program and post program initiatives.
The student will have the opportunity to meet with founders of growing startups nationally. Through that, they will be exposed to the formula of starting a technology based startup focused on addressing critical social issues.
Students will also gain experience with building their own social capital while meeting people who support the ecosystem.

Mentor Bio

Simone Williams

I am currently the director of programs for DivInc but before this experience I was an entrepreneur myself. Through that experience, I gained an interest in product development and a passion for developing technology that democratizes access for people - whether that be educational or monetary. I am passionate about justice and equity as it pertains to underrepresented populations.

Amaanah Refugee Services

Sector - Nonprofit

Social Issue - Immigrant/ Refugee

Amaanah's mission is to embrace and empower those who seek refuge in the United States, providing the support, guidance and resources they need to build brighter futures.

This Internship will be Virtual

Placement requirements:

Open to all students but those interested/ studying Women and Gender Studies, or anything dealing with immigrants and civics.

Description of placement:

The Big Sister Circle (BSC) is an empowering initiative by Amaanah Refugee Services designed to support and uplift refugee women as they navigate their new lives in the United States. This transformative program fosters growth, independence, and community through mentorship, skill-building, and holistic support. Participants are paired with mentors who provide personalized guidance to help them achieve their goals in education, career development, and personal well-being.

The BSC offers practical assistance such as language interpretation services, monthly food stipends, rent and transportation assistance, technology resources like laptops, and home transformation projects to create comfortable living spaces. Alongside this support, the program features a year-long empowerment curriculum running from March to December, covering topics like financial literacy, health and wellness, civic leadership, and personal growth strategies through engaging monthly topics and weekly activities.

BSC also fosters a strong sense of belonging through group workshops, social events, and cultural exchange activities, building a supportive network among participants and mentors. Regular progress reports celebrate achievements, assess challenges, and ensure that participants remain on track toward their goals. More than just a support program, the Big Sister Circle is a journey toward empowerment, enabling refugee women to rebuild their lives with dignity and confidence.

Mentor Bio

Christina Degbo ,

Working at Amaanah Refugee Services is deeply meaningful because it allows me to empower individuals and families to rebuild their lives with dignity and hope. By providing essential resources and tailored support, I’m able to witness transformative growth and contribute to a compassionate community. This work reflects my passion for making a lasting impact in the lives of those who need it most.

Houston LandBank

Sector - Nonprofit

Social Issue - Housing Justice

We’re making a difference by helping create quality affordable homes in neighborhoods across Houston. The outcomes of our efforts include better quality of life for Houston’s historically underserved communities.

As an organization, we engage with the community through workshops, social media, and other media forms. We'd include the student(s) in these processes.

This internship will be in-person

Placement requirements:

Strong communication skills, ability to create presentations, adaptable to a rapidly changing environment, and not afraid to take initiative.

Description of placement:

Would like students to help with project admin and thought partner. Also help us organize our housing inventory data.

Mentor Bio

Melanie Young,

Melanie Young is a seasoned real estate operations and technology leader with over a decade of experience in project management, digital transformation, and community development. She brings expertise in real estate development, strategic planning, and fostering partnerships that drive economic growth.

The cost of living in Houston is rapidly increasing and salaries are not keeping up with the growth. This is creating an affordable housing crisis that is making it impossible for many to find a home.

Bilingual Education Institute

Sector - Nonprofit

Social Issue - Refugee Services, Education, Transportation

BEI is Houston's premier language school. Our mission is to produce life-changing learning experiences by creating a welcoming environment, inspiring confidence, and empowering students to reach their goals.

This internship will be Hybrid. This is negotiable - but ideally we would work out a set schedule that gives the student an opportunity to participate in projects in person, while allowing some flexibility for tasks that could be done virtually. Having a car is not necessary as our campuses are served via public transportation.

Placement Requirements

All students should have a basic understanding of cultural sensitivity, as we serve refugee clients from diverse backgrounds.
We would also expect all interns or volunteers to be able to use proper professional communication.
It would be helpful-- both to BEI and to the student-- for the student to have some background or interest in the specific project in which they will be working.
As long as the student has a commitment to help refugees and the desire to learn through hands-on work, we can craft a custom project for the student that adds value for our clients while providing a fulfilling educational experience for the student.

Description of placement:

There are several projects that a student could participate in and help to coordinate. The student would report to the volunteer coordinator as well as the program manager responsible for the project.
The student would either engage with staff, our refugee students, or a combination of both, depending on the assignment. Most projects would entail assisting with research on a topic to create or improve resources for our students. The student would also potentially be disseminating information to students directly, via group activities or one on one support.
Potential projects:
- -English tutoring
- -Public transportation education
- -Vocational training research and support
- -Civics education
- -Health education

Mentor Bio

Keith Hardy leads Bilingual Education Institute’s Vocational Training, Immersion, Volunteering, and Academic Advising program (VIVA). Prior to joining BEI, Keith gained extensive international experience in English as a Second Language and program management. He holds a degree in International Studies from the University of West Florida and has completed the Public Leadership Credential from the Harvard Kennedy School. Keith is known for his commitment to excellence, ability to navigate complex challenges, and his collaborative leadership style.

Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative

Sector - Nonprofit

Social Issue - Immigration Advocacy, Legal Services

The Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative works to improve access to low-cost, high-quality legal services in Houston. Our organization primarily engages in convening, coordinating, and communicating across the legal services community. We are committed to improving the lives of immigrants in Greater Houston by forging a path toward inclusive and equitable support. Our mission is built on four core principles: holistic legal services capacity, equitable access to services, amplified voices, and catalyzed ecosystems.

This internship will be in-person. Interns will likely carpool with their mentor to any offsite meeting or activity. The PAIR office is accessible via public transportation.

Placement Requirements

Preferably junior or senior
No required area of study but preference to have some background in HR/admin, education, language/cultural study, humanities, social sciences, policy research
Excellent verbal/written communication
Relational/people skills
Cultural competency
Critical Thinking
Cares about details and big picture
Flexible and excited to learn about multiple aspects of nonprofit/youth work
Comfortable with youth

Description of placement:

Supporting multiple projects but a potential focus on one or two.

Capacity building for volunteer program - assist with further developing and improving our strategic plan for this program, monitoring and evaluation, scaling
Community outreach and engagement - assist with meetings/presentations for community and possibly corporate partners and other interested groups, relationship-building, stewardship
Advocacy and lobbying - researching school board, local, state, and federal policies and legislation relevant to newcomer students and their families.
Assist in screening volunteers, managing volunteer data, develop universal orientation video, volunteer recruitment/communications.
No matter what above role or role(s) the student supports, they will be very engaged with the community/community members.

Mentor Bio

1) Zenobia Lai is the Executive Director of Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative. She is a seasoned civil legal services lawyer who has worked with low-income immigrant communities around the country. At HILSC, she provides a strategic vision for the organization in carrying out its role as funder and program developer in support of the Houston immigrant community.

2) Agustin is a recent graduate from Rice University with a B.A. in SOPA and Political Science. He works at HILSC as a fellow, where among other tasks, he helps maintain HILSC's website, support HILSC's Forensic Evaluations program, and is helping develop community information efforts.

Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage

Sector - Nonprofit

Social Issue - Achieving Equitable Representation of the Latinx Community in the History and Culture of the US.

Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritage (“Recovery”) is an international program to locate, preserve and disseminate Hispanic culture of the United States in its written form since colonial times until 1980. We are the premier center for research on Latinx documentary history in the United States.

This internship will be hybrid: approximately 2-3 days in office and 2-3 days virtual; schedule will be determined with the student. Student will need their own transportation. There is free parking available in front of our building and a shuttle from UH main campus to our facilities.

Position requirements:

Strong research and communication skills
Spanish reading skills
Interest in Latino culture and history
Interest in digital humanities and archives
Can work independently

Description of placement:

Collaborate on a historical project in its various stages as outlined below.

Scan archival documents, curate exhibits, and conduct data research
Conduct primary document research, asset management, and data management (with spreadsheets)
Work on metadata creation, metadata translation, and a public facing digital project.

Recovery has successfully completed its first Community Archiving event and the student will be able to support in the planning of an additional event and/or participate in the reception and accession of new archival collections.

Mentor Bio

1) Carolina A. Villarroel holds a Ph.D. in Spanish literature with a specialization in U.S. Latino Literature and Women's Studies. She is the former archivist in charge of the Mexican American and African American Collections at the Houston Metropolitan Research Center at the Houston Public Library. Her expertise in U.S. Latino culture and literature has been fundamental to her positions at the University of Houston, where she is the Brown Foundation Director of Research for the Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage and Co-Director of the US Latino Digital Humanities Center. Carolina sees the goals of the Recovery Program as ethically creating archival spaces that are built in partnership with community members and owners of knowledge.

2) Gabriela Baeza Ventura, Ph.D. is associate professor of Spanish with a specialization on US Latinx literature in the Department of Hispanic Studies. Baeza Ventura also works as Executive Editor for Arte Público Press where she supervises the production of over thirty titles a year that include adult, young adult and bilingual children’s books. Along with Dr. Villarroel she is also co-director of the US Latino Digital Humanities Center. The work of our organization is important because it help locate, preserve and make available he written legacy of Latinas and Latinos in the US and actively working on including these materials into the curriculum

Smith Research & Consulting LLC

Sector - Private

Social Issue - Community Health, Racial Equity, Health Equity

Smith Research & Consulting LLC is a full-service research, evaluation, and strategy consulting firm specializing in community-engaged approaches to improve health in society.

At Smith Research & Consulting, LLC, we are committed to providing exceptional customized services to aid organizations in their journey to improve their community and society. Our values are to do this work with intention, integrity, accountability, equity, collaboration, and creativity. All work developed through a continual focus on the client.

This internship will be remote.

Position requirements:

Interest or experience in community health
General understanding of the basics of research and/or evaluation

Description of placement:

Support the Evaluation of client projects in maternal and mental health.
Support Data Collection for research projects or help co-author a paper.
Collaborate with a mentor on community engagement or patient engagement projects
Learn and practice effective strategies of collecting community input to inform projects
Examine health and racial equity in multiple contexts

Mentor Bio

Kendra L. Smith, Ph.D., MPH is the owner of Smith Research & Consulting LLC. Dr. Smith’s work and research revolve around building healthy and equitable communities with community at the table. Prior to leading SRC full-time, Dr. Smith served as the director for community engagement at the University of Houston – College of Medicine and associate director for community engagement and research at Stanford University within the Center for Population Health Sciences.

The Wren Collective

Sector - Nonprofit

Social Issue - Criminal Justice Reform

The Wren Collective strives to reimagine the way our country approaches criminal justice. Our north star is to dramatically decrease the legal system’s footprint in this country. For too long, those with power have weaponized the legal system to take away the rights of vulnerable communities, using fear to justify the mass incarceration of people of color, and now, the marginalization of voters, doctors, and librarians, and the increased oppression of other groups including women, trans people, migrants, the unhoused – the list grows every day. All the while, the powerful have failed to offer solutions to serious community problems like violent crime and trauma. At Wren, we have the audacious goal of replacing ineffective and often disingenuous solutions to crime and safety with solutions that support victims, keep people healthy and safe, and help everyone thrive and live with dignity.

This internship will be virtual

Placement requirements:

No major requirements other than a willingness to work hard and an interest in changing the system.
An interest in criminal justice issues and research experience, either qualitative or quantitative

Description of placement:

Interns will gain an in-depth understanding of current criminal justice issues and advocacy efforts
Engage in research and analysis to support and contribute to current projects at Wren
Work on many of the issues plaguing the criminal justice system in Houston with as many tools as possible including:
- Data analysis
- Persuasive writing
- Direct support and action
- Elevating the stories of communities who bear the brunt of the system.

Wren regularly works with the community and has sponsored the Statewide Leadership Council, a group of formerly incarcerated activists working to change the system.

LRME interns will likely do some work with this group in order to enhance their understanding of how the system can impact individuals.

Mentor Bio

Jay Jenkins - Harris County Project Attorney

Jay graduated from Northwestern Law School in 2009 and got his Bachelor's in Biology and Classical Languages from Wake Forest University.

Houston Climate Justice Museum

Sector - Nonprofit

Social Issue - Environmental Justice and Climate Change

Houston Climate Justice Museum seeks to tackle environmental justice issues and climate change and rethink the role of museums.

This internship will be hybrid: Roughly 2 days a week in person, 2 days virtual, but flexible. Transportation is great but not necessary. There is no requirement that the student have their own car.

Placement requirements:

Interest in interdisciplinary work across art, science, and activist realms.
Passion for environmental justice and climate change both locally and abroad.
Desire to help build and shape a newly formed organization.
Interest in history of museums and collection practices.
Desire to connect and work across social and geographic boundaries within Houston.

Description of placement:

Build coalition among HCJM's community partners and networks.
Exhibition and programs research.
Connect with artists and scientists working on environmental and climate subjects.
Support with digitial and social media campaigns.
Potential projects include:
- Planning and organizing a public art or science program at the meseum from inception to action
- Creating a climate change education curriculum for HISD middle and high school students

Mentor Bio

Aaron Ambroso

Aaron is an art historian, educator, writer, and museum professional. He grew up as an artist and worked in museums in North Carolina and Houston before co-founder the Houston Climate Justice Museum.

Can museums be forces for change and places of collaboration between scientists, activists, communities, artists, and historians? The stories we tell about the environment are a matter of survival!

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