Tow Foundation Public Service Interns

Molly Alexander is a rising senior at Barnard College majoring in English and Human Rights. She will be graduating in 2025 and hopes to get a masters in Human Rights followed by a law degree. Her goal is to be a human rights lawyer and to advocate for those in need. She will be working in refugee resettlement with Catholic Charities Community Services NY. 

Nicole Chang, originally from Brazil and Taiwan, is a Human Rights - Education major with a keen interest in international affairs. Nicole spent her summer working with The Tibet Fund,  a non-profit organization committed to safeguarding and advancing Tibetan culture while enhancing the well-being of Tibetan communities across South Asia.

Tali Beckwith-Cohen is a history major and a coordinator with the Columbia Housing Equity Project. This summer, she will be interning at Broadway Community Inc, a homeless stabilization shelter in Morningside Heights.

Mahabuba Masud is passionate about pursuing public service work at the intersection of public health and advocacy. In her Tow Foundation Public Service Internship, she will work on projects related to healthcare policy and provide constituent services to the people of New York at the Office of United States Senator Gillibrand.

Sheza Sheikh is a first-year majoring in political science with a minor in human rights on the pre-law track. She is interested in family and immigration law, interning at The Bronx Defenders within their Family Defense Practice during the summer.

Sydney Johnson is a rising senior majoring in Anthropology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality studies. This summer, she will serve as a Communications Intern at Gay Men’s Health Crisis, the world’s first HIV/AIDS service organization.

Rose O'Brien is a student at Barnard College planning to graduate in 2025 with a major in Urban Studies with a Political Science Specialization.  As part of the Tow Foundation Public Service Internship Program, Rose will be working with Sanctuary for Families to help survivors of gender violence gain legal support. Following graduation, Rose is interested in pursuing law school to continue work in the field of public interest law.

Amanda Cassel is a rising senior interested in the environment and land use regulation. This summer, Amanda will be interning at Preservation of Affordable Housing within the legal department. POAH produces essential services such as housing, access to schooling and public transportation, and community-rooted resources that promote economic mobility.

Elise Penn is an Economics major with a concentration in Human Rights. This summer, Elise is thrilled to join the Education Law Advocacy Project at SMRLS, where she’ll support the Project's mission of empowering families and ensuring that every child has access to equal educational opportunities.

Julia Rose French is a sophomore at Barnard studying Political Science and minoring in Spanish and Economics. This summer she will be interning at Congressman Adriano Espaillat's office (District 13) in Harlem, New York. 

Kelsey Wu is hoping to pursue a major in history or sociology on the pre-law track. Kelsey is excited to be a part of the Tow Foundation Public Service Interns 2024 cohort and is honored to receive the assistance of this program for her summer internship this year with the Beyond Earth Institute where she will be conducting research within the field of space policy.

Samantha Obel is majoring in political science with a minor in science and public policy. This summer, she is interning for the League of Women Voters Illinois, working specifically with Voter Services. She will also be helping out with Vote411, a "'one-stop-shop' for election related information."