RCPI Internships and Research

Students engaged with the work of the Religion, Conflict and Peace Initiative have an opportunity to pursue a seven-week summer internship experience on site with organizations in the case study areas of RCPI’s focus. Internships can be pursued in a variety of fields including (but not limited to) government, humanitarian aid, journalism, environmental sustainability, education, public health, law, design, theater, the arts, and human rights. Application is required and students who participate in the January term course will be given priority and will be required to attend a seminar during the spring semester in preparation.  

For more information, contact RCPI Coordinator Reem Atassi

See Past RCPI Student Internships

Summer 2020

Jacob

Jacob Ellis

MA in Regional Studies, Middle East, GSAS '21

Jacob is pursuing his Master’s in Regional Studies, Middle East. As a dual Israeli-American citizen, Jacob lived in Israel for four years and served in the IDF. His experience as a combat soldier drastically changed his ideas on Israel and Palestine, as he was exposed to the harsh realities that are present throughout this complex region. Having had time to reflect on what this experience has meant to him; Jacob has been inspired to pursue progress and peace. His goal at Harvard is to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to be in a position to make a difference.... Read more about Jacob Ellis

Kathryn

Kathryn Falk

MA in Middle Eastern Studies, CMES '21

Kathryn is in her first year of the Master’s program in Middle Eastern Studies at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and is planning to focus her research on the historical legacies and present manifestations of divide and rule policies in Israel-Palestine, particularly how this is exhibited in the legal situation of Palestinians. This summer, she is hoping to intern for B’Tselem and assist with their documentation work of human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories. More specifically, she hopes to provide support in researching, drafting, and editing content for B’Tselem’s website on issues related to Israeli planning policy and communities facing expulsion in the West Bank.... Read more about Kathryn Falk

A headshot of Yaseen Hashmi

Yaseen Hashmi

MTS, HDS '21

Yaseen is pursuing a Master’s in Theological Studies, focusing on religion, politics, and ethics. He spent his summer interning with the US-based NGO 1for3 which serves the needs of Palestinian refugees in the West Bank in the areas of water, food, health, and education. His work was to support online delivery of 1for3’s fundraising and advocacy. This included transferring 1for3’s programs and fundraising efforts to a consistent online format through content creation for their website, social media outlets, and newsletter. He also curated informative webinars worked on social media influencing, marketing, and website design/interpretation. This was especially critical during COVID-19 as 1for3’s efforts to increase fundraising and program awareness activities online.

... Read more about Yaseen Hashmi

Matthew

Matthew Kenny

MEd, HGSE '20

Matthew graduated in May 2020 with a Masters in Education concentrating in Human Development and Psychology, with a particular interest in creating programs for students to better understand themselves, and their relationships with their communities, by cultivating personal narratives of purpose. Working jointly with Jacob Ellis, he will be applying his interests in narrative psychology with the Center for Jewish Nonviolence to produce a film project (“Narratives  of Co-Resistance”)  highlighting  the personal narratives of Israelis, Palestinians, and Internationals working in solidarity together. In these interviews, topics include personal motivations for engaging in co-resistance work, current projects and insights, and future aspirations.

... Read more about Matthew Kenny

nana

Nana-Korantema Koranteng

MA in Middle Eastern Studies, CMES '21

Nana-Korantema is a Master of Arts in Middle Eastern studies candidate at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies interested in the interdisciplinary study of conflict and state transformation in the Middle East. This summer she will be completing a remote internship with the Haifa, Israel based Kayan Feminist Organization. Kayan is an Arab feminist organization focusing on advancing the status of Arab Palestinian women in Israel through grassroots organizing. Nana will be assisting the director of communications increasing its English language materials as well as conducting research in order to write reports on the implications of UN Conventions as they relate to the experience of Palestinian women in Israel.

... Read more about Nana-Korantema Koranteng

Joseph

Joseph Leone

MPP, HKS '21

Joseph is a Master's in Public Policy candidate at the Harvard Kennedy School, focusing on human rights and social justice, particularly in Palestine, the Levant, and the United States. He is also currently a Research and Investigations Fellow with Physicians for Human Rights. Joseph participated in the 2020 RCPI J-Term trip and spent the summer as an intern with the human rights organization B'Tselem, based in Jerusalem. In this role, he conducted a comparative analysis of the apartheid practices of both South Africa and Israel to identify key similarities and differences between these two systems of oppression. He is also an editor for the Progressive Policy Review and the Journal of Middle East Politics and Policy at HKS. Joseph is deeply thankful for his experiences with RCPI and all he has learned from both the team and his peers.

... Read more about Joseph Leone

Sarah Sturm

Sarah Sturm

MTS, HDS '20

Sarah recently graduated with a Master’s in Theological Studies, focusing on religion, politics, and ethics. An alum of the J-term course of 2019 where she spent a summer internship in Jerusalem working with AIDA, Sarah will be spending this summer working remotely with Telos, an organization working to form communities of American peacemakers with a focus on the Holy Land by equipping them with intellectual and pedagogical tools to help reconcile. Sarah’s unique skillset and experience will provide much needed support in (a) refining and updating existing peacemaking curricula; (b) assisting the ongoing development of new programming aimed at supporting activism among faith-based communities; (c) reconceptualizing and updating our resource lists; and (d) providing strategic communications support. 

... Read more about Sarah Sturm

Manami

Manami Uechi

MMSc in Global Health Delivery, HMS '20

Manami received her Master of Medical Sciences in Global Health Delivery at the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She previously worked with UNRWA to implement an innovative health care system. She is a licensed Medical Doctor who received her clinical training in Indonesia. This summer, Manami interned with 1for3’s Health for Palestine (H4P) team creating health education video modules and to study the effectiveness of the modules on the healthcare delivery in the UNRWA camps.

... Read more about Manami Uechi

Summer 2019

Edward Ablang

Edward Ablang

RCPI Student Internship Alumni

Edward is a first-year Master of Theological Studies student, focusing on Religion, Ethics, and Politics. He will be interning at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, the main hub of orchestral training for Palestinian communities, promoting cultural and national identity through music education. In Ramallah and throughout the region, he will teach violin to refugee children and help the launch of a national music competition. His contribution is in support of Palestinian artistic life, recognizing music as a form of healing and peacebuilding to address cultural violence.

Azmera

Azmera Hammouri-Davis

Azmera is a Master of Theological Studies student, focusing on African/American Religions. She interned at the Ramallah Girls Friends School, the primary international education institution for Palestinian youth, promoting cultural identity and English literacy through arts education. She taught Fourth grade English with the "I Know I Can" summer camp, inspired by Afro-American rap artist Nasir Jones, as well directed a social and racial justice awareness showcase to K-12 Palestinian students, fostering resilience and critical pedagogy through hip hop and Capoeira(Afro-Brazilian Martial Art).

Bridget

Bridget Power

Bridget will be graduating in May 2019 with a Master of Divinity degree. She will spend her summer with Just Vision, a media production company that seeks to increase the power and reach of Palestinians and Israelis working to end the occupation and build a future of freedom, dignity, and equality for all. Bridget will be assisting Just Vision's Director of Education and Outreach in Palestine in organizing screenings of Just Vision's newest film, Naila and the Uprising. Bridget will also be capturing footage for a short video about Just Vision's education and outreach efforts.

Tim Steckler

Tim Steckler

Tim is an Ed.M. student concentrating in International Education Policy, with a particular interest in utilizing theatre and the arts as educational tools for disadvantaged populations, including refugees and others facing post-conflict hardships. He will be applying his skills in theater at A.M. Qattan Foundation in Ramallah. He will specifically work with the Foundation's Public Program, which focuses on creating events and activities specifically meant to draw in the wider public into its educational framework. He will develop artistic-related programming using Forum Theatre, other kinds of non-fiction drama, and public humanist methods meant to foster critical thinking, realization of personal and communal agency, and civic engagement.

Giiti Wassie

Giiti Wassie

Giiti is pursuing a master’s degree in International Education Policy and is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley with an Ethnic Studies and English Literature degree. Upon graduation, Giiti will be spending her summer in Amman, Jordan doing an internship with UNICEF’s country office focusing on child protection in support of the development of a knowledge management strategy for the MENA Regional Office Child Protection section.