About the Program

The Graduate Center Office of Career Planning and Professional Development facilitates partnerships with local institutions to host graduate student internships. The opportunities are meant to encourage graduate students to explore diverse career options, while developing skills and experience that will advance their career goals.

Since 2018, the Altfest Graduate Internship Program has invited students to create their own internship opportunity at an organization that best suits their academic interests and/or professional goals. Students who find a summer internship with an organization may then apply to the Altfest Graduate Internship Program for funding. The program provides $4,000 for the summer; interns are expected to work a minimum of 120 total hours. The manner in which these hours are completed can be flexible, and will be agreed upon with the host during the application process. The Office of Career Planning & Professional Development is happy to assist students with their internships searches.

The Altfest Graduate Internship Program is generously funded by Drs. Karen C. and Lewis J. Altfest, alumni of the Graduate Center.

Applying for Funding

Positions are open to PhD and Master’s students. Students must be currently enrolled at the Graduate Center to apply.

Applications should include the following documents:

• A current CV or resume
• A one-page document explaining how the internship would further your career goals
• An email or letter from an employer confirming that you have been offered an internship with an organization
• The name and contact information of a professional reference.

Ideally, any proposed internship should help you:

• Gain exposure to career trajectories in the field
• Learn how an organization works, its structure, goals and the roles within it
• Identify ways in which you can expand your range of career options
• Build relationships that expand your personal and professional network

Applications should be submitted through GC Connect, the Office of Career Planning & Professional Development’s job and internship database. (To locate the opportunity, simply search under job postings for Altfest Internship.) If you plan to apply but have not used GC Connect, you can access detailed instructions through our website.

The annual call for applications is typically posted to GC Connect near the beginning of the spring semester. The number of funded internships may vary from year to year.

Previous Altfest Award Recipients

2021 Recipients

• Deena Ecker (History) – The Gotham Center
• Kyong Mazzaro (Political Science) – International Center for Transitional Justice
• Alexis M. Rodda (Music) – Elysium Between Two Continents

2020 Recipients

• Sara Babad (Psychology) – Zucker Hillside Hospital
• Irina Fanarraga (Criminal Justice) – Kings County DA’s Office
• Antonios Liamis (Digital Humanities) – Museum of the Moving Image
• Tyche E. Sibinga (Data Visualization) – TWO-N

2019 Recipients

• Miriam Atkin (English) – Litmus Press
• Emily Holloway (MALS) – The Gotham Center
• Ashley Marinaccio (Theatre & Performance) – Ashtar Theatre
• Kasey Zapatka (Sociology) – NYC Dept. of Housing Preservation & Development

2018 Recipients

• Demet Arpacik (Urban Education) – Unmentionables
• Hillary Donnell (Political Science) – Coro New York Leadership Center
• Cass Lowry (Linguistics) – Pesvebi Georgian Cultural Center
• Nisha Ramracha (MALS) – American Numismatics Society
• Anders Wallace (Anthropology) – Paideia Institute for Humanistic Study

2017 Recipients

• Nicholas Pehlman (Political Science) – Office of the Inspector General for the NYPD
• Alexsandr Segal (MALS) – Open House New York
• Lynne Stillings (Music) – Global Fund for Women
• Laura Sywulak (Psychology) – ExpandED Schools
• Kikuko Tanaka (MALS) – The Brooklyn Rail

2016 Recipients

• Kyla Bender-Baird (Sociology) – Global Fund for Women
• Adam M. McMahon (Political Science) – Salon Media Group
• Gwendolyn Shaw (Art History) – Open House New York