Impact Interns has partnered with The David Reznick Foundation this year to support public policy students interested in housing, community development, and social justice. The Foundation works to carry on the legacy of David Reznick '59, a legend in the affordable housing industry, who dedicated his career to improving accessibility to affordable housing and academic opportunity.
This summer, University of Maryland students are spending their break driving meaningful change through hands-on internships with mission-driven organizations. Through the Do Good Institute’s Impact Interns program, more than 90 undergraduate and graduate students have been placed in paid roles at over 70 social impact organizations.
The professional development and leadership initiative connects passionate students with meaningful opportunities that help them gain experience, build networks and explore careers in the social sector.
This summer’s intern cohort brings a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives, all united by a shared interest in social impact," said Catherine Curtis, program coordinator at the Do Good Institute. We’re eager to see how their experiences this summer will inform their paths moving forward.Catherine Curtis
Students are contributing to causes ranging from public health and education to sustainability and the arts. Interns are supporting host organizations through communications, research, advocacy, program development and more. This summer’s cohort represents more than 10 academic colleges at UMD and includes students from diverse academic backgrounds.
Meet the Summer 2025 Impact Interns
- Zaniah Anderson-Mckoy, The Giving Square
- Jessica Andres, Miriam's Kitchen
- Blossom Anyanwu, EPIC HOMESCHOOL NETWORK, INC.
- Yasmin Aouchria, Georgetown Ministry Center
- Yessenia Arevalo, Central Kenilworth Avenue Revitalization Community Development Corporation
- Rina Aschemann, University of Maryland Counseling Center Research Unit
- Ruth Ayele, The Be. Org Inc
- Charles Baggett, THE FORUM on Democracy
- Corey Bast, CSR Communications and Global Impact
- Agatha Baum, Chess Girls DC
- Jeffrey Beamer, Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop
- Mya Blagmon, Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services, Inc.
- Sophie Bose, ecoLatinos
- Dhrumil Burad, College of Info Shady Grove
- Kairy Castro Barrios, Housing Initiative Partnership and MCAEL (Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy)
- Cypress Chen, UMD Terp Farm
- Syuan-Yin Chen, High Voltage
- Alex Choiniere, Union of Concerned Scientists
- Nilanjan Chowdhury, DC History Center and Heart of America
- Calvin Chrisfield, American Rivers
- Rip Cornish, Black Business Council, Inc.
- Vatsal Doshi, Tech Turn Up
- Megan Dougherty, The Abramson Scholarship Foundation
- Makaila Dzikunu, Endo Black Incorporated
- Lana Edler, Baltimore Black Dance Collective
- Ashley Eisenberg, The Dented Puck Foundation
- Varsha Erapogla, University of Maryland Capital Region Health
- Bridget Fannon, The PEACES Collective
- Julia Fay, Generation Hope
- Annyee Foo, The SEED Foundation
- Daniela Gava Duarte, City Year Washington, DC
- Christine Gomes, Bethesda Green
- Emma Gray, Ward 8 Woods Conservancy, Inc
- Jordan Harris, Phenomenal Women's Health, Inc
- Sofia Hasrat, Maryland League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
- Braylen Haynes, University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC) Office of Community Outreach
- Rachael Ingobo, B-360
- Nia Jolivet, EducArte
- Sarika Kapadia, Generation SERVE
- Brea Karunwi, Stillborn And Infant Loss Support (SAILS)
- Simone Keenan, UMD Campus Pantry
- Isabel Kentell, Anacostia Riverkeeper
- Ayana Khan, College of Info Shady Grove
- Michelle Kim, Waverly Main Street
- Sannidhi Korisepati, The 2nd Lt. Richard W. Collins III Foundation
- Pragya Kumar, Down Syndrome Network of Montgomery County, Inc.
- Rowan Kuske, RISE Arts Center
- Elizabeth Laplante, DC SCORES
- Hana Lee, DC History Center
- Jamie Lee, Create Arts Center
- Jason Lu, I Will Survive, Inc.
- Michelle Lui, Blossoms of Guyana
- Isaac Luttenberg, The SEED Foundation
- Manish Malhotra, Smalltimore Homes
- Alizeh Malik, Girls Inc. of the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area
- Elaina Mangum, National Black Cultural Information Trust, Inc.
- Isabel Mathews, Court Appointed Special Advocates/Prince George’s County
- Sydney McVicker, Stella's Girls, Inc.
- Jury Medrano Jimenez, ecoLatinos
- Kaylee Mendoza-Diaz, Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop
- Ellie Meyerstein, The Vegetarian Resource Group/Vegan Journal
- Grace Mika, Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services, Inc.
- Ibrahim Ahmed Mohammed, Stella's Girls, Inc.
- Therese Muraya, ECO City Farms
- Mubassira Nur, The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health
- Benjamin Odofin, Everyday Canvassing
- Oluwatoyin Olaniyi, Central Kenilworth Avenue Revitalization Community Development Corporation
- Esohe Owie, Public Health Science Program at University of Maryland
- Leyla Park, Y-KNOT Inc.
- Adele Pasturel, Exponent Philanthropy
- Christina Perumattathil, For Love of Children
- Loretta Pulwer, Everyday Canvassing
- Katherine Ringer, I Will Survive, Inc.
- Ally Rizzo, The Young, Black, and Giving Back Institute
- Tanuja Shastri, The PEACES Collective
- Yifan Shen, Vikara Village®
- Irving Shi, Existential Heroism Institute
- Fransiska Silitonga, Diamonds on the Rise
- Dhanush Prakash Sukruth, Existential Heroism Institute
- Kassia Tefera, Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services, Inc.
- Kibron Tesfatsion, Community Advocates for Family and Youth (CAFY)
- Mahi Thakkar, There Goes My Hero
- Matt Tomlinson, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington
- An Tran, Smith Center for Healing and the Arts
- Kathy Tran, TasteWise Kids Inc
- Charlotte Traub, Team River Runner
- Ishani Tyagi, Economic Action Maryland Fund
- Abbey Vanasse, The Alice Ferguson Foundation
- Mahika Vedire, TasteWise Kids Inc
- Khadija Wane, Arts for the Aging, Inc.
- Xiao Warren, Suburban Hospital
- Chaltu Watkins, The Vegetarian Resource Group/Vegan Journal
- Caitlin Yan, The Phillips Collection
- Leah Zahniser, Maryland League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
About the Program
The Impact Interns program, administered by the Do Good Institute at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy, provides students with paid, mission-driven internship experiences in the nonprofit and social impact sector. Since its launch, the program has become a vital opportunity for emerging changemakers to gain real-world experience and forge lasting connections. Learn more about the Impact Interns program at go.umd.edu/impactinterns.