Preparing the next generation of leaders remains a key constituent for the Commission. The MCSW’s internship program aims to encourage young women and men from various backgrounds to become more involved in understanding and addressing women’s issues. We welcome undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students and offer different positions so that we can collaboratively work to achieve our goals and meet the needs of women state-wide.
The MCSW seeks responsible, conscientious, and pro-active individuals with a sincere interest in women’s issues, social justice, and civic engagement. Applicants should demonstrate strong writing and organizational skills and should be willing to take initiative for new assignments. They must be motivated, open-minded, and have a positive attitude around others. While interns are encouraged to suggest which position they are interested in undertaking, they will not be limited to a particular area as many of our tasks are collaborative in nature.
The below positions are our typical available internships available. However, there no available positions at this time. Please check back soon for additional updates.
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Program and Planning Intern (Reports to Program and Research Director)
- Assist with the coordination of MCSW public hearings and other governmental and legislative business
- Contribute to the planning of the MCSW’s annual Girls Empowerment Leadership Initiative (GELI), Commonwealth Heroine Celebration, and Advocacy Day events
- Support and contribute to activities of the Program and Planning Committee
Marketing & Communications Intern (Reports to Communications & Marketing Director)
- Assist in designing graphics for social media and state government communications
- Updating and/or creating media lists, and obtaining media coverage for Commission events
- Updating Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter pages
- Contributing to website design and graphic design
- Tracking Press hits for MCSW
Regional Commissions Intern (Reports to Regional Commissions Director)
- Assist with the coordination of public hearings
- Contribute to the support and overall success of all 11 MCSW Regional Commissions
- Support and contribute to activities of the Program and Planning Committee
Admin & Finance Intern (Reports to Administration & Finance Director)
- Assist in tracking financial spending
- Contribute to template creations to streamline reporting process
- Processing inquiries and assist with other administrative tasks
How to Apply
If you wish to apply for an internship, please submit a résumé and a cover letter to MCSW@mass.gov stating your reasons for applying. Please be sure to address any specific position(s) within the commission that interest you, and your dates and hours of availability. Please include the following in the subject link: Internship Applicant.
Internships are available to students during the fall, spring, and summer terms, but we also host students during other respective college terms/quarters. We have no available positions at this time, check back soon for additional updates.
Past Intern Testimonials
Spring 2023
Yanli Lu, Boston College, Graduate Student
"My passion for contributing to the women's field appeared very early, so I pursued degree from Boston College in Macro Social Work with the Children, Youth, & Families concentration. Born in Chongqing, China, I understand the issues first-generation students face every day. As the program and research intern with the MCSW for 2022-2023, I care deeply about social issues and hope to transfer my passion to real power to make some better change for the world."
Fall 2022
Julia Steiner, Tufts University
"As the Communications and Marketing Intern at the MCSW, I am able to bring my experience as the Creative Director of my student magazine, the Tufts Observer, to the table. Student journalism has taught me about the importance of giving people a platform for their voices to be heard, and I love that the MCSW does the same thing. I am passionate about design and am thrilled to be able to use my design skills to help the MCSW engage with the public and communicate the work they do."
Camier Hall, Boston College, Graduate Student
“Becoming an intern at MCSW through my graduate program has been a very rewarding experience. I am grateful to continue working here this summer and I am excited for what is to come!”
Campbell Devlin, Tufts University
“I have really enjoyed my time with the commission and the connections that I have been able to make with this internship. Working with the commission has allowed me to use my women’s and gender studies degree to support feminist political progress and make an authentic impact on the legislative process."
Amelia Oliver, Tufts University
“Working with the Commission on the Status of Women has given me the opportunity to witness feminist discourse in politics in real time. I have deeply appreciated the wisdom I have gained through my experiences with this internship, and I am looking forward to the great work our team will accomplish this fall, continuing my work as an advocacy and outreach intern."
Jada Okoye, New York University
“I’ve truly enjoyed being able to sit in meetings with so many wonderful coalitions and listen to their plans for justice, equity and assistance within the Commonwealth. I’m so appreciative that I’ve been able to see specific acts climb the legislative ladder or become law. It can be challenging and even disheartening to see coalitions that have fought relentlessly be unsuccessful in their endeavors, but the fight for advocacy always continues.”
Jaylene Tiscareno, Boston College, Graduate Student
"Being a part of the MCSW team as a Community and Outreach intern and contributing to the work that is being done is a wonderful experience. Working within the intersectionality of politics and social justice activism is crucial to progressing our future. I am excited to continue working with the MCSW and being a part of what lies ahead.”
Summer 2022
Elli Cho, Tufts University
“Working with the Commission on the Status of Women this summer gave me the opportunity to exercise my passion for social justice surrounding women's rights. I have loved my time with the Commission and the work we accomplished this summer contributing to gender equity and justice in Mass."
Summer 2018
Sadie LoGerfo-Olsen, Bowdoin College
"My time as the Legislative Intern proved to be exciting, humbling, frustrating and rewarding; all critical aspects of public policy and state government. It was most enjoyable to have the unique opportunity to represent the Commission in my writing, but also during meetings with legislators and their aides. Overall, I enjoyed strategizing about our legislative goals and learning how to gracefully navigate politics, overlapping agendas, and competing ambitions. I look forward to bringing my experiences with the MCSW to my next endeavor in the women’s rights field."
Spring 2018
Laura Ingraham, Oberlin College
"My internship at MCSW has helped solidify my interest in public policy and sharpen my professional skills. This opportunity provided me with insight to the legislative process and showed me how important public outreach efforts are to achieving equality. One of the most rewarding moments of this internship was seeing a bill we supported, the “NASTY Women Act,” signed into law at the State House."
Fall 2017
Shannon O'Doherty, UMass Lowell
"I have had internships in state agencies in the past, but interning at MCSW has been the most fulfilling internship so far. At MCSW I felt less like an intern and more like a respected staff member. As the legislative intern at the Commission I was able to research and watch legislation that directly affects women in Massachusetts be voted on and signed into law, which was tremendously rewarding. Being able to work in an environment with motivated women who make it their mission to advocate for all women throughout Massachusetts has been a life changing experience."
Alicia Espinosa, Boston University
"My time at MCSW has helped solidify my desire to work in government when I graduate and to develop the skills I need to succeed in that field. I have learned about the different aspects of the work in which advisory commissions engage and some of the realities of public administration. One exciting moment was seeing the vote on a bill which establishes more regional commissions in the state house."
Ruth Fuller, Clark University
"Interning at the MCSW gave me an inside look at the long, detailed, and rewarding process of crafting and advocating for legislation. I was inspired by the hard work that went into passing recent legislation for the women of the commonwealth such as the ACCESS Bill and Equal Pay Bill."
Brianna Driscoll, Suffolk University
"Throughout my time at the MCSW, I feel as though I have honed my professional skills. Also, when I began my internship, I was questioning what career field to go into. Recently, I have decided to pursue public health and the MCSW has provided me with the legislative aspect of healthcare. I have really enjoyed seeing the successes of the MCSW and the way healthcare ideology can make it into practice."
Summer 2017
Sarah Chin, Tufts University
"Interning at MCSW was my first foray into state government and it couldn’t have been a better experience. As a small organization, interns are given a lot of responsibility, as well as the opportunity to do important and meaningful work. Not only did I hone my professional skills, but I learned so much about the challenges facing women in Massachusetts. It was incredibly inspiring to work in an office where everyone is so committed to fighting for gender equality."
Kate Vanier, Skidmore College
"Working at the MCSW has been uplifting and comforting in the sense that I am surrounded by smart, driven, and politically active women. After personally working with pieces of state legislation that would improve women’s lives both at home and at work, I am inspired to do more to work towards these goals every day. My internship has made me a more well-rounded, educated woman who is ready to pursue a career in law."
Morgan Trevett, Georgetown University
"My internship with the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women taught me how bodies within the state government can act as a voice for the people and advocate for their interests. Above all, I obtained a deeper understanding for the issues that women across the Commonwealth still face every day, and the strong network of women’s commissions and organizations that are dedicated to combating them through services and political representation. The MCSW is a testament to how much women in Massachusetts have achieved and the work that we will continue to put in to close the gender gap."
Sophie Zamarripa, Tufts University
"My internship at the MCSW has provided me with incredible and useful skills for doing work to advance women in the future. This internship strengthened my ability to communicate with others to advance equality, and was a great way to get to know peers who are interested in doing some of the same things that I am. This experience provided me with a background and a foundation on the current progression of women’s rights through legislation and advocacy."
Jordan Moskwiak, University of Tennessee
"My time with the MCSW was invaluable. It gave me the opportunity to see what the inner workings of a commission are and to do so alongside other young women who are equally as passionate about women’s rights as I am. Because of this internship, I am now more confident than ever that I want to be involved in some capacity with advocating on behalf of women in the future."
Alexis Serino, Tufts University
"The MCSW provides its interns with eye-opening and hands-on experience with the legislative process. During my internship, I was able to attend multiple hearings on our sponsored bills; most notably, I witnessed the enactment of one of our priority pieces of legislation, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H3680). I also gained valuable legislative research skills, as one of my main projects for the summer was to research and draft testimony for An Act Establishing Just Schedules for Employees (H3144)."