Brandeis Stories

World of Work fellowship brings students across the globe

Internships can provide students with amazing opportunities and experience, but they aren’t always financially accessible. The World of Work Fellowship changes that for Brandeis students.

Declan at the New England Aquarium
Declan Tsuyuki ’25, poses for a portrait at the New England Aquarium, where he is interning as part of the WOW fellowship program.

By Kennedy Ryan
Photography by Dan Holmes and Gaelen Morse
August 18, 2023

Overseen by the Hiatt Career Center, the World of Work (WOW) Fellowship provides a stipend to students participating in unpaid summer internships.

Since its founding in 2008, more than 500 Brandeis students have participated in this competitive program, experiencing the summer of a lifetime in internships across the world.

This year, 45 students received stipends of up to $6,000 to participate in internships at a wide range of workplaces across the globe, from the Jewish Public Library Archives in Montreal, to the Massachusetts State House and the New England Aquarium.

“Hands-on learning during internships plays a critical role in helping students discover what comes next in their careers,” said Jon Schlesinger, Director of Hiatt. “We’re incredibly thankful to our donors who’ve made these vital experiences more attainable for so many Brandeis students.”

Declan speaking with two people at the New England Aquarium.

Bringing the coursework to the sea

As a summer intern at the New England Aquarium, Declan Tsuyuki ’25 turned his environmental studies knowledge into engaging conversations about ocean conservation.
Aviva in front of the Massachusetts State House.

In the room where it happens

Thanks to a WOW Fellowship and a classroom connection, Aviva Gornick ’25 spent her summer at the Massachusetts State House, turning her passion for women’s issues into hands-on experience in policy, advocacy and public service.
Dina at the Jewish Public Library Archives.

Connecting to the past, discovering her future

Driven by a passion for Yiddish, Dina Gorelik ’24 spent a semester in Montreal uncovering and preserving Jewish history at the Jewish Public Library Archives.
Lucas taking a water sample from a river.

Take him to the river

Through an internship with the Hoosic River Watershed Association, Lucas Forman ’24 gained hands-on experience in environmental monitoring — translating classroom skills into real-world impact.