Kathryn interned at the Boston Planning Department as a member of the Comprehensive Planning Team, focused on advancing Boston’s Squares and Streets Initiative. This initiative prioritizes affordable housing, small business preservation, cultural heritage, and sustainable transportation in underdeveloped neighborhoods. She collaborated with project managers to assess the impact of redevelopment on local communities. She took a pivotal role in facilitating ten community engagement events, connecting with a wide array of stakeholders, from small business owners to the city’s youth, enhancing her collaboration and communication skills. Kathryn was also instrumental in analyzing critical themes from these engagements, contributing to the final drafts of redevelopment plans for these areas. 

In addition, Kathryn supported the finance team during a significant transition, reviewing and adjusting the department’s budget as it came under the direct control of the Mayor and the City of Boston. This experience sharpened her skills in pro forma analysis, Excel, PowerPoint, and deepened her understanding of the intricate collaboration required between city officials and the private sector. Looking ahead, Kathryn is eager to apply the insights gained from this internship as she transitions into the private sector, with a particular interest in investment management and real estate. She is committed to leveraging her experience to continue promoting equity and driving positive change in the communities she serves.

Jack interned at Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, working on deep energy retrofit project funding, development financing and documentation, and sustainability. Utilizing his skills with Python and Excel, he analyzed solar data for all 63 properties owned or operated by CSNDC to guarantee the greatest tax benefits possible and ensure accurate sustainability reporting. He also compiled data surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion on construction sites overseen by CSNDC. This data proved that CSNDC met the DEI thresholds required to apply for grant financing allocated for deep energy retrofits distributed by the city of Boston and Massachusetts. Jack also worked on keeping CSNDC’s records accurate and up to date. 

Using his Python and Pandas knowledge, he seamlessly updated BERDO identification numbers, parcel ID numbers, and Eversource account numbers for all 82 building utility meters. Nearing the end of his internship, Jack worked on a financial waterfall for an in-progress development in Dorchester, which informed CSNDC where and how to allocate funding so that all stakeholders received the compensation they were entitled to. Overall, Jack had an informative and interesting summer that challenged his data analytics skills and exposed him to different sides of the real estate industry, including sustainability, finance, and development.

Patrick worked for the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, performing research for various policy evaluation and implementation purposes. He was first tasked with developing an interview and focus group process for gauging the effectiveness of the Supporting Pandemic Affected Community Enterprises (SPACE) Grant, a policy assisting businesses most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Patrick’s research will be used in conducting these interviews and focus groups, gaining invaluable data to assess whether the policy will be continued in the future.

He also performed critical research concerning business development and attracting, ascertaining effective strategies while finding businesses able to thrive in the city and synthesizing research reports to highlight Boston’s strength as a potential location for national and global firms. Patrick also assessed case studies and crafted policy recommendations for a potential future Vacant Property Registration Ordinance (VPRO) to assist the city in filling vacancies in storefronts. Throughout these projects, he harnessed his research and analytical skills while learning invaluable information about the policy implementation and evaluation processes of local government, skills he aims to use in future policy work.

Angelina played a pivotal role in the third round of the Supporting Pandemic Affected Community Enterprises (SPACE) Grant Program, where she was instrumental in evaluating and grading childcare and food businesses using a comprehensive scorecard. Her work extended to creating a detailed slide deck of all 23 awardees of the second round of the SPACE program to be presented to commercial banks and attract potential sources of funding. Beyond the SPACE program, Angelina demonstrated her initiative by creating a research report about the business attraction efforts that are being carried out by other US cities, including their tax benefits and support programs, in order to contribute to a pitch deck for the city of Boston.

To further streamline operations, Angelina developed a tracker to monitor business activity and engagement with small businesses. She extended her outreach to the Global Affairs team, supporting their efforts to attract international businesses to Boston by conducting comprehensive research on businesses interested in establishing a presence in Boston. Angelina plans to expand upon her summer experience by pursuing a career focusing on economic development initiatives within government.

Amy interned at the Joseph J. Corcoran Company, where she learned about real estate development, specifically in creating mixed-income housing in and around Boston. In her time at JJC, she had the opportunity to aid in developing several projects in various phases of development, working closely with the president and vice president of the company. She spent most of her time on the Innes redevelopment in Chelsea, which consists of 96 units of public housing, 40 units of middle-income housing, and 194 market-rate units. In this process, she attended weekly meetings at the Chelsea Housing Authority, interacted with low income residents during the process of returning to Innes, and helped to coordinate hardhat tours of the site with state and city officials. In addition to her time in Chelsea, Amy did extensive market research of existing residential buildings in areas where JJC is interested in implementing mixed-income housing.

This research included creating a master Excel spreadsheet for multiple cities and towns, with lists of comparable buildings, as well as their rents and amenities. Throughout the internship, Amy worked on a cumulative final article explaining the concept of mixed-income, how to finance it, its history, and current successes, that JJC can share on their website for people unfamiliar with mixed-income housing to read. Amy loved working at JJC as she got to witness all aspects of development, including real estate finance, construction, and management, and hopes to pursue development opportunities after graduation.

Tommy was placed at the Boston Planning and Development Agency, which was in the process of transitioning into the City of Boston’s Planning Department (BPD). His main project was the Squares Streets Initiative, a comprehensive planning strategy that looks at 10 main streets and smaller neighborhood subdivisions across Dorchester, Roxbury, Mission Hill, and Jamaica Plains in Boston. Each focus community requires over a dozen community meetings with small business owners, residents, and key community leaders; many respondents expressed distrust in the planning process due to past injustices. By gathering feedback and information at community engagement meetings, small business information, and parking usage data, Tommy helped organize and analyze the information to inform how the planners could better serve the communities they are working on.

Additionally, Tommy helped modernize their data collection methods through Excel, online surveys, and GIS mapping. Since the BPD has only begun work on 4 focus communities, Tommy’s work in cleaning up data collection, organization, and analysis can be implemented in each successive focus community, ensuring that the feedback from community members is always prioritized in all planning decisions.

Tom interned with the Business Development team at Shawmut Design andConstruction — one of the leading construction management firms in the Greater Boston area.Shawmut is most known for its academic and institutional construction projects and is expanding its variety of work, especially in the private sector. Tom helped conduct due diligence on a handful of Article 80 projects in the development pipeline, and he assembled a library of research on potential project partners, including developers and architects. Tom also studied several city planning initiatives and zoning reforms in Boston. Most importantly, Tom sought out the information most relevant from a construction standpoint and organized his research to be palatable for Construction Professionals.

Tom’s work equipped the Business Development team with the information it needs tohelp prepare Shawmut for upcoming construction, build and strengthen relationships withproject partners, bolster its bargaining position for upcoming projects, and anticipate futuredevelopment activity in Greater Boston. Beyond that, he helped the Team launch an internaleducation program where his market research will be presented routinely to ShawmutLeadership.

Halen interned at the Planning Office for Urban Affairs (POUA), a non-profit affordable housing developer in Boston. He conducted an in-depth analysis of six parcels owned by the Archdiocese of Boston for potential development. Collaborating with Elkus Manfredi, he created test fits and financial models to evaluate the feasibility of these projects. Leveraging these test fits, Halen partnered with The Lynch Foundation to engage in preliminary lobbying for a ‘Yes In God’s Backyard’ (YIGBY) bill. The bill aims to provide zoning relief for faith-based organizations interested in developing affordable multifamily housing. If passed, the bill could lead to the creation of up to 80,000 new housing units in Massachusetts, significantly alleviating the current housing crisis.

Halen also contributed to POUA’s ongoing projects, managing the preparation of requisitions for three developments and completing several loan and funding applications. Due to his effective contributions and strong fit with the team, Halen will continue working part-time with POUA during the academic year, focusing on the YIGBY bill and other current projects. He is excited to further explore real estate development and its intersection with policy, institutions, and communities.

At the Planning Office for Urban Affairs, Lukas helped investigate the potential faith-based organizations have in the provision of multi-family, affordable housing. Through this work, Lukas was able to help prepare the initial stages of six promising multi-family housing projects in Boston. Additionally, Lukas was also able to help lay the groundwork for a potential state-wide Massachusetts law that would enable faith-based organizations to create multi-family housing as of right, which could lead to the creation of up to 80,000 units of housing.

Through this work, Lukas was able to hone his research and analysis skills by analyzing several parcels and their surrounding areas, researching how the role of faith-based organizations in the provision of housing has evolved, and analyzing state-wide land survey records. Lukas also improved his presentation and communication skills whilst presenting his findings to several stakeholders in the field of real estate in Boston, from legislative officials to essential service providers. Moving forward, Lukas will continue to work with the Planning Office to try to further involve faith-based organizations in the provision of affordable housing and earn his degrees in Economics, Mathematics, and Data Science.

 Liv interned at the Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation (ABCDC) where she gained exposure to all aspects of the nonprofit affordable housing development process. Liv attended weekly Owner-Architect-Contractor on-site meetings at each of ABCDC’s active development projects and participated in the community review meeting where plans for an upcoming project were discussed with community members and stakeholders. Throughout her summer, Liv grew to understand how nonprofits finance projects and supported her team by preparing summaries of grant opportunities and drafting applications and quarterly reports to funding sources.

Liv also had the opportunity to attend events highlighting the importance of climate readiness in the real estate industry. ABCDC is a leader in this realm and is currently conducting deep energy retrofits at multiple properties. As a result of their climate-forward initiatives, Liv was able to provide logistical support to a Department of Energy Resources press conference celebrating funding for the Affordable Housing Decarbonization Grant Program, chosen to be held at an ABCDC property, the Brian J. Honan Apartments. Liv also attended Governor Healey’s signing of the Affordable Homes Act, the largest housing investment in state history. Liv looks forward to leveraging her experience with ABCDC through a career in real estate development and hopes to improve sustainability factors on large projects.

Samuel worked as a Community ServicesIntern with the International Institute of New England, a refugee resettlement agency in Boston.He specifically assisted their housing team in locating and negotiating apartment leases fornewly arrived refugees and asylum seekers. This involved creating a comprehensive list ofavailable apartments in the Boston area, calling landlords about availability and amenities,setting up apartments for arriving clients, and working with a translator to explain lease terms toIINE clients. Researching housing availabilities and speaking with landlords required Samuel toconsider the needs of refugee clients and their families. These needs included apartment space,furniture availability, child safety, rent affordability, access to public transportation, and theneighborhood environment. 

Once an apartment was found, Samuel worked with the housingteam to transport furniture, shop for cleaning materials and silverware, and structure theapartment to create a comfortable space. Once this was completed, Samuel would invite theclients to the apartment, have them meet with their new landlord, and sign their lease. Samuelaccomplished this by working with a translator. Using a client’s native dialect allowed them tounderstand their living arrangements. These meetings required clear communication so IINE clients could build a successful relationship with their landlords. When possible, Samuel was able to use some of his Spanish and Arabic skills to add further clarity. Repeating this process with multiple clients taught Samuel the importance of communication when locating housing for vulnerable populations.

Elise interned at Southwest Boston Community Development Corporation this summerresearching and implementing a plan for the organization to acquire and begin their owncommunity garden. She researched different land parcels and constructed a project proposal forthe organization. Her goal in researching and developing this proposal was to create a productthat the organization could utilize as they take on this project in the coming year. Throughinterviews with community partners and experts in urban farming, Elise was able to construct akey resource for the SWBCDC. 

Additionally, she launched a key marketing initiative anddeveloped a successful fundraising campaign for the organization’s yearly CommunityInvestment Tax Credit outreach. This campaign was developed through Instagram, Facebook,LinkedIn, and additional community outreach efforts that ended up enhancing the organization’scommunity engagement and presence through social media.

Abigail interned at the Mattapan Food & Fitness Coalition, a high-impact nonprofit and mission-driven organization focused on promoting healthy food, food access, and fitness in the community of Mattapan. She contributed to developing a new demographic data tracking system to streamline and report local food consumption survey data. The new system helped the organization better understand and address community needs and accurately reflect their work and impact on the Greater Boston community. Abigail worked on marketing and communication efforts for the organization, facilitating the distribution of city-sponsored coupons for community members. Through these initiatives, she helped promote awareness for weekly Farmer's Markets that support local small businesses and improve food access in Mattapan.

Additionally, she led and organized tabling events to provide SNAP and HIP information and resources to families. Abigail also volunteered on Saturdays at the Farmer's Markets, assisting with setup, engaging with vendors, and helping community members access fresh produce and healthy food options. Through this experience at MFFC, Abigail developed valuable skills in data analysis, public policy, and community action. She wishes to pursue a career in wealth or asset management, where she can leverage her analytical skills to make impactful financial decisions and contribute to portfolio growth.

Ed interned at BlueHub Capital, a Boston-based nonprofit community development financial institution dedicated to building healthy communities where low-income individuals live and work. He took the initiative to lead research on AI tools and hybrid meeting methodologies, aiming to enhance the hybrid work experience for both remote and in-office employees. Ed’s work began with a comprehensive analysis of BlueHub Capital’s operations, including the underwriting processes for construction and predevelopment loans, as well as a deep dive into the organization's HR management practices. Over the course of his 10-week internship, Ed spearheaded several significant projects. He developed a comprehensive OneNote analysis of AI applications for nonprofits, authored an 8-page company-wide AI policy recommendation, and crafted a detailed hybrid meeting management recommendation paper.

Additionally, Ed took ownership of systematizing furniture and planning information for BlueHub's new office in Boston. Beyond these projects, Ed proactively sought opportunities to broaden his expertise, participating in training sessions on CDFI, financial statements and accounting, and the Energy Fund. He also took the initiative to shadow colleagues in the Financial Planning & Analysis and the Loan Fund departments. The Corcoran Internship significantly deepened Ed’s passion for real estate and urban development. He established a real estate consulting company for international students and is also eager to contribute to new community development projects in small Lithuanian cities. 

This summer, Riley interned at the Newmarket Business Improvement District, where enhanced her analytical abilities, deepened her emotional resilience, and improved her interpersonal skills. While researching and writing about critical challenges in Boston's "Mass and Cass" area, such as overdose prevention centers and safe injection sites, Riley delved into the global approaches to the opioid epidemic. She developed a proposal on how Boston might consider implementing safe injection sites, reflecting a particular focus on the safety of the surrounding community.A particularly impactful aspect of Riley's internship was her work with the Newmarket Homeless Back2Work program.

This initiative is designed to support individuals experiencing homelessness and substance use disorder by providing workforce development and opportunities for reintegration into full-time employment. Riley worked closely with program members, helping them develop interview skills, create resumes, and apply for jobs. Through these one-on-one interactions, Riley not only supported their journeys back to employment but also learned to relate to people from diverse backgrounds, deepening her empathy and understanding of the unique challenges they face. 

Eliza interned at Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation (CSNDC), a grassroots community organization committed to developing affordable housing and fighting for racial and economic justice by building community power. Eliza primarily worked on authoring and co-authoring grant proposals to seek funds to complete different environmental justice and sustainable building practices, such as the implementation of drain water heat recovery systems, in-unit air sealing, electrification, low-flow aerators, and solar energy to help CSNDC comply with BERDO standards and improve their environmental footprint.

Eliza is most proud of her work on BERDO’s Equitable Emissions Investment Fund where she outlined proposed projects to help Washington Columbia I and Washington Columbia II decarbonize over 300 units and work towards complying with BERDO standards. Eliza researched emissions reductions and water, energy, and gas savings that would result from various upgrades to these buildings and strategically outlined specific improvements that were both cost-effective and significant emissions reductions. She compiled her research into a 12-page grant proposal, seeking $750,000 in funds. Eliza also worked alongside the Associate Director of Asset Management in completing a DOER and Climate Ready Housing Application grant, seeking over a million dollars. Additionally, Eliza spent a lot of time analyzing meter data for CSNDC-owned properties and outlined different solutions to decrease water, energy, and gas waste and increase efficiency. 

This summer, Jane contributed to impactful projects with the Community Assistance and Lending teams. She started by attending a Housing Institute, learning about the housing crisis in Massachusetts. Afterward, she compiled an executive summary from survey data and provided recommendations. Jane formatted Excel sheets to track invoices and projects, attended a groundbreaking ceremony, and visited affordable housing sites. She also created e-bulletins on zoning resources and reviewed town meetings for quotes on 3A proposals.

With the Lending Team, Jane focused on green housing initiatives, updating documentation on grants and programs in Boston and Massachusetts. She tracked transit-oriented developments (TOD), assisted in mapping TOD project locations, and drafted a memorandum recommending specific projects to EOHLC. Additionally, she oversaw the underwriting process using MHP’s model and participated in a site visit to evaluate a 40B project. This experience offered Jane valuable insights into housing challenges and financial mechanisms, enhancing her growth in real estate and community development.

Kayley had the opportunity to intern at Rebuilding Together Boston, a non-profit with the mission of “repairing homes, revitalizing communities, and rebuilding lives”. She worked largely on communications and marketing tasks, including managing and running social media campaigns, designing and writing newsletters, organizing data in Salesforce, calling applicants, website design, and spearheading civic advocacy outreach to other community groups.

 Kayley also had the chance to participate in and help organize two Rebuild days, where she got to interact with volunteers, homeowners, community center directors, and people from the community, as well as shadow the program manager in various home evaluations. Kayley is so grateful to have gotten to live out Rebuilding Together’s mission and to have learned so much about making affordable housing, aging in place, and sustainable repairs more accessible to homeowners in Boston. As she looks forward to her senior year, Kayley is excited to apply her newfound skills as she grows her passion for educational and community policymaking.

Teddy spent his summer at Utile, an architecture and urban design firm in Boston. As part of the urban design and planning team, he researched the MBTA Communities (3A) Law to inform Utile’s compliance and form-based code project in Hamilton, MA. Teddy learned GIS to perform building coverage, floor area ratio, and compliance analyses, which guided the subdistricting for Hamilton's form-based code.He helped map and visualize patterns in these subdistricts to highlight the differences across town and developed frameworks within the MBTA’s 3A Compliance model to assess potential compliance for each subdistrict. Teddy also created slide decks for public town meetings and used feedback from those events to adjust his original analyses.

Additionally, Teddy collaborated with the Roslindale Square team working with the new Squares + Streets Initiative, where he ran historical analyses to understand the evolution of the area’s defining features. He valued the opportunity to contribute to both quantitative and qualitative aspects of policy-related projects and enjoyed exposure to professionals and state representatives.Teddy looks forward to a career that combines his analytical skills with tangible problem-solving, building on his valuable experience at Utile.

 Kira interned at the Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH), a non-profit affordable housing developer, owner, and operator of over 13,000 units across 13 states. POAH specializes in the preservation of existing affordable housing as well as new construction, neighborhood-scale mixed-income development and mixed-use redevelopments. She was tasked with completing preliminary models for potential acquisitions and market studies about prospective markets to enter. Her research included the analysis of rents, sales volume, top sellers and buyers of real estate, and capitalization rates through a real estate database.

Additionally, she researched states’ specific policies regarding Low Income Housing Tax Credits, tax incentives for affordable housing, and any additional guidelines for organizations with non-profit status. Throughout her research for market studies and completion of various preliminary models, Kira learned about the complexity of acquiring sites or existing projects and how the location can affect the potential success of a rehabilitation or new construction project. POAH’s mission of preserving existing and creating new affordable housing enabled Kira to gain a better understanding of how private-public partnerships are essential to providing long-term affordable housing.

Sophia completed an internship with the Sasaki Foundation, where she played a pivotal role in reimagining how the foundation’s online presence can better reflect its work and mission.  Tasked with effectively communicating the foundation's initiatives to diverse stakeholders, Sophia conducted an in-depth analysis of nonprofit management and strategic communication practices. This experience allowed her to delve into the intersection of design and equity, further enhancing her understanding of the entirely new field of architecture and urban planning. Over the summer, Sophia quickly mastered web design tools like Miro and Figma, becoming proficient through self-guided tutorials and consultations with web designers. She developed expertise in creating dynamic interfaces and gained a comprehensive understanding of user experience (UX) principles, including information architecture, interaction design, and usability testing. She also worked closely with foundation staff and board members, delivering weekly presentations to guide the comprehensive redesign of the foundation’s website. 

Sophia consistently demonstrated a strong enthusiasm for acquiring new skills and approached challenges with creativity and a willingness to innovate. Sophia's final deliverable—a completely overhauled website—was key in advancing the foundation’s mission to promote equity through design. Sophia elevated the foundation’s online presence through her work and reinforced its commitment to promoting equity through design and community engagement. Looking ahead, Sophia aspires to leverage her expertise in design and communication to foster meaningful public-private partnerships and advance corporate social responsibility initiatives, focusing on creating positive, lasting impacts in communities.

Gina interned at The American City Coalition (TACC), a Roxbury-based nonprofit committed to addressing community-identified barriers through comprehensive research and strategic planning. Roxbury has long been an underinvested community with predominantly residents of color. As part of the team, Gina focused on two community-driven initiatives aimed at revitalizing the local economy and enhancing residents’ access to the Boston waterfront. Gina was tasked with updating TACC’s website, optimizing the waiver collection system, streamlining credit card bills, and designing flyers for various community events. She soon identified an additional need for an overarching online marketing strategy, which would allow TACC to reach a broader audience and connect with the community more effectively.

Thus, she took the initiative to create and manage TACC’s social media content and developed a soft launch campaign for their new logo. While creating new content, she interviewed residents, local musicians, micro-entrepreneurs, and community leaders. By listening to their individual perspectives, Gina gained a deep appreciation of TACC’s commitment to empowering underserved communities. This internship gave her a valuable opportunity to sharpen her planning and communication skills while being part of this ongoing effort to build a stronger, more connected, and economically vibrant community.