Call for Applications: 5 Internship Opportunities in Migration Justice at LSA Family Health Service

The Fordham Initiative on Migrants, Migration, and Human Dignity, with generous funding from the Cummings Foundation, seeks applications from Fordham undergraduate and graduate students for four year-long and one semester-long paid internships at LSA Family Health Service (LSA). LSA is a neighborhood-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to strengthening and empowering vulnerable families and children in East Harlem by meeting their basic needs for food, healthcare, education and a safe home, in the belief that affirming families in their own dignity improves the entire community. Over 4,300 families benefit annually from LSA’s holistic, multi-service model of supporting families in their struggle to emerge from crisis, poverty or illness.

Positions:

• 1 Immigration and Education Intern (Spring Semester only; approx. 10 hours a week starting Jan 2026, $2,520 compensation plus $150 transportation stipend)
• 1 Public Health Intern (Fall and Spring Semester; approx. 10 hours a week starting Sep 2025, $5,040 compensation plus $150 transportation stipend)
• 1 Mental Health Services Intern (Fall and Spring Semester; approx. 10 hours a week starting Sep 2025, $5,040 compensation plus $150 transportation stipend)
• 2 Development Interns (Fall and Spring Semester; approx. 10 hours a week starting Sep 2025, $5,040 compensation plus $150 transportation stipend)

Time Commitment:
In addition to 10 hours/week, students must attend 3 Fordham Reflection and Formation sessions with other Interns per semester, through the Initiative on Migrants, Migration and Human Dignity. TENTATIVE session dates for the fall 2025 semester are as follows:

• Sept 25th 1-2pm – Orientation (Required)
• Oct 8th 2:30-3:30pm
• Oct 23rd 1-2pm
• Nov 5th 2:30-3:30pm
• Nov 11th 1-2pm

To apply, please complete this form by September 5th, 2025. First-round candidates will be screened by a panel of Fordham faculty/staff. Finalists will be interviewed directly by LSA staff.

For details, please see internship descriptions below. Any questions, please contact The Fordham Initiative on Migrants, Migration, and Human Dignity at migrationjustice@fordham.edu.

About LSA
The Little Sisters of the Assumption Family Health Service, Inc. (LSA) is a neighborhood-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to strengthening and empowering vulnerable families and children in East Harlem by meeting their basic needs for food, healthcare, education and a safe home, in the belief that affirming families in their own dignity improves the entire community. Over 4,300 families benefit annually from LSA’s holistic, multi-service model of supporting families in their struggle to emerge from crisis, poverty or illness.

Immigration and Education Intern

Position Description

This is a temporary internship during the 2026 Spring semester. Reporting directly to the Director of Community and Individual Engagement, the Immigration & Education intern helps leverage and extend immigration services and educational and enrichment opportunities for LSA clients ages 6 to 18. Enrichment opportunities may include special reading programs, college essay support, summer camps, art days, homework help, swimming lessons, etc. Will also help support one-on-one direct services for legal assistance with immigration cases. The schedule will fall within the hours of 9AM-5PM, Mon-Thurs, with a preference for candidates who are also available until 8PM on Wednesdays. This role provides a $2,520 stipend for a commitment of 140 hours over the semester (approximately 10 hours/week).

Job Responsibilities

●Outreach with families via telephone, in-person, and email as needed.

● Support recently-arrived immigrants through intake meetings and service referrals.

● Support middle school students in the high school application process through meetings with students and parents, translation, document consolidation, and online portal management.

● Assistance with workshops (college essay seminars, Young Minds workshops, and adult workshops).

● Conduct evaluations of families who have completed our program.

● Attendance at training, meetings, and conferences as required.

● Help supervise programs; assisting children/adult participants as needed during events.

● Attend 3 Fordham Reflection and Formation sessions per semester with other Interns through the Initiative on Migrants, Migration and Human Dignity (sessions counted as internship hours).

Requirements and Qualifications

● Administrative or office experience; case management or social work experience, a plus

● Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word, and Google Suite

● Immigration or education experience, a plus

● Advanced intermediate written and spoken Spanish or higher required

Other Skills/Requirements

● Detail oriented and organized

● High emotional intelligence; able to work with clients

● Able to prioritize while working on multiple projects simultaneously; able to meet deadlines

● Able to take direction well

● Sense of humor and positive attitude

● Able to work as part of a team and independently

Public Health Intern

Position Description
This is a temporary internship, lasting the duration of the 2025-26 academic year. As one of the largest Latino communities in NYC, East Harlem has experienced significant growth in population due to the recent arrival of nearly 50,000 people seeking asylum in NYC. East Harlem currently holds the highest number of asthma cases in the entire NYC area for adults and children and the poverty rate was 31.2% in 2021 compared to 18.0% citywide. The Public Health Intern will report to Carolina Tenecela, Director of Community Health, and will work with agency directors and community health workers to engage with and learn about the community and the social inequities affecting their accessibility to physical, mental, and emotional health. The schedule will fall within the hours of 9AM-5PM on Mondays, Wednesdays, and/or Fridays. This role provides a $5,040 stipend for a commitment of 280 hours over 2 semesters (approximately 10 hours/week).

Job Responsibilities

● Support community-based outreach (e.g. flyering).

● Data entry for engagement activities.

● Build community trust through service-based work and relationship-building.

● Help people understand other programs and services available in the community.

● Deliver information using culturally appropriate terms and concepts.

● Link people to health care, and social service resources including health insurance, food, housing, quality care, and health information.

● Providing support, follow-ups, and building people’s capacity to advocate for their needs.

● Soliciting and capturing community feedback, especially community strengths and needs.

● Conduct assessments of community resources and needs as identified.

● Collaborate with tenant groups, community-based organizations, and other agencies, serving the East Harlem community.

● Attend and contribute at meetings as needed.

● Assist in the development of educational materials for the general public.

● Attend 3 Fordham Reflection and Formation sessions per semester with other Interns through the Initiative on Migrants, Migration and Human Dignity (sessions counted as internship hours).

Requirements and Qualifications

● Good communication and interpersonal skills

● Flexibility; ability to respect and adjust to different customs, cultures, and priorities

● Willingness to learn and interact with immigrant communities

● Experience with Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Zoom, and willing to learn myEvolv, our client database system

Other Skills/Requirements

● Previous experience working with high-need priority populations is preferred

● Language skills – Spanish proficiency required. Fluency in another language such as Mandarin, Arabic, French, etc. is highly desirable

● Flu and COVID Vaccination is highly recommended.

Mental Health Services Intern

Position Description
This is a temporary internship, lasting the duration of the 2025-26 academic year. The Mental Health Services program supports women of childbearing age and their families located throughout New York City. LSA MHS provides the community with free, bilingual, and holistic trauma-informed care programs through a combination of Creative Arts Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Psychodynamics. Our services include individual and group therapy. The intern will be exposed to a vulnerable population, mainly immigrants. Some of the reasons clients inquire about mental health services at LSA are depression, postpartum depression, anxiety, complex trauma, PTSD, domestic violence /intimate partner violence, grief and loss and the reunification process. The intern will be exposed to clinical experience in how to integrate art materials in individual and group therapies to support individuals with sustained trauma. Mental Health Services works with all other LSA departments. The intern will learn and support different departments as needed. The schedule will fall within the hours of 9AM-5PM, Mon-Fri. This role provides a $5,040 stipend for a commitment of 280 hours over 2 semesters (approximately 10 hours/week).

Job Responsibilities

● Contribute to the planning and execution of programs aimed at improving the mental well-being of the target population.

● Provide empathetic and non-judgmental emotional support to clients and their families.

● Provide administrative and logistical support to the MHS team, including but not limited to: conducting research, compiling resources, maintaining client documentation, organizing awareness campaign materials, organizing art materials, participating in meetings, and general administrative tasks such as filing and database upkeep.

● Assist with development and delivery of workshops or educational sessions on mental health topics such as stress management, anxiety and depression.

● Help with client assessments to determine needs and assist in the development and implementation of treatment plans.

● Master Program interns will be able to provide counseling and therapeutic services: Under the supervision of licensed creative arts therapists, interns may conduct individual and group counseling sessions, potentially with a focus on specific populations like children or families. They may also assist in providing crisis intervention and support to individuals in distress.

● Attend 3 Fordham Reflection and Formation sessions per semester with other Interns through the Initiative on Migrants, Migration and Human Dignity (sessions counted as internship hours).

Requirements and Qualifications

● Strong written, oral and interpersonal abilities

● High emotional intelligence; able to work with clients

● Ability to work independently, with initiative, as a part of the MHS team

● Flexibility, adaptability and reliability; accepts directions

● Great organizational skills

● Bilingual (English/Spanish)

Development Intern

Position Description
This is a temporary internship, lasting the duration of the 2025-26 academic year. Reporting to either the Development Coordinator or Development Assistant, and to the Director of Community and Individual Engagement as needed, the Development Intern plays a key role in database management, communications, and providing administrative support to the Development Team. The schedule will fall within the hours of 9AM-5PM, Mon-Thurs. This role provides a $5,040 stipend for a commitment of 280 hours over 2 semesters (approximately 10 hours/week).

Job Responsibilities

● Assist with data input, maintenance and integration of several constituent lists in our agency database (CRM).

● Draft, proofread, edit, and format content for flyers, email and postal mail campaigns, newsletters, website, and social media posts to assist with community engagement and share updates about LSA’s mission, programs, and events.

● Assist with running and formatting reports for the Development team.

● Other administrative support duties for Development team, programs, and internal teams, as may be needed.

● Assist with logistics for fundraising and cultivation events, including liaising and soliciting vendors, tracking donations and RSVPs, organizing auction items and activities, event follow-ups and thank yous, etc.

● Make logistical preparations for major donor site visits, including developing a schedule, coordinating participants, and preparing site visit materials.

● Organize documents and media in the shared drive and reconcile information stored in both the database and drive.

● Responsible for special projects and other assignments as identified by the CEO and Development Team.

● Attend 3 Fordham Reflection and Formation sessions per semester with other Interns through the Initiative on Migrants, Migration and Human Dignity (sessions counted as internship hours).

Requirements and Qualifications

● Administrative or office experience; experience in data/databases or marketing/communications, a plus

● Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word, Canva, and Google Suite

● The ability to learn DonorPerfect and similar donor management systems

● Bilingual in Spanish a plus, but not required

Other Skills/Requirements

● Detail oriented and organized

● Able to prioritize while working on multiple projects simultaneously; able to meet deadlines

● Able to take direction well

● Sense of humor and positive attitude

● Able to work as part of a team and independent