Roots in Collaboration, Shared Impact: SIP 2025 in Mexico
One of the pillars of DRCLAS student programming is the Summer Internship Program (SIP) and Mexico has consistently stood out as a dynamic and impactful destination.
This summer, a group of Harvard students traveled to Mexico for an eight week journey that combined professional internships with cultural immersion. Coordinated by Lorena Rodas and Paulina González Cussi from the DRCLAS Mexico Office, the program offered students from different disciplines the opportunity to strengthen professional skills while engaging deeply with Mexico’s diverse realities.
Partnerships with purpose
Throughout the summer, students worked side by side with local organizations in fields such as biomedical research, investigative journalism, sustainable urban development, migrant rights, arts and culture, social entrepreneurship, and community education. These collaborations are built on reciprocity. Local organizations contribute expertise, networks, and context, while students bring fresh ideas, energy, and curiosity. Together, they generate knowledge, foster innovation, and build connections that leave a lasting mark on both sides.
“What makes this collaboration meaningful is that it goes both ways. Local organizations open up their expertise and communities, while students bring new perspectives and energy. Both sides learn, both sides contribute.”
— Adriana Chávez, Co-founder, Oficina de Resiliencia Urbana
Beyond the internship: a living classroom
The experience went far beyond the workplace. Students also joined a cultural and educational program curated by the DRCLAS Mexico Office, which included workshops on photography, anti-racism, poetry, and the Náhuatl language.
They visited institutions such as Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Tlatelolco, the Anthropology Museum, and the Tlalpan Forest, and traveled to places like Teotihuacán, Cuetzalan, Xochimilco, Ecatepec, Milpa Alta, and Tepoztlán. Each visit was an invitation to learn from communities, histories, and lived experiences across Mexico.
“On a personal level, the DRCLAS program greatly helped me grow as an individual in my level of discipline, as well as appreciation for Latin American culture. As for my Academic and Professional endeavors, the program provided me with extensive laboratory experience within the cardiology field, as well as reinforcing passion for the medical and global health fields.”
— Divangel Guerrero, SIP 2025 Participant
A meaningful closing
The program culminated in July with a final event at the DRCLAS Mexico Office, where students shared with their peers and the DRCLAS team through presentations what they experienced with their mentors, homestay hosts, and partner organizations, as well as the outcomes of their work.
This closing was more than a conclusion: it became a space for students to reaffirm and solidify their connection and commitment to the region. Many expressed that the experience would shape the direction of their future studies and careers a powerful testament to the long-term impact of SIP.
Looking ahead
SIP 2025 in Mexico was more than an internship: it was a space for mutual learning, service, and transformation. Students left with professional experience, but also with friendships, knowledge, and connections that will influence their paths for years to come.
We are deeply grateful to our partner organizations, homestay hosts, cosponsors, and everyone who made this summer possible. Thank you for believing in the power of partnerships, transformative education, and shared impact.
SIP 2025 Mexico Partner Organizations
- Proyecto Roberto – promoting educational equity for high-achieving students in vulnerable contexts.
- Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (INBAL) – preserving and promoting Mexican art and literature.
- Quinto Elemento Lab – co-founded by Marcela Turati; supporting investigative journalism on human rights, disappearances, and justice.
- Oficina de Resiliencia Urbana (ORU) – designing sustainable urban spaces with social, climate, and gender perspectives.
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, UNAM – advancing scientific research in health and biomedicine.
- Ashoka México – empowering social entrepreneurs who transform their communities with innovative solutions.
- CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights) – defending migrant rights in and from Mexico.
- Vía Educación – building empowered communities through participatory education.
- Otros Dreams en Acción (ODA) – a collective of returnees working on integration, rights defense, and belonging.
- Instituto Nacional de Pediatría – conducting cutting-edge research and providing specialized care to improve children’s health in Mexico.
- Instituto Nacional de Cardiología – advancing cardiovascular research, treatment, and prevention to strengthen public health outcomes.
