Albany, NY — The Rockefeller Institute of Government’s Center for Law & Policy Solutions (CLPS) has selected five undergraduate students to serve as research interns for the fall 2019 semester. For the first time since the program’s inception, students from Hudson Valley Community College will join students from the University at Albany to conduct in-depth research on a topic of national importance.
This fall, the cohort will look more closely at how students think about loan debt before and while they’re in college. At the end of the semester, they will present their findings to policymakers, researchers, and the public in a formal report and presentation.
“The Center for Law & Policy Solutions internship program is a real model of student engagement,” said Rockefeller Institute Interim Executive Director Patricia Strach. “Working under the direction of Katie Zuber, the interns will research an issue that has real consequences in the lives of many New Yorkers and the students across the state. I’m proud to welcome this new cohort and look forward to reading their findings.”
“I’ve been privileged to work with some amazing young researchers as part of the CLPS internship program and this semester is no different,” said Institute Fellow Katie Zuber. “This program provides meaningful insights on a range of public policy issues and it teaches students the importance of nonpartisan, evidence-based research and analysis. I’m eager and excited to see what these students discover in the coming months.”
The fall cohort includes:
+ Sam Seitz, a senior at UAlbany studying political science with a concentration in public law and a minor in criminal justice. Seitz is a transfer student from Dutchess Community College where, in 2018, he earned his associate degree in liberal arts. Upon graduating, Seitz served as an investigative intern with the NYS Office of the Inspector General. As a senior in UAlbany’s combined BA/MPA program, he is pursuing his master’s in public administration with a concentration in homeland security. He is currently a tutor for student athletes at the University and enjoys participating in Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru).
+ Mitchell Cerone, an individual studies student and sophomore at Hudson Valley Community College. Cerone is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, has been named to the President’s List, and currently holds a cumulative GPA of 4.0. As an individual studies student, he has focused on taking political science courses and plans to continue his studies at Binghamton University.
+ Rebecca Simison, a junior at UAlbany double majoring in history and political science with concentrations in world history and American politics. Passionate about her work on local political campaigns, Simison served as deputy campaign manager for Dustin Reidy, candidate for Albany County Legislature, District 30, and interned in the office of U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer. As a member of Generation Vote, she works to further voter engagement with young people and to ensure voter accessibility.
+ Kemi Kehinde, a senior on the pre-law route at UAlbany, majoring in English honors with a double minor in psychology and philosophy. As a member of the English Honors Program, Kehinde wrote a research thesis examining the ways in which the discourses of Afro-pessimism and Afropolitanism have undermined the experiences and recognition of African people. For this achievement she was awarded the Vivian C. Hopkins Award, the Situation Prize for Research, and the 2019 Presidential Award for Undergraduate Research. Outside the classroom, she interns at a small law firm (Makelele & Associates) and is a member of Her Campus Albany, African Student Association, and Women and Children’s Rights in Africa.
+ Joel Oyuo, a sophomore in Hudson Valley Community College’s Liberal Arts and Science program, with a major in political science. As a freshman, during the spring 2019 semester, he interned in the Albany office of Assemblywoman Taylor Darling of the 18th District in Long Island. Now a sophomore, he is a current member of the President’s List and has taken such courses as Substantive Criminal Law and American National Government. After graduating, Joel plans to pursue his aspirations of being a federal prosecutor at Howard University.
Each semester, the Center selects five undergraduate students to analyze a single topic of pressing importance to New Yorkers. Previous cohorts have published findings on postsecondary correctional education programs, the role of drug treatment courts in New York’s opioid epidemic, and access to reproductive services in New York State as questions surround the fate of Roe v. Wade.
The Center for Law & Policy Solutions is a partnership among the Rockefeller Institute, the Government Law Center at Albany Law School, the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs at the University at Albany, Hudson Valley Community College, Empire State College, and the University at Buffalo School of Law. It aims to assist policymakers, community organizers, and the general public in identifying practical solutions to pressing problems at the intersection of law and policy.
Look for the Center’s findings at rockinst.org/CLPS.
About the Rockefeller Institute of Government
The Rockefeller Institute of Government is the public policy research arm of the State University of New York. The Institute conducts cutting-edge research and analysis to inform lasting solutions to the problems facing New York State and the nation.