Tucker Center Gender Equity Summer Internship Program
Integral parts of the Tucker Center's mission include mentoring and providing student research experience. During the internship, students work collaboratively on ongoing gender equity-related projects within a research team. The research team may include a faculty person, graduate students, undergraduates, and high school students depending on the intern cohort. Our internship is appropriate for students who plan to, and are serious about, pursuing graduate school.
Interns are exposed to many facets of the research experience including:
- Literature review
- Data collection and entry
- Data analysis
- Synthesizing and reporting results using quantitative and qualitative methodologies
The internship runs from June to July and is a blend of in person and/or virtual. Interns are not required to be in person with the exception of a 2-3 day in person retreat at the end of the internship.
Individuals who are not U.S. citizens can apply, but to be eligible the applicant must be currently located in the U.S. and have a visa that allows them to work.
How to apply
To apply, interested students should send a resume/CV, unofficial transcript, and cover letter to the Director, Nicole M. LaVoi, PhD, by March 15.
Listen to interns
Learn more about previous interns and their internship experience:
2024 Summer Interns
Ellen Becken is a rising senior at Gustavus Adolphus College, with a double major in Exercise Physiology and Psychological Science, and a member of the women’s soccer team. Growing up with a background deeply rooted in soccer and competitive dance, Ellen possesses a deep passion for empowering girls and women in sport, which she enacts through her ongoing role as a youth soccer coach for girls. She is involved in multiple sports psychology research projects, facilitated by a faculty-led research group on campus with projects on exploring the psychosocial impact of Strava use on runners, and co-authoring a publication exploring best practices for mental skills training consultants and coaches working with injured athletes. This summer, Ellen is thrilled to contribute to the Tucker Center’s mission of advancing girls and women's lives in sport and making a lasting impact through research and collaboration.
Katie Davis is a graduate student in the Applied Psychology department at Northeastern University in Boston. Katie received a Bachelor of Applied Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the University of Minnesota Duluth, in 2024. While in Duluth, Katie played four years of NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey as a Bulldog. She will be playing her COVID-19-sanctioned 5th year of eligibility at Northeastern. Katie is passionate about athlete mental health and wellbeing having played elite youth hockey at boarding school in New York and at Edina High School in the Twin Cities, as well as representing Team USA on the world stage as a U18 National Team member in 2020. During her senior spring in Duluth, Katie created an interdisciplinary autoethnography for her University Honors Capstone project, blending a literature review on NCAA female athlete mental health with her own experiences as a collegiate athlete. By highlighting resilience as a tool for overcoming hardships, Katie's project solidified her goal of developing interventions to prevent mental health crises among NCAA athletes. Through her research and lived experience, Katie advocates for healthcare and social justice for underrepresented groups, including women-identifying athletes and LGBTQIA+ individuals. Katie is ready to grow as a professional researcher and leader for girls and women in sports this summer at the Tucker Center.
Katie Dunn is a rising Junior at Miami University in Ohio, majoring in social work with a minor in political science. She has always had a love for sports, but found her true passion in running. Her experience on her school’s cross country and track teams helped her find community, discipline, and joy. In college, she began running marathons and is currently training to run the Chicago Marathon for the second time. Professionally, she is interested in the world of sport social work, especially how sport can be used as a tool to advance equity, create safe spaces for youth, and promote health and wellbeing at a holistic level. At Miami, she is honored to be a Presidential Fellow and sees her education as an opportunity to create positive change, further develop leadership skills, and pursue extracurriculars related to community engagement and research. She has been involved in research on sports nutrition as well as various community initiatives related to mental health. She is incredibly excited to be a part of the Tucker Team.
Kim Soltis is a graduate student at the University of Minnesota, pursuing an MS in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Sport Sociology. During her undergraduate research assistantship in affiliation with the Tucker Center, Kim not only realized her passion for conducting research, but also the importance that sport has on society, particularly towards girls, women, and social change. Throughout her life and career, Kim has been exposed to a plethora of experiences and positions in sports from participating in them to coaching soccer and strength & conditioning.
In addition, Kim has worked within the Minnesota Twins organization to provide underrepresented youth with opportunities to meet MLB stars. Her experiences within sport and her passion for research drove Kim back to school to further understand and enhance how professional sport organizations create and address social change for the betterment of society. Kim is thrilled and honored to be a part of the Tucker Team alongside a group of extraordinary women!
Makenna Veen is a graduate student in the Department of Kinesiology at Michigan State University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology with a dual minor in Health Promotion and Women and Gender studies. As a member of the Michigan State Cross Country and Track teams, Makenna has won three Big Ten team titles and earned several Big Ten and regional honors. She also serves on the Michigan State Women’s Leadership Council to advocate for promotion, recognition, and resources for women's sports teams.
Growing up in Kalamazoo, MI, Makenna was given the opportunity to get into running through a community program. Her passion for empowering girls through body positivity and community programs and reducing privilege disparities in sports.were ignited by incredible women encouraging and mentoring her throughout her sports experiences. She is eager to further her research skills and grow meaningful relationships with others who share a passion for gender equity in sports while interning with the Tucker Center.
Claire Wanzer is a graduate student at the University of Delaware, currently working on her PhD in health and sport communication. Claire received her B.A. in Communication Studies from Niagara University in 2020, where she also played Division I basketball for three seasons before medically retiring. She earned her M.A. in Communication from Virginia Tech in 2022. As a graduate student, Claire’s research focuses on gender differences in the health and well-being of NCAA athletes, specifically on topics such as supportive communication, stress and coping, and social media use. Her work has been funded by the NCAA’s Graduate Student (2023) and Innovations in Practice (2024) research grants. Claire is passionate about helping student athletes lead happier and healthier lives both during and post-sport through improving their communication and media use. She looks forward to joining the Tucker Center this summer to collaborate and learn from her team!
Siri Wilkes is a rising freshman at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, planning to study Mathematical Biology with a specialization in Genomics. Throughout her time in the sport of swimming, Siri has seen firsthand the impact that a positive atmosphere and coaching staff can have on an athlete’s experience. After witnessing many of her friends abandon swimming due to negative influences, she became passionate about the empowerment and advocacy of women in sports. This commitment to improving the athletic world has provided Siri with numerous opportunities in her community. In the past few years, she became involved with the Minnesota Swimming Board of Directors, where she represented the voices of swimmers statewide as the Junior Athlete Representative. Specifically, she has contributed to initiatives focused on swimsuit modesty and the equitable distribution of aquatic resources across teams.
Siri is also passionate about sharing the positive experiences and lessons she learned through sports with future generations. She spends time as a swim instructor at Swim America, teaching the fundamentals of competitive swimming to extend the benefits of athletics. This summer, Siri is looking forward to strengthening her research skills and using data to assist in the advocacy for girls and women in sports!
2023
- Sophie Cole
- Harper Dunne
- Katherine Norquist
- Mia Phillippi
- Syd Pierre
2022
- Arla Davis
- Gina Caravaglia
- Johanna Glaaser
- Mahi Jariwala
- Nicole Johnson
- Saira Nagda
2021
- Anna Goorevich
- Cecelia Kaufmann
- Liz Kim
- Jacque Davis
- Mahi Jariwala
- Maxine Simons
- Ramira Ambrose
- Sophia Liles
2020
- Cecelia Kaufmann
- Greta Sirek
- Paige Richmond
- Sam Benzing
2019
- Courtney Boucher
- Cecelia Kaufmann
- Natalie Schad
- Sarah Silbert
2018
- Hannah Silva-Breen
- Sarah Cummings
2017
- Hannah Silva-Breen
- Melissa (Koop) Curwick
2016
- Caroline Heffernan
- Matea Wasend
2015
- Anna Posbergh
- Madeline Kornfeld
2014
- Elizabeth Costello-Labedz
- Lauren (Slagel) Kleven
2013
- Brenda Senger De La Torre
- Elora Koepcke
- Emma Leyden
2012
- Alyssa Cowan
- Emma Leyden
2010
- Salma Hussein
2009
- Alicia Johnson
- Kelli (Blankenship) Trauger
2008
- Erin Morris
- Jill (Haom) Greendeer
- Sarah Atkins
- Terrence Jordan II
The internship was a fantastic opportunity for me. It gave me the opportunity to do graduate level research as an undergraduate.