Monica Miller Walsh Internship Grant

Monica Miller Walsh Awards of up to $7,000 are available to Stanford undergraduate students interested in completing an independent internship in Latin America. We encourage all interested and eligible Stanford undergraduates to apply, especially first-generation students and students with demonstrated financial needs.

This program is partially funded by the Monica Miller Walsh Undergraduate Summer Internship Fund, Stanford Global Studies Internship Fund,  Haas Center's Cardinal Course Fellowship, and generous donations of CLAS' individual supporters.

Eligibility

  • Internships duration must be at least eight weeks.
  • Students must be undergraduates in good standing at Stanford with well-defined internship proposals with an organization in Latin America.
  • Students are eligible to receive funding only if they will be enrolling as undergraduates (preferred) or co-terminal students at Stanford campus for at least one quarter after returning from abroad.
  • Students on LOA will not be eligible.
  • To be eligible for a stipend, students must maintain health insurance for the duration of their internship.
  • International students must consult with Bechtel about interning in the U.S. or traveling out of the U.S. in the summer.
  • Preference is given to students whose minor is in Global Studies with a concentration in Latin America and to students who have previously enrolled in at least one Latin American Studies content course.
  • Preference will be given to proposals for internships arranged independently and directly with a foreign-based organization, rather than through a large international internship company.

Violations of Global Studies Internship Program policies are also violations of the Fundamental Standard and may be referred to the Office of Community Standards. The Global Studies Internship Program reserves the right to rescind funding at any given point and time should they be apprised of any policy violations as outlined above.

Note: This funding is not for independent research projects. For a project that is strictly research-oriented and does not involve meeting the needs of an organization or business in Latin America, students are encouraged to apply for funding through Undergraduate Research Programs.

Language Prerequisite

Working knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese is required.

Grant Responsibilities

If awarded, grant recipients will be responsible for the following:

  1. Attend both the CLAS and SGS pre-departure orientation sessions.
  2. Have a internship midterm check-in with the CLAS Associate Director.
  3. Submit a midterm grant report (200-300 words) and a final grant report (400-500 words).
  4. Take part in a video interview in Autumn Quarter that highlights your experiences which we will feature on our website.

Application Process

Please read the complete Requirements and Application Process here.

Applications open in early January 2026 and are due February 3, 2026. Applicant interviews will take place between February and March 2026.

Please contact us at latinamerica [at] stanford.edu (latinamerica[at]stanford[dot]edu) with further questions.

Travel Recommendations

Travel Reservations: All interns are strongly encouraged to utilize Stanford Travel, a centralized booking program, when booking airfare, hotels, or rental cars for their internship experiences.

Stanford strongly recommends the Covid-19 vaccinations for students. Policies regarding travel (domestic or international) and international internships will be updated as University policies evolve. Visit International Affairs Health Advisories for the most current travel guidance and restrictions for international travel.

Summer Internship Symposium

Monica Miller Walsh Grant Recipient Testimonials

Sierra F. Wells
Monica Miller Walsh Grant Recipient, 2019-20
Working as a virtual intern this summer with the legal team of la Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz, I was able to gain in-depth knowledge of both transitional justice and human rights defense in Colombia. I researched paramilitary connections to the country's political and economic sectors and helped organize and summarize documents from a case on forced displacement of Afro-Colombian populations. One highlight of my time with Justicia y Paz was attending a virtual hearing with the JEP (a transitional justice mechanism) on measures enacted to protect indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, in which the legal team presented some of my work from the preceding weeks. My experience this summer was hugely helpful in improving my professional Spanish and furthering my knowledge of political and social issues prominent in the Colombian post-conflict setting.
Xochitl Longstaff
Monica Miller Walsh Grant Recipient, 2019-20
One of the highlights of my summer internship with Al Otro Lado was our Monday Morning Speaker Series. It was amazing to hear from dedicated activists from many different organizations—Cultura Migrante, the Haitian Bridge Alliance, ALMA Migrante, etc.—and learn more about the important work that they are doing to support migrants. Doing this work remotely in the context of the pandemic, it was inspiring and motivating to be reminded of all the allies we had working around the world.
Kelsey Hope Carido
Monica Miller Walsh Grant Recipient, 2019-20
A highlight of the experience was having the opportunity to learn about the various work that Cristosal is doing to advance human rights in Central America. I was able to hear from the Executive Director of the organization, learning about why he chose to dedicate himself to this cause. I also had a conversation with David Morales, the lead lawyer in the El Mozote trial which is fighting to provide reparations to the victims of the El Mozote massacre during the El Salvador civil war. Both conversations and a multitude of others strengthened my passion to go into the human rights field.