Student Interns
Through the Multidisciplinary Student Training Institute, The Field Center provides research, internship and field placement opportunities for selected students across multiple disciplines.
Meet our students here:
Amaya Saintal
Amaya is a full-time Advanced Standing Master of Social Work student at the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in Macro practice. She joins The Field Center for the 2026–2027 academic year as an MSW intern. Amaya graduated from Syracuse University in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts in Policy Studies. She plans to pursue a career in policy, research, and advocacy within education systems. During her undergraduate practicum, Amaya interned at Peaceful Schools, a community-based nonprofit educational consulting organization. Through this placement, she worked in two local Syracuse high schools, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to successfully establish a cohort of Syracuse University student mentors at one of the schools. At The Field Center, she looks forward to expanding her understanding beyond education by focusing on child welfare more broadly. She hopes to gain a deeper understanding of how systems interact, the broader factors that influence child and family outcomes, and how policy and practice work together to create meaningful change.
Taryn Painter
Taryn Painter is a part-time, second-year Master of Science in Social Policy student at the University of Pennsylvania. She joins The Field Center for Summer 2026 as an MSSP Intern. Taryn graduated with a Bachelor’s in History and Political Science, with a minor in Human Rights, from Towson University, where she developed an interest in education and public service. After graduation, she pursued an AmeriCorps year of service with City Year Philadelphia, serving the students at Kensington High School. After City Year, Taryn worked with Penn’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships as a Site Coordinator before transitioning to her current role with Penn’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships as a Program Coordinator for the University Scholars program. At The Field Center, she looks forward to supporting the Center’s research initiatives to inform more child- and youth-centered policies at local, state, and national levels.
Student Work
View a selection of student work using the boxes below