Undergraduate Fellowship Program

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The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College sponsors a summer research program for undergraduate students from the University of Massachusetts Boston in a variety of disciplines.  The Fellowship program, funded by the U.S. Social Security Administration, combines hands-on research experience with one-on-one mentoring from senior Center researchers.

The program aims to help spark interest in the field of retirement income security and build career pathways for students, including those from historically underrepresented or underserved backgrounds.

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What Is the Fellowship?

The Fellowships are full-time paid summer research assistantships with the Center for 8-12 weeks.  On-campus housing (or a summer housing stipend) and tuition for a Boston College summer course are available.

What Do Fellows Do?

The Fellows’ day-to-day activities will involve assisting Center researchers with their ongoing projects through literature reviews, data collection, and data analysis.  Fellows will also receive training in basic statistical software.

Fellows will be assigned a mentor from the Center’s senior research team who best matches their specific interests.  The mentors will help develop and hone their skills, introduce them to topical policy issues, and offer guidance on academic and career goals and opportunities.

The Center will provide an orientation session for the Fellows to introduce them to our work, and we will sponsor a lunchtime speaker series on retirement security and careers in research and public service.

Who Is Eligible?

The program is open to undergraduate students from the University of Massachusetts Boston, with a focus on individuals interested in academic disciplines broadly related to the Center’s core research in retirement income security.  In addition to economics, finance, and public policy, these areas could include computer science, health, international studies, mathematics, political science, psychology, and sociology.

How Do I Apply?

Contact Jan Mutchler for more information.