With midterms behind us and finals approaching, many students are looking towards the summer and what it holds in store for Yeshiva's student body. While many students use the few months in the summer to relax and enjoy their free time, others take advantage of internships and research programs throughout the country. In particular, three divergent programs have attracted throngs of Yeshiva students during recent years.
The Roth
One such program is the Roth Scholar's Program, a ten-week research internship that takes place at the Albert Einstein Medical School. Of the many students who apply to this program - most of them having finished their junior year of college - only eight are chosen from Yeshiva and Stern to represent YU through a fascinating summer of science and research.
Approximately forty students are chosen from across the nation to embark on this venture. The bulk of the day is spent in the laboratory where students help their respective research teams with the tedious process of explaining numerous areas of science. All students in the program live in AECOM housing. They are each given a stipend of $2,500 for the duration of the summer.
Joshua D. Sisser, a YC Senior who completed the program, explained that whereas all pre-med students must spend hours each week in a college laboratory, the experience of working with a professional research team is simply incomparable. He nonetheless pointed out that although much of the day is spent working in a lab, most students succeed in securing some leisure time to spend relaxing outside of their rigorous work schedule. Sisser recapped his experience by characterizing it as a summer full of "great research." He felt that one of the greatest aspects of the summer was "working with world-renowned people."
IPA
Traveling a bit south along the Eastern coastline, the Internship Placement Association (IPA) is probably the most popular program for Yeshiva students. Organized by the Orthodox Union, Jewish students interested in spending their summer on Capitol Hill may apply for internships at IPA. IPA then undergoes the process of matching each candidate with a suitable position. With such an opportunity, students are given the chance to see some of the behind-the-scenes work of the United States government. Interns can find their own living facilities; they may also choose to be placed in one of the George Washington University dorms. Each of the students is given a scholarship towards their internship.
One YC senior took advantage of this program two years ago, spending his internship working for AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobbying organization. He went around to various offices in D.C., informing key figures of the situations overseas and the necessary actions to be taken. Aside from the busy internships, those involved in the program had the opportunity to sit in on a shiur every Thursday night as well as to listen to various speakers that IPA had lined up during the summer. Many returnees have expressed an impressive degree of satisfaction with the program as a whole, viewing their experience as serious, yet quite valuable. Yehuda Shmidman, a YC sophomore in YU, will join the line of Yeshiva students who have held the sole IPA spot at AIPAC this coming summer. "I'm looking forward to it because it's a once in a lifetime opportunity," gushed Shmidman. He further described IPA as "critical" and very worthwhile - even if it means spending the summer in Washington D.C. without much relaxation.
NCSY Kollel
On the other side of the Torah U'Maddah spectrum lies a program organized by the Orthodox Union. The NCSY Kollel in Israel has long been known to offer students of various ages an enjoyable summer combining the fulfillment of learning Torah with the relaxing atmosphere of sports and touring. Students ranging from high school through college spend six weeks of their summer in an intense learning program during which most of them improve their skills of analysis and interpretation of various Talmudical and Biblical texts. Collegiate advisors guide the younger high school students in making the best of their summer experience.
Participants on the program spend most of their day engrossed in studying Torah, with a few breaks interspersed, during which they may relax and enjoy the beautiful atmosphere that the city of Efrat has to offer. (This year, because of security issues, the Kollel will be held in the Beit Meir section of Jerusalem, on the Ohr Yerushalayim campus.) Once a week, students have the option of partaking in a tour of various areas of the country. Chaim Theil, a YC sophomore, participated in the program as a high school student. "[NCSY Kollel] seems to incorporate the seriousness of learning Torah along with relaxation in a well-balanced manner." Theil concluded that his summer in NCSY Kollel was indeed "well-spent." He was very impressed with the skills that he was able to carry away from the program after only a short summer. Most participants of the program, in fact, reflect upon it in a positive manner, viewing all aspects of the summer as worthwhile and enjoyable.