Exploring and Adulting

“The first day I was a little nervous,” Harry Jackson ’27 admitted about reporting for work this summer at Marble Harbor Investment Counsel in Boston. “But then, getting there and seeing that it's really cool and everyone was very welcoming, I thought that was a sign that maybe [I should] take more opportunities.”

Jackson understood the assignment, as the saying goes. Leaning into learning new things and exploring careers is exactly the point of Brooks’ Students on the Forefront internships that he and 19 other Brooks students engaged in this summer.

The program — which provides opportunities for rising sixth-form students (between grades 11 and 12) to gain experience working in research laboratories, hospitals and hubs of engineering, arts and technological innovation — lets teenagers try out what they think they might be interested in doing for the rest of their life.

Brooks’ surgical intern at Mass General Brigham (bottom left) worked with Dr. Peter Dunn '82, P'11, P'13, P'15, P'18, while the oncology intern worked with nurse practitioner Sara Stevens P’29.

Discover the 2025 program’s “‘Most Amazing’ Experiences of Real-Life Work”

Students interned in medical device development and testing at Globus Medical thanks to Norbert Johnson P'24, P'26.

This June through August, Students on the Forefront interns dove into pre-professional work at:

• Amnesty International
• Axial Financial Group
• Boston Medical Center’s Amyloidosis Center Lab/Clinical Rotation
• Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Psychiatric Neuroimaging Laboratory
• Coastal Restoration and Climate Resilience Lab
• Globus Medical
• Hurricane Island: Marine Science and Sustainability
• Lawrence General Hospital, in a cardiovascular medicine rotation
• Marble Harbor Investment Counsel
• Massachusetts General Hospital, in an oncology clinical rotation
• Massachusetts General Hospital, in a surgical clinical rotation
• Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
• The Massachusetts State House, in Senator Barry Finegold’s office

Read the Hurricane Island Center for Science & Leadership’s blog: “Learning by Doing: Brooks Students Immerse Themselves in Hurricane Island Life” for an inside look at three Brooksians' experiences in Maine this summer.

In recent years, the 22-year-old program had focused on science-based opportunities, but two years ago it returned to offering humanities, finance and arts placements, as well.

Steve Principe P'26, P'27, P'28 (center) created a unique on-campus experience based on his work at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.

“[Student] interest continues to be strong as we expand our options,” said Dean of Teaching and Learning Joanna McDonough. Likewise, the impact that the program made on participants this summer was powerful. Read on for reflections from three.

EXPLORING

Kendall Lee ’27 wasn’t convinced working in finance was for her, but she was interested in exploring the field. Thanks to Rich LeBranti P'26, P'28 (below left), she was able to spend a week shadowing and supporting consultant work in financial planning at Axial Financial Group’s offices in Burlington, Mass.

“Learning about money in school was definitely very important [to me], but actually applying it in an office and working on projects was something … very different,” said Lee, who focused on taxes, insurance and college funding in her internship. “It was a wake-up call to how important financial planning is.”

The experience also moved her closer to considering a job in the field. “Seeing kids who were also doing internships that were a little bit older than me and see how that could potentially be me one day is very exciting,” she said. “…Once I sat in an office and met all these people, I really want to consider trying it.”

ABSORBING

Whether he was researching, assisting in administrative tasks, attending research meetings or a “Lunch & Learn” session, Harry Jackson ’27 soaked up all the insight that his host at Marble Harbor Investment Counsel LJ Harrington ’80 offered this summer.

“You’re not just learning like you're in school, you're learning the real world and the real workforce,” said Jackson (center, with Harrington on left).

Describing Students on the Forefront as “a really cool opportunity,” Jackson said he’s found his calling through the experience. “I had an idea it was probably going to be in the finance world,” he said. “But now I know I really want to do it, so being in there was pretty big for me.”

ADULTING

Every day that Philip Wen ’28 commuted on the train into Boston, where he served as a legislative intern at the State House for Massachusetts Senator Barry Finegold P'22, gave him a glimpse into a life in politics.

“It was just a good experience, putting on a suit and tie every day, going in,” said Wen, who worked on a policy project researching “how to make Massachusetts cheaper” and how other states are regulating AI for Finegold, chair of the economic development and emerging technologies committee.

“You learn so much being in [the State House and seeing] how everything works. Just being in the city … exposes you to a lot of what's going on. It makes you feel like you're an adult.”

Interning alongside college students, recent graduates and legislative staffers also provided valuable networking opportunities. “My favorite part of this internship was working with all sorts of people,” said Wen. “People who have been working in state government for decades, seeing what their experiences are like, I just learned so much … [It changed] the way I think about how I can make an impact.”

One highlight? Meeting with a lobbyist from Meta and then discussing the issues afterward with Finegold. “He's really passionate about all this stuff,” said Wen. “That was really eye-opening.”

All in all, Wen called his Students on the Forefront internship “inspiring.”

“You might think researching AI legislation is boring,” he said. “But you're helping create a new bill that's going to be talked about in the Senate. That's really cool to be a part of.”

Check out all of the opportunities and get details about the Students on the Forefront program on our Internships page.