MicroCapital offers the premier microfinance internship program. Successful interns emerge with a level of knowledge that is unparalleled among new entrants to the field. Our interns have entered full-time positions in many top microfinance organizations. Benefits to interns include direct interaction with senior management and the opportunity to make a visible contribution to a vibrant organization. Complimentary admission for interns to industry events can sometimes be arranged.

Past interns have included both students and accomplished professionals. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for the following two positions:

Research Assistant/Associate: These positions focus on research of current events in microfinance and involve writing 8 stories per week of the type that appear on our home page. Interns have leeway to direct a significant portion of their work toward areas of personal interest (e.g., savings, microinsurance or a particular region of the world). Native English and excellent writing skills are required.

Webmaster Assistant/Associate: This position involves maintaining and developing our websites. A technical background is required.

All internships are uncompensated. The minimum time commitment is 20 hours per week for a minimum of 15 weeks. The daily schedule is flexible. All positions are carried out online and thus can be completed from anywhere in the world.

If you wish to apply, copy and paste your resume and a cover letter into our contact form. Please specify the number of hours you are available to work and the dates the you propose to begin and end the internship.

All internships require the achievement of demanding daily goals. Due to the large number of applications received, we are only able to respond to selected candidates. Please excuse this inconvenience.

EARLY 2010 INTERNS

Christine Chang - Research Associate Christine entered the program following her position as an associate in the mergers and acquisitions group of Goldman Sachs. She spent five years working in the New York and London offices where she helped companies evaluate their strategic financing and merger-related options. She is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with degrees in Biology and Management Science. She believes microfinance is a successful tool in the fight against poverty, as microfinance provides the financially excluded the means to empower themselves. Her other interests include traveling, yoga, rock climbing and scuba diving.

Eric McKay - Research Assistant Eric entered the program as an undergraduate student at Arizona State University, where he was majoring in Economics and Mathematics. He became interested in microfinance while researching economic inequality and researched various implementations of microlending as a tool to alleviate poverty in the Phoenix, Arizona, metropolitan area. Eric is interested in the fields of international economic development and international finance. In his spare time, Eric enjoys reading, computer programming and playing basketball and racquetball.

LATE 2009 INTERNS

Radhika Chandrasekhar - Research Assistant Radhika entered the program as an undergraduate student at the University of California, Berkeley. She was double majoring in Economics and Business Administration, and is passionate about Third World development. For the past year, she worked in rural Honduran communities with Global Water Brigades to create sustainable solutions to water access and water treatment problems. In addition, she helped conduct research experiments in villages in Karnataka, India, with the Centre for MicroFinance. Through her internship with MicroCapital, Radhika hopes to gain more exposure to the field of microfinance and economic development, in general. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing, singing, playing sports and spending time with friends and family.

Diya Chopra - Research Associate Diya entered the program as a recent graduate of McGill University, where she majored in Sociology and Religious Studies. During her undergraduate career, she was actively involved in initiatives supporting women in entrepreneurship. This involvement sparked her interest in microfinance, as she focused much of her attention towards low-income women. To complement her academic research on microfinance, Diya travelled extensively throughout Asia, including India, Thailand, China, Philippines and Malaysia to see firsthand the challenges facing low-income societies and to better understand microfinance as an approach to poverty alleviation. Diya is fluent in French and Hindi and is currently honing her Spanish skills. In her free time, she enjoys music, cycling, travel photography and cooking big meals for her family and friends.

Kenny Kline - Research Associate Kenny entered the program while working as a quantitative credit analyst at Bank of America. He has a BS in Applied Physics and a MS in Finance from Washington University in St Louis. His interest in microfinance stems from his experience in emerging markets and observation of how credit availability can impact the quality of life in both developed and developing nations. Kenny is looking to work in international development, specifically in the field of microfinance and social entrepreneurship. In his spare time he enjoys improv comedy, jazz piano and learning Persian.

Chris Maggio - Research Assistant Chris entered the program as a senior majoring in Economics and minoring in Gender and Sexuality Studies at New York University. He has a strong interest in economic development and plans to earn his MPA with a concentration in International Development after graduating. He currently works part time at the NYU Human Resources Department and holds an internship with the human rights blog “Wronging Rights”. Some of his other interests include contemporary popular music, international soccer, graphic novels and Japanese animation.

Hio Kyeng McGuirk - Research Assistant Kyeng entered the program with five years of experience as a lawyer in the financial services industry. She spent that time litigating securities arbitrations on behalf of Merrill Lynch where she obtained exposure to a wide range of financial and investment products. She holds a JD/MBA from Fordham University and a BA in History and Women’s Studies from Wesleyan University. Kyeng has always been interested in international development, as demonstrated by her consulting projects with the UNDP as a law student. Having obtained experience in the private sector, Kyeng renews her interest in international development and, specifically, microfinance regulation.

Stefanie Rubin - Research Assistant Stefanie is a graduate of Emory University, where she majored in Economics and Chinese. She became interested in microfinance while volunteering in a rural town in Costa Rica during her sophomore year of college. After returning to college, she founded The MicroCredit Club, which is aimed at raising awareness about microfinance by involving students in the process of making microloans to poor entrepreneurs in developing countries. Through this internship with MicroCapital, she hopes to learn more about microfinance and other innovative solutions to alleviate poverty so that she can one day make a significant contribution to the field of international development. In her free time, Stefanie enjoys learning new languages, traveling, extreme sports - like skydiving and bungee jumping - and playing with her golden retriever, Jake.

Elizabeth Southworth - Research Associate Elizabeth entered the program with over 14 years of experience in the financial services industry. She spent 10 years at Bear Stearns & Co. where she specialized in international capital markets. Most recently, she was a Product Manager and Market Specialist at Marco Polo Network in New York City, where she worked closely with the Bolsa Nacional Agropecuaria S.A. in Bogota, Colombia, assisting them with strategic business initiatives. She holds a B.A. in American History from Wheaton College. She firmly believes microfinance is essential to alleviating poverty. Elizabeth is also a certified yoga instructor who enjoys photography, surfing and travel.

MID-2009 INTERNS

Laura Anderson - Research Associate Laura entered the program with 12 years of experience working in investment management where she specialized in emerging market debt. Most recently she was an Assistant Portfolio Manager for Western Asset Management. Laura is a CFA and holds a master’s degree in International Management from Thunderbird and Bachelor of Commerce in International Business from McGill University. Her interest in microfinance stems from her experience in emerging markets and belief in the importance of extending access to financial services to poor people. In her spare time Laura is a professional mountain bike racer and small business owner and enjoys horseback riding, playing classical piano and cooking.

Jaclyn Berfond - Research Assistant Jaclyn entered the program while completing the International Organizations MBA program at the University of Geneva. She is looking to work in international economic development, specifically in the field of microfinance and social enterprise. Prior to coming to Geneva, Jaclyn was a Research Associate at the Council on Foreign Relations, a US-based foreign policy think tank, where she researched issues of political economy. Jaclyn has also spent some time in finance, working in client service at a private wealth management firm. Jaclyn holds a BA in International Relations and Economics from Boston University. Originally from New York, Jaclyn loves exploring new cities around the world.

Sally Levy - Research Assistant Sally had a successful accounting career in Australia before an extended stay in Africa lead her to pursue a new career in international development. She spent time in Ghana as a project accountant and began studying for a Masters of International Development at RMIT in Melbourne. Since gaining her degree in 2006, she has worked with various International NGOs. Her most recent role was as a Disaster Coordinator with the American Red Cross and prior to this worked as a Program Manager with Plan International Australia. She now wants to combine her financial skills and international NGO experience within the microfinance arena. Sally has lived in Asia, Africa and North America and has traveled extensively around the world. She also enjoys photography and reading.

Goda Thangada - Research Assistant Goda entered the program as a junior majoring in Anthropology and Mathematics at Columbia University. She grew interested in economic development while volunteering for an education project for poor children in Hyderabad, India. She strongly believes that both education and microfinance lend a great deal of dignity and opportunities to poor people. Anticipating a career in academic research, she hopes to refine her research skills and her understanding of microfinance through her internship with MicroCapital. In her spare time, Goda enjoys learning languages and reading classic as well as more obscure world literature.

EARLY 2009 INTERNS
Andrea Chu - Research Assistant Andrea is currently a sophomore at Wellesley College. She is planning to major in psychology and economics and became interested in microfinance through her interest in finance and her experience of volunteering in Chimbote, Peru. She entered the internship program to learn more about the microfinance sector. Born and raised in Orange County, Andrea loves the beach, traveling and eating new foods.
Yanni Hao - Research Assistant Yanni has been working as a consultant for Stax Inc., having previously worked at the National Opinion Research Center. To date, she has published in several top-tier academic journals, and holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Chicago. She sees her pro bono work with Prisma MicroFinance and MicroCapital as a unique and meaningful way to leverage her analytical skills in the fight against poverty. In her spare time, Yanni enjoys reading and traveling.
Ryan Hogarth - Research Assistant Ryan entered the program while studying Spanish with NGO Fairplay in Cusco, Peru. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and a minor in Anthropology from the University of Victoria in Canada. He also has a Professional Certificate in Global Affairs from New York University. In January 2008, Ryan undertook an internship with the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh where he conducted a research project on the management structure of the bank for his undergraduate thesis. He hopes to continue researching microfinance in graduate school and pursue a career in the field after graduation. In the (northern) summer months, Ryan manages a crew of twelve tree planters in northern British Columbia. He enjoys traveling, playing soccer for VicWest FC, skiing, hiking, fishing and trying to play the guitar.
Bharathi Ramasubramania - Research Assistant Bharathi entered the internship program while studying Business and Finance at the University of Massachusetts. Prior to coming to Boston, she briefly worked in the IT industry in India and holds an undergraduate degree in engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS, Pilani) in India. She is interested in the concept of microfinance as a means to fighting poverty. Through this internship she hopes to increase her understanding of the microfinance industry and is also looking at a potential career in the field of development finance. She enjoys music, reading and occasionally likes to dabble in theatre.
Zoran Stanisljevic - Research Associate Zoran has over 9 years of combined experience in investment management, capital markets and investment banking. He has held positions at some of the largest investment institutions globally, from being a trader at State Street Global Advisors to Assistant Vice President at Wachovia Securities within the firm’s corporate investment banking division. Upon entering the program, he is a consultant. He learned of the microfinance industry while attending an Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Business forum. Zoran has always had a strong personal interest in promoting poverty alleviation in developing countries through the use of microfinance in a sustainable business development and economic empowerment capacity. Zoran holds a B.A. in Economics and International Relations from Boston University and an MBA from Suffolk University. In his free time, Zoran is an avid tennis player, skier, mountain biker and outdoor enthusiast with an ambition to trek the regions of Mount Everest and Mount McKinley.

LATE 2008 INTERNS
Lori Curtis - Research Assistant Lori is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh with an MSc Ecological Economics and of Saint Mary’s University with a BA in International Development Studies and Political Science. Lori has worked as an english teacher in South Korea and as a junior socioeconomic consultant at Jacques Whitford in Halifax, Canada. Lori currently lives in London, UK and entered the Prisma Intern program to gain experience in the microfinance sector. She has always been interested in working in development, specifically with sustainable development and economic empowerment. Lori has travelled through Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Central America, North America and a little bit of Asia. She loves writing, camping and anything that means she’s close to the water.
Jeffrey Erfe - Research Assistant Jeffrey currently works as a Junior Surrey Fellow in the Office of Tax Analysis at the U.S. Treasury Department. He graduated with honors from Stanford in 2007 after studying economics and math. After writing a senior thesis on the effect of remittances on the consumption and saving patterns of migrant Indian households, he began to more seriously consider remittances and other financial instruments as sustainable sources of poverty alleviation. Eventually, Jeff hopes to work for an MFI in Southeast Asia. He enjoys reading, cycling, dj-ing and talking politics.
Scott Everett - Research Assistant Scott entered the program while serving as Business Systems Manager for Kaplan Financial. He is doing pro-bono web consulting for Chicago Microfinance and also works with Chicago Fair Trade and more recently, ACCION Chicago. His interest in microfinance began when he saw the transformative effects it had on international fair trade artisans who were selling goods locally. He holds a B.S. in Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh, and although he has been working in IT for most of his professional career, he plans to begin working full time in microfinance in 2009. Scott hopes that the work with Prisma will help him better understand where the industry is headed and how he can help promote poverty alleviation utilizing microfinance. In his free time, Scott is a semi-professional photographer, a DJ and an avid outdoors enthusiast.
Iyanna Holmes - Research Assistant Iyanna entered the program while working as a Financial Analyst for a major financial institution where she is involved in a variety of debt and equity transactions. She received both her B.S. (2001) and M.B.A. (2003) from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University. In 2002 she traveled with Semester at Sea while studying the economic, political, and social environments of the 10 countries she visited. In 2004 Iyanna traveled to Ghana where she saw first hand the impact that microfinance can have on people’s lives while volunteering with a Ghanaian NGO. With the experience from this internship, Iyanna hopes to turn her passion for eliminating poverty in developing countries into a career. She is an adventurous traveler, a novice salsa dancer and an aspiring entrepreneur.

MID-2008 INTERNS
Ryan Benson - Research Assistant Ryan graduated from Tufts University with a bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering. He entered the program as a masters degree candidate in Public Policy at Johns Hopkins University, with a focus on international development. After finishing graduate school, he plans to pursue a long and fulfilling career in microfinance. He enjoys sailing, running and playing Risk.
Jocelyn Cheng - Research Assistant Jocelyn entered the program following her position as an Analyst at Goldman Sachs, where she spent two years working in investment banking in the New York and Buenos Aires offices. In her position at Goldman, she focused on the Natural Resources and Latin American spaces. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s joint-degree Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business. Her interest in microfinance started in undergraduate studies and was furthered through an internship with a grassroots MFI in Puno, Peru. She is fluent in Spanish and Cantonese Chinese.
Sarah Knapp - Research Assistant Sarah entered the program while studying at Emory University in Atlanta, majoring in History and Latin American Studies. She became connected to microfinance through an interest in sustainable poverty alleviation. The experiences of living in an Argentinean soup kitchen and studying in a microfinance seminar have expanded this interest. Sarah is involved with Emory’s undergraduate microenterprise club and as a tutor for immigrants and refugees in English and financial literacy. She loves the Spanish language, skiing and the outdoors.
Diana Yang - Research Assistant Diana graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Business Administration. As a Global Trade Consultant at Deloitte she advises and provides solutions to clients for dealing with their international customs and trade issues. She is inspired by microfinance and considers it to be a sustainable solution that empowers those in poverty. Through her internship Diana hopes to increase her knowledge of the microfinance industry and determine how she can contribute to this growing movement. She enjoys cooking, staying active and traveling and is thrilled to be visiting Latin America in the fall of 2008.

EARLY 2008 INTERNS
Anthony Busch - Research Assistant Anthony entered the program as a junior at the University of South Carolina pursuing a double major in International Business and Finance. During 2008 he studied at Yarmouk University in Irbid, Jordan, through the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship program. He previously spent a year in Syria studying Arabic at the University of Damascus and interning at the United States Embassy in Damascus. Through conversations with Rotarians in his sponsoring district, he began to realize the potential of microfinance in eliminating the cycle of poverty and sees it as a way to satisfy both his desire to serve the public good and his interest in the private sector. Anthony commands an advanced proficiency of Arabic, and his interests include traveling, photography, a love of Ohio State football and lots of tennis.
Melissa Duscha - Research Assistant Melissa Duscha has a BA in Comparative Religion from the University of California at San Diego and a Japan-Focus MBA from the University of Hawai’i/Japan-America Institute of Management Science. Melissa has traveled extensively through Africa and previously lived in France and Japan. It is through her travels which included many encounters with micro-entrepreneurs in developing countries that she first became interested in sustainable development and especially microfinance. She speaks Japanese and French and is currently living in Shanghai studying Mandarin. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, she loves beautiful weather and mantis boxing.
Stephen Son - Research Assistant During Stephen’s two years as an Advisory Services Associate with KPMG in San Francisco, he helped clients bring their internal audit functions in line with regulatory standards. Stephen graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with degrees in Business Administration and Political Science and hopes his background can be meaningfully put to use in the field of microfinance. Stephen is a native Southern Californian who loves sunny days, but he also enjoys the occasional trip to places like South America or Scandinavia.
Jennifer Lee - Research Associate Jennifer entered the program following her position as an Associate at Lehman Brothers, where she spent three years working in capital markets as Lehman’s US Treasury and Treasury Futures strategist. She is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with dual degrees in Chemistry and Management Science. Her goal is to increase her knowledge of the microfinance industry and pursue a new career with a focus on social responsibility. She is greatly inspired and attracted to microfinance as an innovative, sustainable solution to the challenge of poverty. Jennifer also enjoys traveling and dancing and is proficient in Spanish.
Mary Fu - Research Associate Mary entered the program as a field interviewer for the RAND Corporation. She is a UCLA graduate with dual degrees in International Development Studies and Psychology. She had always been interested in poverty reduction through empowerment and sustainable development. By interning at Prisma, Mary hoped to acquire a deeper understanding of the role of microfinance in lifting and keeping people out of chronic poverty. She was born in China and has traveled throughout much of Latin America, including Chile, Peru, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. She is fluent in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. Mary plans to pursue graduate studies in policy analysis in the near future. She enjoys surfing and dancing tango.
Steven Craig - Project Manager Steven is a project manager at Digital Insight, an Intuit company. Steven manages technical implementation projects for US-based banks and credit unions. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of California at Davis while working as a Senior Loan Officer in Digital Insight’s consumer loan contact center. His interest in microfinance started in undergraduate studies and has grown with subsequent research of the field. In the future, Steven would like to pursue an MBA and focus his career on entrepreneurship and global business.

LATE 2007 INTERNS
Amy Rennison - Research Associate Amy is currently a consultant and research analyst for NGOs and ethical investment firms. She has 13 years experience in the financial services sector in marketing and communications, including board level experience. She completed her MA in Imperialism and Post-Colonial Societies at London University in 2007 (having her completed her BA at Oxford University in 1993) focusing on Africa and has managed to fit in stints working on projects in Zimbabwe and Madagascar throughout her career. She is British, but currently lives in Zurich, Switzerland. Her aim is to combine her practical development and academic skills with knowledge of microfinance and ethical investment in the world of mainstream financial services.
Steven Craig - Research Assistant Steven is a project manager at Digital Insight, an Intuit company. Steven manages technical implementation projects for US-based banks and credit unions. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of California at Davis while working as a Senior Loan Officer in Digital Insight’s consumer loan contact center. His interest in microfinance started in undergraduate studies and has grown with subsequent research of the field. In the future, Steven would like to pursue an MBA and focus his career on entrepreneurship and global business.
Elizabeth Nelson - Research Assistant Elizabeth began her internship as a rising junior at Dartmouth College working toward a double major in Government and Philosophy. Her academic focus has been primarily within the intersection of foreign policy and political philosophy, but her recent research as a Presidential Scholar in the Government department at Dartmouth has sparked her interest in the relationship between the public and private sector in potentially providing solutions to global problems. Through her internship at Prisma, Nelson hoped to gain a fuller understanding of the history, mechanics and major issues in micro-investment, with a particular eye towards clarifying her views on the nature and degree of the government’s involvement in MFIs. After college, she plans to pursue a career in international development, but is unsure whether her work will lead her to governmental, NGO or private organizations. On campus, Nelson is an active member of the Navigators Christian Fellowship, and she volunteers as a mentor for local high school students.

MID-2007 INTERNS
Michael Warmington - Research Associate Mike graduated from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in the UK with a BA in economics and with a master’s degree in international development from the University of Bath. Since then he has worked for an NGO based in the UK running international exchanges and is now eager to start a career in the microfinance industry. In addition to some current research he is also working on for the MicroLoan Foundation, an MFI based in London, in his spare time Mike enjoys playing squash, reading and live music.
Nicole Brown - Research Associate Nicole Brown graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Economics. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Policy at the University of Chicago with a focus on poverty/inequality and health policy. Her interest is in microfinance and this stems from her involvement in several community based organizations. She is exploring job opportunities in international development. She is proficient in Spanish.
Chryssa Rask - Research Assistant Chryssa is a rising senior at Tufts University in Medford, MA. She is a double major in international relations and economics, from which her interest in microfinance has grown. Adding to her interests in development economics and social entrepreneurship was the summer and semester she spent abroad in China, studying Mandarin Chinese, history, and culture. In the future she hopes to combine her knowledge of China with her knowledge of microfinance to start her career. In her free time she is an active member of the Tufts Varsity Sailing Team, and enjoys spending time outside and on the water.
Jonathan Rollins - Blog Master Apprentice Jonathan entered the program as a junior at Bowdoin College double majoring in Economics and Mathematics. His passion for international development comes from his experiences with Bridges to Community, an organization that concentrates on community development in Nicaragua. Jonathan spent a semester in Madrid, Spain where he studied international finance and the Spanish language. In his spare time he enjoys traveling, singing and playing monopoly.
Quentin Ruiz-Esparza - Research Associate Entering the internship program as a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Quentin was an economics-Spanish double major. Microfinance, a relatively new subfield in his economics studies, has piqued Quentin’s interest because of its role within Latin America and potential to economics. Quentin’s primary motivation for studying economics is to understand policies’ effects on societies, and how economics might assist the poor. Quentin is also active within his school’s student government and on-campus Christian ministry Reformed University Fellowship.
Monica Sharma - Research Assistant Monica entered the program as a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is working toward a major in both Economics and International Studies, as well as studying Spanish and Hindi. Monica is interested in a career dealing with international or regional/local development, and she will soon be starting research under her Econ professor regarding the progress of credit unions in select Latin American countries. She was originally planning on being an art major before recently switching over to this field. Coming from the suburbs of Chicago, Monica is in love with the city, and is an unwavering Sox fan.
Shane Xu - Blog Master Associate Shane Xu entered his internship as a senior at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, majoring in mathematics and business administration. He is excited about the potential of accelerating microfinance education and participation through the web, and he is planning to apply for a Kiva fellowship in the fall of this year.

For data on interns back to 2003, please visit the Prisma MicroFinance internship page.