Back to the Claudio X. GonzÁLEZ CENTer for the united states and mexico 

The Claudio X. González Center for the United States and Mexico offers Rice undergraduate students research or administrative internship opportunities. Research interns work directly with institute fellows and scholars on critical policy issues to the U.S.-Mexico relationship. Interns work with senior staff in a professional office environment, providing essential support in a security-sensitive setting.

For more general information about internship opportunities with the center, contact JP Gomez at [email protected]. 

For information about all internship opportunities at the Baker Institute, visit https://www.bakerinstitute.org/students.

The Mexico and U.S. flags in front of a brick wall.

Current Interns

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Alexander Hernandez-Garcia

Alexander Hernandez-Garcia, ’28, is a first-generation student at Rice University studying Political Science and Cognitive Science with a concentration in linguistics on the pre-law track. At the Claudio X. González Center for the U.S. and Mexico, he has applied research, data analysis, and ArcGIS to study bilateral trade and policy, while co-founding initiatives supporting immigrant and minority communities in Houston.
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Bella Pacheco

Bella Pacheco, ’28, is an undergraduate student at Rice University studying Social Policy Analysis and Political Science. At the Claudio X. González Center for U.S. and Mexico, her work focuses on assisting research scholars on environmental change, migration, and the impact of social policies and corporations on cross-border sustainability.
Intern_Alisha Hou

Alisha Hou

Alisha Hou, ’28, is a Rice University student majoring in political science and psychology, with a minor in politics, law, and social thought. Her interests include immigration, social equity, and reform policies. She conducts policy research at Rice’s Baker Institute, studies workplace equity in an I/O psychology lab, and has legal experience at immigration and corporate law firms, assisting with legal case preparation.
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Emily Ramirez

Emily Ramírez, ‘28, is a first-generation undergraduate student at Rice University studying Political Science and Sociology with a minor in Portuguese. Her interests include organized crime, border security, immigration policy, and democratic governance. She supports research scholars at the Claudio X. González Center for the U.S. and Mexico, bridges resource gaps among immigrant residents of Gulfton and Sharpstown, and has legal and congressional experience in Washington, D.C.

Fall 2024 & Spring 2025

Portrait of Kate Frucht

Kate Frucht

Kate Frucht, ’24, is an undergraduate student at Rice University majoring in political science and social policy analysis and minoring in poverty, justice and human capabilities. Her research interests include housing policy, urban issues, and Christianity and democracy.
Portrait of Sanjana Jain

Sanjana Jain

Sanjana Jain, ’26, is an undergraduate student at Rice University studying economics and business (finance). Her research interests include economic growth, energy/resource economics and sustainable development.
Portrait of Sriya Kakarla

Sriya Kakarla

Sriya Kakarla, ’24, is an undergraduate student at Rice University studying health science and Spanish. Her research interests include immigration, border health care and development policy.
Portrait of Emmanuel Tilias

Emmanuel Tilias

Emmanuel Tilias, ’24, is a graduate student in international political economy at Rice University. His research interests include migration, trade and the global economy.

Spring 2023

Portrait of Sanjana Jain

Sanjana Jain

Sanjana Jain, ’26, is an undergraduate student at Rice University studying economics and business (finance). Her research interests include economic growth, energy/resource economics and sustainable development.
Portrait of Roselyn Ovalle

Roselyn Ovalle

Roselyn Ovalle, ’25, is an undergraduate at Rice University majoring in political science and minoring in poverty, justice and human capabilities. Her research interests include immigrant rights, femicide and economic development.
Portrait of Emmanuel Tilias

Emmanuel Tilias

Emmanuel Tilias, ’24, is a graduate student in international political economy at Rice University. His research interests include migration, trade and the global economy.
Portrait of Karla Vasquez

Karla Vasquez

Karla Vasquez, ’25, is a Rice University undergraduate student studying political science and social policy analysis. Her research interests include U.S.-Mexico border relations, immigration and labor relations.

Fall 2022

Rachel Hecht

Rachel Hecht

Rachel Hecht, '25, is an undergraduate student at Brown University studying international and public affairs. Her research interests include immigration, trade and development.
Aidan Vyas

Aidan Vyas

Aidan Vyas, ’25, is a Rice University sophomore majoring in computer science and economics. His research interests include public policy, international affairs and developmental economics.
Irene Younan

Irene Younan

Irene Younan, ‘23, is a rising senior at Rice University majoring in health sciences and Spanish. Her research interests include U.S.- Mexico border relations and immigration.