Senior Projects

Internship with the Harvard Law School Clinical Staff

“I was assigned to find the office some resources for free non-copyrighted photos on immigration so that when they post next they have a pool of photos to pull from. I created a document compiled of copyright free databases, as well as a Google Drive folder with many photos already selected for future posts. The next task of the day was working on two case victory articles…Overall, I was very pleased with this day and I could definitely see myself in this kind of law!”

Internship at the Whitehead Institute

"Undertaking this internship at the Whitehead Institute immensely impacted my personal and professional growth. Collaborating with esteemed researchers and fellow interns, I was exposed to diverse perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches, enhancing my ability to work effectively in a team setting. The group work was unlike anything I had experienced because I was used to completing and submitting coding projects alone. Moreover, this experience enhanced my problem-solving skills and gave me a strong sense of resilience in improving faulty code. What I learned and did has broadened my understanding of bioinformatics and its potential to drive transformative discoveries in genomics research. This internship has further ignited a passion for data science and has motivated me to pursue education and research in this interdisciplinary field. The knowledge and skills I have gained during this internship will undoubtedly shape my future academic and professional endeavors."

Internship with Inner Explorer

“Over the course of two weeks, I worked with a non-profit organization called Inner Explorer…They have a large selection of meditations and guided visualizations that help to promote mindfulness and self-care in students as young as pre-school. In order to make their programs as accessible as possible, they needed someone to translate them, and their website, into Spanish.

"Working with Inner Explorer was an invaluable experience for me because I was able to refresh my Spanish,  it taught me the value of mindfulness, showed me the impact my work would have and I realized what a valuable skill I possess. I hope that I am given the opportunity to work with them again."

Senior Project Trip to the Caribbean

"Overall, this trip impacted my understanding of the marine ecosystem and how important the human role is in helping protect these ecosystems. The shark research furthered my understanding of how essential these creatures are in a marine ecosystem, and while they may look scary, the stigma around them is overblown and full of misinformation.  The snorkeling in certain areas of Turks and Caicos opened my eyes to what a healthy marine ecosystem is supposed to look like. This trip left me with an optimistic feeling about how spreading awareness can help future generations rebuild what past generations destroyed."

One of the leaders of the national organization WiSTEM (Women in STEM), Olivia used the time to work on some administrative challenges related to membership and access to funding.

“The work which I engaged in consisted of various tasks to ease the transition for next year's Women in STEM leadership team, both globally and within Thayer’s chapter.

"Having the chance to work on the organization as a senior project gave Maddie (Stearns '23) and I the time we needed to ensure sustainable growth for coming years and a successful leadership turnover as we head to college next fall."

May 21 - 31 2025
Faculty Contact: Kiley Lilly, Upper School Science Department Head (klilly@thayer.org / 781.664.1616)

This Senior Project spends the first few weeks learning about marine research. We will do various small projects learning about local marine species and conservation efforts in New England.

The final week of the Senior Project is spent in a field course in the Caribbean with our partner research group, Beneath the Waves. The students will tag various species of sharks, catalog their measurements, and take DNA, muscle, and blood samples. In this way, students learn more about sharks' health and the quality of the ocean. 

May 20 - June 1, 2025
Faculty Contacts: Aidan Rooney (arooney@thayer.org / 781.664.2214) & Darah Harper (dharper@thayer.org / 781.664.2213), Upper School French Teachers

Sample Itinerary

The Senior Project in France offers an immersion program of activities aiming to provide students with a culminating appreciation of French culture, language and history. This seven-day home-stay on the French Riviera followed by a five-day exploration of Paris and its environs promises enrichment opportunities at once exciting and educational.

In Cannes, students participate in an authentic student-to- student exchange with the Lycée Stanislas, one of France’s finest secondary schools. The Cannes International Film Festival winds down during our stay, so students will feel some of the excitement and pizazz that annually gathers movie stars, cinephiles and paparazzi. Day-trips bring us to Nice, the Château de La Napoule, l’Ile Saint-Honorat, and the Fragonard Museum in Grasse; evenings spent largely en famille extend opportunities for immersion in French language and culture.

In Paris, we stay four nights in a 4-star hotel on the right bank, and enjoy meals in selected restaurants that serve traditional French food. Our stay in Paris includes: a dinner-cruise on the river Seine; the iconic sights and monuments of Paris; walking tours of historic gardens and quartiers; museum visits; a market visit in Versailles, followed by picnic and bike-ride in the gardens of the palace.

Please note that all participants in this program must also meet the requirements of a complementary senior project during the two weeks prior to traveling. We require that this portion of the senior project be service-oriented.

May 21 - June 1, 2025
Faculty Contact: Terri Lukens, Upper School Spanish Teacher (tlukens@thayer.org / 781.664.2269)

Sample Itinerary

We spend the first part of the trip in Cusco, Peru, working in an orphanage, touring ancient Incan sites and exploring this beautiful colonial city in the Andes. We live in a large guest house with our host family near the center. After five days we go to the small town of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley, live with local families and do agricultural service. We experience traditional life in rural Peru. We then hike the Inca Trail and visit Machu Picchu. This trip offers an authentic cultural experience.

The couple that directs the program in Peru is the key to this wonderful experience. Chivi Uscamayta recently finished a term as the Assistant Mayor of Cusco and has dedicated her life to helping those in need. Julio Lopez is one of the foremost travel agents in Peru and an expert on Peruvian history and culture.

This is a challenging trip in many ways. We live and eat simply. We are very physically active and have one 6-7 hour hike. Our two days of farm work are strenuous.

We see a lot of poverty and coming face to face with the reality of orphanage life is not easy. We are constantly in situations in which students are expected to reach across language and cultural barriers.