Community Bridges

The Community Bridges program at Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research addresses urban inequality and poverty issues by pairing academic study with active fieldwork. Rice undergraduate students who are selected to be Community Bridges fellows simultaneously study the theories of urban sociology in the classroom and undertake internships with nonprofit organization partners to carry out research-driven projects. Students earn a total of five upper-level credits while participating in Community Bridges. The program includes fall and spring semester commitments as well as the opportunity for summer fellowships.

For more information, contact kinderbridges@rice.edu

As a Community Bridges fellow, I had the opportunity to personally interact with members of the community and learn more about the work of nonprofits in communities. Through this experience, I gained valuable insight into health at the community level. As a pre-med student, I have learned plenty about how health is cared for in clinic and hospital settings, but this was the first time I got to see health interventions in a community setting to promote preventative healthcare. This project has greatly fostered my interest in community health as part of my future career path.

— Nikhita Mummaneni, 2022-2023 Community Bridges Fellow