Intern Spotlight: UCHS Senior Kusum Gurung Is Exploring Data Science Outside of the Classroom
This is the second in a series of student spotlights featuring seniors in United Charter High Schools’ Workforce & Education Initiative — a hands-on internship program preparing twelfth graders for life after graduation.
When Kusum Gurung applied for the Workforce & Education Initiative, she had two potential college majors in mind: accounting and data science. Thanks to an internship through United Charter High Schools, she’ll graduate this June with a much clearer picture.
“Through a networking meeting put together by my mentor, I feel less interested in majoring in accounting after hearing previous experience working in the career,” Kusum shares. That’s the kind of clarity most people don’t gain until they’re already deep into a college program — but as a senior at United Charter High School for Advanced Math & Science IV (AMS IV) in Queens, Kusum is getting it now.
The opportunity appealed to her from the start. “It seemed like a great opportunity to learn more about data related careers, specifically in a school environment. To generally learn about what the job of a Data Analyst consists of. I also thought it would be great to have a better understanding of the career to see if I could see myself working as one.”
So what does a high school data science internship actually look like? Kusum walks us through it: “A typical day at my internship consists of joining in a Google meeting. We follow an agenda that formats what the meeting is going to overall include, tasks wise. If there were any tasks assigned to finish outside of the meeting in the week prior, we go over it together, breaking down the codes and just getting a deeper understanding. Sometimes we work on creating or adding on to spreadsheets. Most of the time when we create different spreadsheets I learn some new codes, which I then practice on my own.”
Kusum’s internship sharpens her critical observation skills and builds real technical skills. And some of what she’s learning has genuinely surprised her: “Something that surprised me is how smart the spreadsheet is when working with codes, you can put in one code and it automatically starts to understand what you’re trying to do.”
The proof is in what she’s created. “Before this internship, I never knew I could create a timesheet programmed to do the calculations on its own.”
What Is the Workforce & Education Initiative?
Running from February through May 2026, the Workforce & Education Initiative places UCHS seniors in meaningful, hands-on professional experiences. Scholars build essential skills like communication, problem-solving, and teamwork while exploring career paths and developing the confidence to thrive after graduation. It’s one of the many ways United Charter High Schools prepares students for success in college, career and life.
Interested in giving your teen access to opportunities like these? Applications for the 2026–27 school year are open now at unitedcharter.org.
About United Charter High Schools
United Charter High Schools is a network of seven award-winning and tuition-free charter schools serving 9th-12th grade students and families across the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. We are united in our mission to close the opportunity gap by ensuring equal access to rigorous STEAM and Humanities academics and unwavering support for post-secondary readiness. Get to know us at unitedcharter.org and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Enrollment for the 2026-27 school year is open now.
