WISEST Intern

The role of the WISEST Intern was established in 2019 as a means to give interested students the opportunity to volunteer with WISEST for skill development in the area of STEM outreach with the added benefit of gaining experience working in an office environment.  The expectations of the role are that individuals volunteer 5-10 hours a week from September/October to March/April with allowances made for busy times in their academic calendars.  Projects and tasks are varied and assigned based on the student’s personal and professional skill development goals and the operational needs of WISEST.

Applications for Fall 2023/Winter 2024 year will open in June 2023.

Mandatory Qualification
  • Undergraduate student entering at least their second year of study at the U of A in the fall term (i.e., student must have completed at least one year of post-secondary studies at the U of A)
Preferred Qualifications
  • Strong interpersonal communication skills
  • Sound understanding of the barriers surrounding inclusion in STEM
  • Experience working with Google suite (docs, sheets, forms, slides, meet, chat)
  • Ability to work cooperatively with staff and volunteers
  • Effective and efficient skills in planning, organizational, and time management
  • Interest in promoting and discussing diversity in STEM with a wide variety of audiences
Responsibilities

Projects vary based on a student’s learning outcomes and the current operational needs of the office but have included tasks such as:

  • WISEST website review and content curation including Faces of WISEST
  • Curriculum and activity development for conferences
  • Social media engagement (ex. Content creation for Trivia Tuesday’s, liking/reposting mission-aligned opportunities, etc.)
  • Alumni engagement (ex. Surveys, alumni events, etc.)
  • Assisting in core programs (CHOICES conference, SET conference) where needed
  • Resource development (ex. EDI Toolkit, STEM @ Home Guide)
  • Volunteer Database maintenance
  • Research on new areas under development
  • Archiving of documents and record retention
  • Support with outreach programs as needed (ex. Science Rendezvous, boothing, Jasper Dark Sky Festival, etc.)
To apply for consideration for the 2023/2024 Academic Term please submit the following:
  • One-page cover letter with 2-3 short paragraphs of why you want to volunteer with WISEST
  • In the letter also include a list of 3-5 skills you’d like to develop during your internship
  • Current resume
  • Estimated time availability for the fall/winter terms with any schedule preferences
    • Ex.  I can volunteer up to 9 hours a week, Mon, Wed and Fri from 9-noon
    • Ex.  I can volunteer up to 5 hours a week anytime but Mon afternoons

Please submit your responses Helen Yip, WISEST Outreach Coordinator (wisest.outreach@ualberta.ca) by June 20, 2023 @11:59PM (MDT).

 

In return for the time you give, you will receive:

  • a supportive, friendly environment in which to develop a variety of transferable skills
  • access to Transition 2 Career sessions through the University of Alberta Career Centre
  • the opportunity to work with an amazing team of WISEST staff and volunteers
  • permission to use “WISEST Intern” on your signature line, 
  • tuition credit of up to $1500 (applied to your next academic year) with successful completion of internship
  • a professional reference from WISEST Team Lead outlining your responsibilities & hours worked 
  • gratification knowing that you have directly impacted the lives of others who experience barriers to pursuing STEM education and careers
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Hannah Bayne
Meet Hannah
  • Name: Hannah Bayne
  • Pronouns: She/Her
  • Program: BSc in Psychology
  • What are you most excited about this year with WISEST: I am so excited for in-person SET and CHOICES Conferences! Getting to interact with young people interested in STEM is so rewarding and I cannot wait to meet all the conference participants and see them learn about their potential and future in STEM!
  • Fun Fact: I’ve hiked every trail at Elk Island National Park and stayed at all the campground sites (even the backcountry one!)
  • One thing you would tell a high school student interested in STEM: Make a plan, but don’t be surprised or upset if it changes! Young adulthood is a time of discovery and you might find yourself developing new passions and interests and it’s okay to change your mind! You’ll discover careers and degrees you didn’t even know existed before high school and it’s a great time to get out there and explore all your options (and use the resources at your disposal to find out about your options!)
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Samantha Polege
Meet Samantha
  • Name: Samantha Polege
  • Pronouns: she/her/hers
  • Program: BSc. Immunology and Infection
  • What are you most excited about this year with WISEST: I'm really excited to be back for my second year as a WISEST intern! I'm looking forward to being even more involved in lots of great events like SET and continuing working in outreach. I’m enthusiastic about broadening the scope of my tasks further and digging deeper during my internship this year!
  • Fun fact: I’m double-jointed in all fingers and I love trying to make music!
  • One thing you would tell a high school student interested in STEM: You WILL feel like everyone else around you has student life under control, but I promise you’re not alone! Study hard, but make room for self-care!
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Moneek Sandhu
Meet Moneek
  • Name: Moneek Sandhu
  • Pronouns: She/Her
  • Program: BSc.Psychology with a minor in Biological Sciences
  • What are you most excited about this year with WISEST: I'm ecstatic to be a part of the WISEST team as I first got involved with WISEST in the sixth grade at the CHOICES conference and this inspired me to explore an education in the STEM fields. After seeing first-hand the impact WISEST has on underrepresented groups in the STEM fields, I applied to be an intern for WISEST and also joined the WiSER executive team. I would say I am most excited for the Choices and SET conference this year!
  • Fun Fact: My favourite things to do in my free time include painting, biking, listening to music and trying new recipes!
  • One thing you would tell a high school student interested in STEM: Something I've noticed is a commonality among women pursuing STEM is an impostor syndrome of sorts. One thing I would say is to not doubt your abilities! Have faith in yourself, don't underestimate the importance of a steady sleep schedule and make room for self-care.