Ambassador and Educator Internships

Please e-mail the contact person listed in each internship description to see if positions are currently available.

Host: Science, Environmental, and Health Education Internships (EDU 82/182)


Possible Internship(s): Teacher Plans and Classroom Intern
Point Person: Teresa La Brecque
Website: N/A

Description: Adventures in Science: Inspire junior and senior high school students about science by designing and presenting interactive science lessons and activities in local schools. Lesson plans can range in topics in the environmental, physical, biological, health, and social sciences. Seojung at sjkang@ucdavis.edu
Watch It - Don't Squash It (WIDSI): Inspire K-5 students and get them excited about science. Design and present interactive activities in local elementary schools to teach children the importance and science behind an environmental topic of your choice. Section meetings focus on designing, implementing, and evaluating lesson plans. Julia at jlmoor@ucdavis.edu
Stebbins Nature Outings: Learn to design and lead engaging nature outings for youth, families, and the general public. Topics include ecological adaptation and diversity, water conservation, geology and watersheds, plants and animals. Nature Outings at Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve take place on weekends in spring. Jeffrey atjjclary@ucdavis.edu
WaterWays: Design outdoor science activities for upper elementary school students about conserving and protecting water resources, animals and habitats. Continue spring quarter to help lead field trips and pilot your activities with school groups visiting Lake Solano Park to learn where their water comes from. Teresa attjlabrecque@ucdavis.edu

Arboretum GATEways Outreach Program (Gardens, Arts and The Environment): Work directly with community volunteers and other student interns in creating programs aimed at teaching local visitors and families about the new Arboretum GATEway Garden and UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden. Help design and implement hands-on activities and tours for the public and gain outreach and communication skills. Melissa atmelcruz@ucdavis.edu
One Health Education: In this integrated approach to health, students design and pilot health education activities for youth and families who attend a rural Yolo County community health and veterinary clinic on the 3rd Sunday of each month. Weekly section work may include developing short videos. Spanish language skills a plus, but not required Mimi at maportilla@ucdavis.edu

Food Science and Safety: Design learning modules on food science and safety for youth in school and community settings. Review existing curricula, help youth in a 4-H program grow food in their community garden, and create authentic opportunities to apply food safety and preservation practices. Teresa at tjlabrecque@ucdavis.edu


Internships coordinated through the Science Education Outreach Program (SEOP) of the Department of Human Ecology and the John Muir Institute of the Environment

Host: UC Davis Student Farm


Possible Internship(s): Kids in the Garden and Farm Intern (PLS 193)
Point Person: Mark Van Horn and Carol Hillhouse
Website: http://asi.ucdavis.edu/sf/schoolgardeningprogram

Description: “This class is the first quarter of a two-quarter experience at the UC Davis Student Farm. It prepares students during winter to work directly with children or youth who will be visiting the Student Farm during spring. Children come for field trips that address food systems concepts in a manner appropriate to the age of the visitors. This course provides basic biological, ecological, and management understanding of the garden/farm setting along with experiential education mentoring techniques used by our program when working with children and youth. Students learn "tried and true" activities and brainstorm ideas for new lessons. Students gain understanding of garden management by preparing the garden and farm site for spring visitors. The proposed class has been taught for more than 10 years as a winter internship. Grading is P/NP. There will be a final exam. This is the first year that it will be taught as a 2-unit PLS course.”

For internships, students required to have participated a previous term working on the Student Farm. Contact Carol Hillhouse at jchillhouse@ucdavis.edu

Host: Campus Dining Services


Possible Internship(s): Sustainability Education Intern
Point Person: Sean Guerra, Sustainability Education Coordinator, smguerra@ucdavis.edu
Website: Aggie Joblink

Description: “Looking for an internship next quarter? Do you love engaging with students about your passion for sustainability ranging from food waste to fair trade? Curious how the campus Dining Services is implementing local sourcing, organic and sustainable produce through their operations? If so you should apply for the Sustainability Education Student Internship through Dining Services!”
“Interns will learn about the Sustainability and Nutrition Office (SNO)'s Zero Waste, Healthy Planet, Healthy Me and Meatless Monday programs in Retail and Resident Dining. Events and projects include zero waste support, Farm-to-College event support, film screenings, Resident Garden work parties/events, UC Davis Farmers Market support, and MORE.”
For internships, visit Aggie Joblink and look up: Sustainability Education Student Intern (ID # 786647)

Host: AgriCorps


Possible Internship(s): FFA/4H Developer Intern
Point Person: Cynthia L. Goldberg, M.Ed., ICC Program Coordinator, 530.752.2671, icc.ucdavis.edu
Website: http://agricorps.org

Description: “AgriCorps is a Peace Corps type organization that takes American college graduates to agriculture into the developing world for one year assignments to teach agricultural education in primary and secondary schools.”

For internships, check them out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/agricorps

Host: UC Davis


Possible Internship(s): Wild Campus Intern
Point Person: Tatyana Kalani, Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology
Website: http://wildcampus.ucdavis.edu/

Description: “Wild Campus is a student-run organization on campus focused on conservation. The Ambassador branch of our program is extremely important to reach out to the public about native species, fundraise to help our organization continue to participate in research, and teach our future leaders (elementary students!) about the importance of conservation. So, if you like to work with children, participate in outreach, or fundraise, we have an amazing opportunity for you! The current positions we are looking to fill are: Communication Coordinator, Graphic Designer, Photographer/Videographer, Web Content Manager, Grant Writer, Sponsorship Coordinator, Education/Outreach Team Members.”

For internships, find application at http://wildcampus.ucdavis.edu/application.

Host: Student PIRGS


Possible Internship(s): Campus Organizer Intern
Point Person: Micaela Preskill, Recruitment Director
Website: Jobs.StudentPIRGs.org

Description: “Students founded PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) over 40 years ago, based upon the simple idea that America has more problems than we should tolerate, and more solutions than we use. Today, on any college campus, you can find students who feel driven to take on problems outside the classroom, whether it's global warming, big money in politics, or hunger and homelessness. As a PIRG Campus Organizer, your job is to recruit these students to get involved -- and to train them to be effective leaders who can run campaigns that make an impact in the community, in the state capitol, in Congress, at the White House, or wherever it will make a difference. We're hiring Campus Organizers to work on 40 campuses across America.”

For internships, submit application online at jobs.studentPIRGs.org

Host: Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center


Possible Internship(s): School Garden Assistant
Point Person: Todd McPherson
Website: sccsc.org

Description: Are you interested creating local, sustainable food systems and inspiring the next generation of food activists?!
Join the Sac Chinese School Garden Team this semester and get right to work (re)building school gardens, introducing local youth the joy and power that lies in growing their own food, and educating them on the importance of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Many of the 27 schools that the Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center works with have school gardens in varying degrees of neglect and disrepair. We need your help to rebuild, maintain, and turn these "eyesores" from neglected dumping grounds to vibrant outdoor classrooms and thriving sources of health for our youth.
Area of focus: School Gardens, Urban Agriculture, Food System Development, and Youth Education.
Skills desired: Experience with sustainable agriculture, on either a garden or farm scale; understanding and knowledge of sustainable foods systems and relevant issues such as food access and food security; strong desire to work with urban youth in an outdoor educational capacity
Skills to be developed: basic garden management skills (irrigation, soil development, planting/harvest schedules etc.); youth coordination and leadership skills; teaching experience in both traditional classroom and non-traditional outdoor, hands on setting.

For internships, contact Todd McPherson at Todd@sccsc.org with a resume and a brief description (one paragraph) describing why you are interested in being involved. Also please indicate if you are interested more in the farming/gardening aspect, the teaching aspect, or both equally.