A winning combination
Malia Bradley is working on a plan to harvest rainwater and use non-potable water for things like irrigation and toilet flushing on campus.
Soraya Danesh is helping students prepare for natural disasters and also make sure their residences are fire-safe.
While these tasks may seem administrator-worthy, UCSC undergrads are actually carrying them out as part of a unique mentorship arrangement called the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program, or CUIP.
Started 17 years ago as a way to open communication between administrators and students during a contentious time of budget cutbacks and campus development, it has turned into a solid way for students to hone their professional chops and for the university to have needs filled at the same time.
“My tag line for the program is, ‘learn, earn, and serve,” said Barbara Silverthorne, director of the Career Center.
Under the program, as many as 36 students each year are matched with projects that will help the university in some way. They are required to work 15 hours per week, attend leadership classes, and have a concrete result at the end of the year. In exchange, they are given an $8,200 stipend toward their tuition.
CUIP interns have set up support programs for military veterans returning to college. They have redesigned a child-care center playground, found ways to encourage minority students to stay in school, helped create climate action plans, and analyzed survey data to provide student feedback to campus units.
Along the way, they have learned career skills like problem-solving, consensus-building, and self-motivation, Silverthorne said. Program alumni have gone on to work as political consultants, city planners, lawyers, academics, grassroots organizers, and teachers.
“They set up a system so you can work independently and also get support when you need it,” said 21-year-old Bradley (Kresge, ’13, environmental studies).
CUIP relies on the UCSC Fund for half of its $250,000 budget, unrestricted money that is used to support top campus priorities.
Said Chancellor George Blumenthal: “Thanks to our donors, we can not only offer students a hands-on leadership experience but also get a tangible benefit for the university at the same time. It’s a winning combination.”