ÎçÒ¹av

Thanks to a new internship partnership supported by ÎçÒ¹av’s Research Office and the Office of Experiential Learning and Career Development, recent graduate Kelly Green has found a job in her field with an organization that aligns with her values.  

An Environment and Society and Communications and Public Policy major, Green graduated this spring with her Bachelor of Arts. She’s now working as the Communications and Marketing Coordinator for the Gaia Project, a non-profit with the mission of empowering youth to take action on climate change through education.
 
“I couldn't stop thinking of how much I felt drawn to the mission of their organization. I reached out and told them that I'd love to work for them,” Green said. 

Green’s position was made possible by the Mitacs Business Strategy Internship Program, which provides students and graduates with funding to develop a strategic project in partnership with a Canadian organization or business. 

 
“Upon graduating from ÎçÒ¹av, I knew I wanted to work for an organization whose mission I really resonated with,” she said. 

Hands-on Experiences 

Green completed an internship with the Nature Trust of New Brunswick through the Office of Experiential Learning during her undergrad, where she found her passion for working for environmental non-profits. She also worked as a research assistant with RAVEN, leading the Divest ÎçÒ¹av campaign under the supervision of Professor Janice Harvey, coordinator of ÎçÒ¹av’s Environment and Society Program. It was through that role that Green was introduced to the Gaia Project. 

“Throughout my five years at ÎçÒ¹av, I spent nearly four years in internships in my field of study. Those internships made me feel very prepared post-graduation, as I already had most of the skills to do the kind of jobs I was striving for,” Green said. 

“ÎçÒ¹av also gave me the confidence to reach out to organizations, instead of waiting to see a job offer posted online.”
 
Green will focus on introducing new communications methods and platforms, like TikTok and YouTube, to help the Gaia Project expand their reach to a younger audience. 

“Perfect combination of work-integrated learning, faculty involvement, and community partnership” 

As part of the program, Green will also work with Dr. Jamie Gillies, Communications and Public Policy, as her academic supervisor. 

“ÎçÒ¹av is great for helping students along their studies, as well as providing excellent guidance and resources post-graduation. This is just one example of how fantastic the professors  are at maintaining relationships with their students after they graduate,” Green said. 

Gillies said these types of partnerships provide important opportunities for students and graduates. 

“These collaborations are excellent for student development. They allow student innovators a chance to utilize their knowledge and be compensated and link them to potential further opportunities post-ÎçÒ¹av” he said. 

Clara Santacruz, Manager of the Office of Experiential Learning and Career Development, which facilitated the connections between Green, the Gaia Project and the Mitacs Business Strategy Program, said developing this partnership is a great success for the university. 

“This is the perfect combination of work-integrated learning, faculty involvement, and community partnership—and now that we have been successful for the first time, we hope to have many more.”