You’re Invited: Asian Americans in Foreign Policy Careers Virtual Event
Celebrate #AANHPIHM With Our U.S. Diplomats In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we celebrate the accomplishments of U.S. Department of State diplomats. Please join Diplomat in Residence Amanda Johnson and hear from our distinguished panelists about their paths to success in the Foreign Service. Learn how you, too, can represent America to the world. Registration is required. Register Today! |
Work Towards Food Justice & Learn About Regenerative Agriculture
New Community Project (NCP) is an international non-profit organization with a local program in Starksboro VT – a 28 minute drive from the Middlebury campus.
Our mission is to seek social justice and ecological healing to create a more peaceful world. We express our mission through several community programs aimed to help low income Vermonters have a fair shot at a decent life while benefiting the environment.
These include:
A weekly food pantry program that combines food rescued from area stores with food we grow in our Food Justice Garden. We also are a distribution hub for the Everyone Eats Program and Age Well VT’s Grab and Go meals for seniors.- Our Food Justice Garden Project. Located next to the Town’s Community Garden. Each year we grow over a thousand pounds of vegetables to help supply our food pantry program. This year we have expanded our growing area by three times. So we will be able to significantly increase the amount of food we can share with those in need.
- Our Community Woodbank and Emergency Heating Assistance Program. Each winter we supply firewood and other heating fuels to those in emergency heating situations. We also work with low income residents to help guide them through the process of applying to the State’s Weatherization Program.
In 2022 we are seeking help with the expansion of our Food Justice Garden. We are looking for folks who want to help serve those in need and also learn about regenerative agriculture. Work will include planting, weeding, mulching, watering, harvesting, cleaning, and managing insect pests.
Work days and times can be flexible. We tend to aim to work in the morning or the evening when possible to minimize evaporation of water and not work in the heat of the day.
If you have an interest in learning to grow food and serving the community we’d love to hear from you. For more information please contact Pete at NCP at 802-434-2333 or antosketchamncp@gmail.com
Vermont Innovation Summer Internship Opportunity at the Center for Women & Enterprise!
The Center for Women & Enterprise Vermont (CWEVT) is an inclusive economic empowerment organization. We help women business owners and aspiring women entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses by providing greater access to the resources, tools, and support they need. CWE seeks a dynamic, organized independent person to oversee the redesign of some of our signature entrepreneurship education programs. This position is great for students interested in educational design, Universal Design, entrepreneurship, and branding.This position will be part of the Innovation Hub’s Vermont Innovation Summer cohort of students working across Burlington’s innovation ecosystem. The position comes with access to subsidized housing at Champlain College in the heart of the city.
Read the full job description and apply on Handshake!
Hot Social Impact Internships & Jobs in Handshake!
Folks, if you think you are too late in the game to find a summer opportunity you couldn’t be more wrong! There are plenty of opportunities for employment right now so don’t wait to apply! Also note, some of these are Fall internships that could work for you too. Here’s a sampling of what dropped into my inbox this week:
Environmental/Climate/Renewable Energy/Conservation:
Social Justice/Equity/Children & Women’s Empowerment/DEI:
Policy/Government/Legal/Think Tanks/International Trade & Development/Global Health:
Middlebury Area Land Trust Looking to Hire a Graduating Senior: Stay in VT to Protect the Land You’ve Learned to Love!
HOT OFF THE PRESS: MALT (Middlebury Area Land Trust) was awarded an AmeriCorps member position for the 2022-2023 year. The position serves 450 hours during any time between September 2022 and August 2023. This is a new format for us and we’re wondering if a Midd student could be a good fit, serving the hours over the course of the upcoming 2022-2023 academic year. We’d like to recruit a student before the fall so we have time to plan with them before the academic year begins.
We’re looking for someone who:
- would fit well in a small environmental non-profit setting
- wants to connect people with the outdoors
- skills and interest in any combination of mapping, conservation and land stewardship, recreation trail work, and/or environmental education with youth
- availability to serve 450 hours over the academic year
The compensation works out to be about $15.00/hour including the stipend they receive for future education costs (or existing student loans).
We’re in the early stages of shaping the experience, so if you might be interested, please reach out to MALT’s new Education Manager, Simon Schreier, simon@maltvt.org.
RAD Innovations – Project Management Internship opportunity
RAD-Innovations is a manufacturer, distributor, and retailer of adaptive bikes, trikes, and mobility equipment based out of Cornwall, VT (5 min away from Middlebury College campus in Addison County). We are looking for a full-time summer intern to work with us on all aspects of our business — sales, marketing, business operations, non-profit development, and more!
What’s the day-to-day like at RAD-Innovations?
- Fielding client communications via Zoho CRM, emails, and phone calls
- Facilitating trike and RaceRunner Zoom demos
- Creating offline and online marketing materials
- Communicating with international dealers
- Organizing and participating in community bike rides
- Organizing and planning production cycles and international logistics
- Working with our non-profit foundation to develop adaptive cycling communities worldwide
We are looking for someone who:
- …is an excellent communicator and fast learner
- …is a self-starter (comfortable initiating and working on projects with minimal supervision)
- …considers themselves a problem-solver (for working through the many problems that arise at a small business)
- …wants to learn about small business management
- …has an interest in cycling, adaptive sports, and/or (dis)ability advocacy
- …knows or is willing to learn basic mechanics (for understanding and communicating basic bike mechanics)
- …is willing to travel (we take cool, international business trips)
- …likes to be with animals 😊 (we are on a working farm with an office cat or two, a flock of chickens, a gaggle of geese, and two dogs freely roaming the property)
How is this different than other internships:
- …extremely vibrant, diverse, and dynamic work environment on a farm in Vermont
- …you will have support and freedom to tailor the internship to your interests – if you want to focus on SME practices, data analytics, non-profit development, or the nitty-gritty details of bicycle manufacturing and logistics, you will be able to target any area and make this experience your own
- …you will be a full collaborator – we encourage and expect all members of the team to share ideas and views, no matter their background or experience
Commitment -Full time (40 hours per week), though willing to work occasional overtime, especially during peak season, which is between May and September. We require in-person work.
Compensation
- Negotiable, based on commitment and experience.
- We offer housing on the farm (5 minutes away from Middlebury College), and you have options! You can either live with us (a family of three with three cats and two dogs) or on your own in a separate cottage. If this is something of interest, please reach out to learn more.
- We love sharing meals and usually have lunch and dinner together. We also have an open kitchen, meaning that you can use whatever is in the fridge and freezers to make your own quick meals.
Ultimately, we are looking for a kind, excited, and driven intern who is hoping to find diverse work experience in an incredible community. We are relaxed and family-oriented and hope to create a work environment that goes beyond the expectations of your normal small business. Do not hesitate to reach out to speak with us and learn more about RAD-Innovations. Click here to apply in handshake!
Advice from Peer Career Advisor, Cindy Cardona ’22: The CCI’s Top Ten Tips for a Successful Summer Internship
- Treat your internship like an interview for a future job – Many organizations that offer internships also offer job opportunities, thus, it is always important to make a lasting impression. If you are an exceptional intern, it is much more likely that the company would consider creating a position on their team for you! Internship supervisors often also serve as great references when applying to future internships and employment positions. Consequently, make sure to dress your best, stay on top of deadlines, and go above and beyond to demonstrate your work ethic!
- At the same time, think of your internship as a possible future job – While interns and employees often have different responsibilities in the workplace, this summer can still be enlightening in determining your future. It will allow you to understand more about what role you naturally take on in a team setting and therefore, what kind of company or organization you would like to be a part of. It can also provide you with insight on what type of job you would like to have, for example do you prefer office work or a more hands-on work environment? Advice from mentors and our CCI advisors is always extremely helpful, however, personal experience is usually the best form of knowing which career path to choose.
- Take initiative – If you’ve finished a project you were assigned to, it may be tempting to sit back and relax but try to fight this urge. It will make you a memorable and dependable intern if you show that you are motivated to have more responsibility. Another aspect to taking initiative is sharing any ideas for improvement that you may have. Don’t be afraid to speak up! Your employer will likely see this as you wanting to get more involved in the organization, which if that is the case, it would help you in obtaining an employment offer or furthering your relationship with the employer. But if you are also feeling overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to be your own advocate and ask for extra time or assistance.
- Ask questions – Asking questions will not only make you look more connected to the company, but it is also the best way to get the most out of your internship. Don’t ask questions just to ask them though, make sure that you are asking questions that are of use. By doing so, you express your interest in the work you are doing and the company itself. Being curious will also make you learn more than you would have if you did not become further involved.
- Keep an open mind – If you are asked to complete a project or give a presentation, do not automatically turn down the offer because you do not have experience doing so. Take this as an opportunity to learn! You will get the most out of your internship if you get out of your comfort zone and attempt to develop new skills! Being accommodating is an extremely important tool in overcoming obstacles in everyday life so make sure to practice this in your internship as well!
- Set goals for yourself – Take some time to think about which skills you already have and which you would like to develop. Internships are one of the best places to learn more about yourself and about your abilities. Given the length of summer internships, stay organized by making weekly goals for yourself. When you think of these goals, do not keep them broad, make certain that they are measurable to keep you on track. For example, rather than simply wanting to increase followers for a social media managing internship, plan to increase the number of followers on the account by 50 every week. Whatever the goal is, make sure to try and quantify it!
- Network – Meet as many people as you can! The more you get to know the individuals you are working alongside with, the more they will know you and be more likely to make professional connections on your behalf. Oftentimes a reputable spokesperson is a major determining factor in whether a future organization will choose to offer a position to you versus another candidate. It is possible that one of the many people you meet will be your future employer or your key into graduate school someday, so always put your best foot forward!
- Try to keep a balanced summer – While having an internship over the summer often does not leave you with a lot of time to do much of anything else, always remember to take breaks and enjoy your summer! Take in the beautiful weather, spend time with friends and family, make sure to de-stress! It will be hard to not worry about all that you have to do but remember that you have been extremely productive and reward your hard work from time to time!
- Be proud about all that you accomplished! A summer internship is oftentimes much longer than internships offered in the winter, meaning that you are going to dedicate a great deal of time on projects and learning many different skills. As students we tend to downplay our achievements and all that we were responsible for during internships. It may feel pretentious to do so, but make sure to communicate all that you did on your future resumes and cover letters! You spent an entire summer developing your ability to accomplish certain tasks and you should be proud to show this off!
- Maintain contact – The most important tip to networking properly is to make certain that you continue contact after the initial introduction is made. A company may not necessarily remember an individual intern simply because they interned for a summer, therefore, it is important to stay in touch. The best letters of recommendation are those in which the individual writing them truly knows the applicant. In order to do this, make sure to reach out at least once or twice a year to maintain these ties and keep your network updated.
The author of this article, Cindy Cardona ’22, is a Biology major and Sociology minor who will be attending veterinary school after graduation. Cindy is a Peer Career Advisor at the Center for Careers and Internships.
Hot Social Impact Internships & Jobs in Handshake
Environment/Conservation/Sustainability/Climate Change & Resiliency:
Energy Efficiency Research Intern, The Consortium for Energy Efficiency Middleton, Massachusetts, United States
International Development & Trade/Policy:
Social Advocacy & Impact/Social Services/Policy & Justice:
Apply to be an AmeriCorps VISTA Here @Midd!
Calling all Middlebury Grads! Do you want to stay another year in Middlebury while doing service for the common good? Apply to be a Center for Community Engagement (CCE) AmeriCorps VISTA today. The VISTA will work directly with CCE staff to advise our organizations and support community partnerships.
We are accepting applications on a rolling basis until May 6th. For more information and application details, visit go/ccevista.
Making Environmental Connections at Midd — Eat & Greet on Wednesday, 5/4
This event will take place on Wednesday, May 4th from 4-6pm! There’s so much good work on environment, climate, and justice being done at Middlebury and during the pandemic, we’ve deeply missed having the ability to really connect to understand how we’re prioritizing our efforts, as well as how we can best coordinate with and support each other. So come celebrate the end of the semester while re-establishing, re-imagining, and building new connections across student groups, faculty, staff, and other environmental initiatives on campus!
Through the event, we’re seeking to facilitate conversations about environmental work here at Midd through some icebreaker games and create a visual ideas map to record our network of connections.
COME JOIN US in the Franklin Environmental Center courtyard!!