BIS 495 Worlds of Work, the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences internship course, is an opportunity for students to apply their critical thinking, collaboration and problem-solving skills to a professional environment. At the same time, it gives students a look at possible jobs or career paths. Here are some of the students in the spring class taught by Loren Redwood. (Marc Studer photos)
Aretha Basu: Primed for politics
Society, ethics and human behavior (June ’17)
Interned as field organizer for Seattle City Council candidate Teresa Mosqueda, a labor leader who has mentored Basu.
Worked as community outreach and field coordinator – door knocking, phone banking and recruiting volunteers.
Experience: The former ASUWB director of student advocacy wanted to put political skills to work and use the last quarter at UW Bothell to transition to the workforce.
Next: Working full time for the campaign until the election. If Mosqueda wins, Basu may be hired as a member of the council staff.
Goal: Basu sees a future in politics. “Probably. I’m slowly getting primed for that at some point in my life.”
Lara Schick: Learning to love rejection
Media and communication studies (spring ‘18)
Interned in sales with Pacific Capital Resources Group, a Bellevue financial services and financial planning business.
Worked: Mondays were cold calls, phoning businesses from a list, reading a script offering a free business evaluation. Wednesdays were in-person visits, delivering a packet of information, trying to build relationships. Throughout the internship, Schick never added a single client.
Experience: “It was definitely an experience because I never experienced rejection that fast. It made me motivated. It’s made me more confident in the professional world going forward.”
Next: Offered a job after graduation, Schick says, “It’s probably not the job for me. I enjoyed it a lot, but it’s not something I want to do the rest of my life. We will see where my future takes me.”
Justin Han: Starting with a startup
Media and communication studies (June '17)
Interned at PicoBrew a Seattle startup that makes homebrewing machines. Launched with a $1.8 million Kickstarter campaign.
Experience: sales and internet marketing for a fast-moving startup, finding influencers.
Next/Goal: The former ASUWB sophomore senator who worked as an orientation leader and peer adviser hopes to move into the sale and marketing of talent as a recruiter in the tech industry.
Jamie Clark: ‘That’s what I want to do’
Law, economics and public policy (June ’17)
Interned in promotions at MOViN 92.5, Seattle Top 40 music station.
Worked: A part-time employee, Clark added the internship to learn more, working with account executives.
Experience: Creating and scheduling on-air contests, contacting winners, staffing promotional events, updating website content and social media posts. “I have learned so much.”
Next/Goal: “I know 100 percent right now, that’s what I want to do. My entire college career has led to this position. And honestly that’s what I’m in love with. I love promotions. It’s a lot of fun.”
Josh Hammond: Contact leads to job
Global studies (fall ’17)
Interned at the Port of Everett, with time in four divisions: marine operations, security, administration and project development.
Worked: Variety of tasks included lawn mowing, patrolling the terminal and marina, maintaining record archives, double-checking building codes.
Experience: “It gave me a lot of knowledge of how organizations such as the Port of Everett – something that large – how it operates, how it runs, the chain of command.”
Next: Internship contact led to summer job with port’s marine operations.
Goal: “I want to work in something that might be government-related but specifically makes a difference, helps the community – means something.”
Lauren Burcham: Seeing policies shape city
Law, economics and public policy (June ‘17)
Interned with Nature Consortium in West Seattle, part of the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association.
Worked: Ran volunteer Saturday events in parks: teaching people about invasive species, weeding, mulching, planting; connecting people with parks they maybe didn’t know were in their own backyard.
Experience: “I believe this is the way to get people to care about their environment, to connect with nature and understand why it’s so important to save our urban green spaces. I was very interested in the way policy shapes our city.”
Next: After taking time to travel to Europe and Australia, Burcham plans to continue volunteering with the neighborhood group and other nonprofit work.
Khalida Lomanova: ‘This is what I learned in IAS’
Community psychology, (June ’17)
Interned at Somali Youth and Family Club center in Kent, an after-school program.
Worked: Helping children with reading, math, homework or activities such as painting.
Experience: “I feel like I’m part of the community there. It was very welcoming.”
Next: “I want to work with kids in the future."
Goal: “I don’t want them to be denied opportunities because they’re minorities. This is what I learned in IAS.”
Salvador Salazar-Cano: ‘Starting my own nonprofit’
Society, ethics and human behavior (June ’18)
(With Farrah Saracevic, left)
Interned with 21 Progress, a nonprofit organization for equity and justice, based in Seattle’s Chinatown.
Worked at community outreach to inform people about 21 Progress, promoting ideas that build equity.
Experience: “It allowed me to see how to go about my career goals. I’ve been thinking about starting my own nonprofit to help young people, especially young people of color who tend to have more barriers in this country.”
Next/Goals: “My nonprofit would be along the lines of creating youth empowerment, combining the aspect of creativity and how individuals essentially create their own independence through ways in which they can create new industries for themselves – like starting a business. This is work I see myself doing.”
Miguel Jimenez: Job offer with NFL team
Media and communication studies (March ’18)
(With Kim Wilson, left)
Interned with UW athletics, promoting ticket sales, campus events, giveaways, using social media. Also marketing game day experience for football, volleyball, soccer and other sports throughout the year; marketing lead for spring baseball.
Worked: “It’s like a stage manager for everything other than the game, scripting what’s on video, what the PA says, halftime activities, making sure it’s all smooth. It’s all about the fan experience.”
Experience: “A good resume builder, for sure. I have people now who would vouch for me. I know I’m headed in the right direction.”
Next/Goal: A UW connection already led to a job offer from the Cleveland Browns, but Jimenez decided to finish school first. Jimenez hopes to work for an NFL or NBA team. “I know I’m already on the right track. I know I can get there again. Everything I’m doing now is setting me up for something really great in the future.”
