Sustainability

Fall 2020

Position: Sustainable Development Policy Intern
Student: Government and Sustainability Studies Senior

I found the Sustainable Development Policy Internship with the AI for Good Foundation through UT’s Handshake page. The AI for Good Foundation is a nonprofit whose mission is to utilize Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning to pursue UN Sustainable Development Goals. I chose to pursue this internship because I felt like it would be a perfect avenue of blending my two majors of Government and Sustainability Studies, as well as give me an insight into international policymaking. My roles in this internship have included policy research, graphic design, social media management, and stakeholder interviews. The main projects I have worked on were the Intelligent Cities Project, geared at aiding cities advance their usage of AI for social welfare, and SDG Launchpad, a program for schools and universities to implement altruistic AI. My favorite part of this internship has undeniably been all of the opportunities to expand my portfolio. I really believe the responsibility granted to me in this internship has made me grow exponentially in the starting years of my career. 

Spring 2021

Position: Environmental Outreach Intern
Major: Sustainability Studies Sophomore

Another Good Human is an ethical and sustainable lifestyle company which aims to provide sustainable clothing at an affordable price for the everyday consumer. Specifically, the department that I’m working on is the sustainability team, whose eventual goal is to enhance the overall sustainability of the company’s apparel products and emphasize its commitment to achieving a sustainable future through its website and various social media platforms. I found this company through my friend at UT. My duty as an Environmental Outreach Intern is to work alongside the sustainability team on environmental outreach, supply chain research, and sustainability marketing efforts. In details, I work on certain steps of the company’s creating of their sustainable products, which include garment selection, recycled packaging research, sustainability marketing, and so on. My favorite thing about the internship is how much I could utilize the things I learnt from school and gain real-world experience from practicing at my position.

Spring 2021

Position: Programs Intern
Student: Georgraphy & Sustainability Studies Senior 

Austin Parks Foundation’s mission is to create and maintain parks, trails, and green spaces in Austin through programs that encourage the positive use of public spaces in neighborhoods across the city. This non-profit empowers community leaders and connects with different communities across Austin to educate them about the parks and resources to promote healthy environmental change and sustainability. I found this position after exploring student’s past internship opportunities on the Department of Geography & the Environment page. As a Programs Intern, I am responsible for supporting the programs team with a range of administrative tasks, community outreach, and volunteer program support. I help to identify community or corporate events that align with the organization's mission, find events for participation by our volunteers, and manage APF's volunteer management tool (GivePulse). Furthermore, I support the Park Developer and Outreach Manager with community input events such as surveying, gathering and organizing data, and creating reports for planned park improvements. Lastly, I identify neighborhood stakeholder groups and maintain close contact with community leaders to create successful volunteer projects. My favorite part about being on the APF team is that I can see the direct impact my work makes on the local community and I get to learn about the various parks in Austin that make the city so great!

Summer 2019

Position: Development and Events Intern
Student: Philosophy & Sustainability 

The Austin Parks Foundation (APF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to sustaining and preserving Austin's Parks and recreational spaces. "The Challenge" that APF describes in their mission, is the substantial funding gap in the city of Austin's Budget and the green spaces within city limits. Despite having some of the most dedicated land for parks spaces, the City of Austin has fallen flat in providing accessibility to parks and maintaining them, calling on non-profits like APF to the cause. Specifically, APF focuses on what they call the "Eastern Crescent," a geographical area of the city's least funded parks in East Austin, a neighborhood that has seen rapid growth and development in recent years. With an office situated in the heart of East Austin, APF's work includes transforming abandoned parks, putting on community events for Austin residents (including being the main beneficiary of Austin City Limits), and providing grants to neighborhoods and small organizations to help improve their parks.

The Development and Events Intern works primarily to provide stewardship and operational support to the Development team of APF. Daily tasks include stewarding third-party organizations and corporate sponsorships, maintaining relationships with donors and volunteers through seasonal greeting cards and managing constituents and data in a customer relations system. This role requires the intern to be flexible in terms of assignments, as tasks are often delegated from numerous people in the office, specifically in regards to managing donor data. Additionally, this internship requires the intern to represent APF when stewarding, often meeting with representatives from other organizations to discuss sponsorship details. 

Spring 2020 Site Review

Position: Circular Economy Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies Senior

Students Name: Max McCready 

Austin Resource Recovery is the branch of Austin's municipal government responsible for waste collection in Austin. The Circular Economy program, housed in Strategic Initiatives division, focuses on reducing waste through transforming consumption and disposal patterns at the industrial and citizen level in Austin. I found this internship through a friend of mine who was also a Sustainability Studies major. She had previously done this internship. I was responsible for maintaining an interactive map of Austin's circular economy businesses, for coordinating Fix-It Clinics (events where citizens can bring broken household items and seek to repair them with guidance from volunteer coaches), and also completing various research assignments. I appreciated working for a progressive agency within our city government and coordinating programs that clearly assisted and empowered Austin residents.

Spring 2018

Position: Environmental Education Intern
Student: Geography Junior

The Colorado River Alliance is a nonprofit environmental organization whose mission is to educate and advocate to the public about the preservation and conservation of the Colorado River. There are two main programs that the Colorado River hires interns for: The Redbud Program and the Mobile River Program. I was an environmental educator in the Redbud Program.

As a Redbud intern, I’d typically arrive around 8:45 a.m. on the days that we would have programming. After arriving to the office, I’d be briefed on how the day would work in terms of how many students would arrive and from what school. Next, I help set up the stations in order for the program to function. The four different stations are Watershed, Water Cycle, Conservation, and Colorado River. I would be in charge of teaching one of those four stations. Programming runs for about four hours and so during that time, I would have taught my stations four different times if we had four groups of students for the day. Once programming ends, I’d help put away the stations and then proceed to go back to the office. Once back in the office, I’d help prepare materials for the next day. After that, I’d input data entry that we would get for the day. Lastly, I see what else is needed to be done in terms of special projects or other tasks my supervisors had for me to do. Usually my day at the Alliance would end at around 2 p.m.

My responsibilities as a Redbud intern, in order of importance, were: Teach YES program effectively to students attending Redbud field trips in English and Spanish, accurately enter data from pledges, evaluations, and docent hours into the Sharepoint database using Excel, engage students in a positive way to help facilitate a positive educational experience, communicate effectively and professionally with Alliance staff, school staff, other volunteers, and fellow interns verbally and digitally, assist in administrative tasks around the office including program preparation, break down, and program materials maintenance, and participate in creek clean-up events.

Fall 2022

Position: Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies Junior

The internship I am a part of is called the Alliance for Sustainability. I found the opportunity on Handshake. At the Alliance, I am a part of three teams, Grant Research & Writing, Public Policy, and Sustainability Partnership. The duties I perform at my internship and for my team are mainly doing research and writing. The biggest project I am a part of is the Celebrity Grant Research Project. I look up celebrities, politicians, authors, and scientists involved in sustainability and the environment, and I email their PR team if they are interested in interviewing with us. The interview is meant to build a relationship with them, so they can eventually donate money to us. I mainly do work for the Celebrity Grant Research Project, but it’s my favorite thing. The work is interesting and fun.

Spring 2021

Position: Environmental Outreach Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies Sophomore

Another Good Human is an ethical and sustainable lifestyle company which aims to provide sustainable clothing at an affordable price for the everyday consumer. Specifically, the department that I’m working on is the sustainability team, whose eventual goal is to enhance the overall sustainability of the company’s apparel products and emphasize its commitment to achieving a sustainable future through its website and various social media platforms. I found this company through my friend at UT. My duty as an Environmental Outreach Intern is to work alongside the sustainability team on environmental outreach, supply chain research, and sustainability marketing efforts. In details, I work on certain steps of the company’s creating of their sustainable products, which include garment selection, recycled packaging research, sustainability marketing, and so on. My favorite thing about the internship is how much I could utilize the things I learnt from school and gain real-world experience from practicing at my position.

Spring 2021

Position: Programs Intern
Student: Georgraphy and Sustainability Studies Senior 

Austin Parks Foundation’s mission is to create and maintain parks, trails, and green spaces in Austin through programs that encourage the positive use of public spaces in neighborhoods across the city. This non-profit empowers community leaders and connects with different communities across Austin to educate them about the parks and resources to promote healthy environmental change and sustainability. I found this position after exploring student’s past internship opportunities on the Department of Geography & the Environment page. As a Programs Intern, I am responsible for supporting the programs team with a range of administrative tasks, community outreach, and volunteer program support. I help to identify community or corporate events that align with the organization's mission, find events for participation by our volunteers, and manage APF's volunteer management tool (GivePulse). Furthermore, I support the Park Developer and Outreach Manager with community input events such as surveying, gathering and organizing data, and creating reports for planned park improvements. Lastly, I identify neighborhood stakeholder groups and maintain close contact with community leaders to create successful volunteer projects. My favorite part about being on the APF team is that I can see the direct impact my work makes on the local community and I get to learn about the various parks in Austin that make the city so great!

Summer 2019

Position: Development and Events Intern
Student: Philosophy and Sustainability Studies

The Austin Parks Foundation (APF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to sustaining and preserving Austin's Parks and recreational spaces. "The Challenge" that APF describes in their mission, is the substantial funding gap in the city of Austin's Budget and the green spaces within city limits. Despite having some of the most dedicated land for parks spaces, the City of Austin has fallen flat in providing accessibility to parks and maintaining them, calling on non-profits like APF to the cause. Specifically, APF focuses on what they call the "Eastern Crescent," a geographical area of the city's least funded parks in East Austin, a neighborhood that has seen rapid growth and development in recent years. With an office situated in the heart of East Austin, APF's work includes transforming abandoned parks, putting on community events for Austin residents (including being the main beneficiary of Austin City Limits), and providing grants to neighborhoods and small organizations to help improve their parks.

The Development and Events Intern works primarily to provide stewardship and operational support to the Development team of APF. Daily tasks include stewarding third-party organizations and corporate sponsorships, maintaining relationships with donors and volunteers through seasonal greeting cards and managing constituents and data in a customer relations system. This role requires the intern to be flexible in terms of assignments, as tasks are often delegated from numerous people in the office, specifically in regards to managing donor data. Additionally, this internship requires the intern to represent APF when stewarding, often meeting with representatives from other organizations to discuss sponsorship details. 

Spring 2020 

Position: Circular Economy Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies Senior

Austin Resource Recovery is the branch of Austin's municipal government responsible for waste collection in Austin. The Circular Economy program, housed in Strategic Initiatives division, focuses on reducing waste through transforming consumption and disposal patterns at the industrial and citizen level in Austin. I found this internship through a friend of mine who was also a Sustainability Studies major. She had previously done this internship. I was responsible for maintaining an interactive map of Austin's circular economy businesses, for coordinating Fix-It Clinics (events where citizens can bring broken household items and seek to repair them with guidance from volunteer coaches), and also completing various research assignments. I appreciated working for a progressive agency within our city government and coordinating programs that clearly assisted and empowered Austin residents.

Fall 2022

Position: Park Ranger Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies and Geography Senior

The city of Austin Park Rangers are stewards of nature that promote responsible recreation, safety of park patrons, and the cultural and natural resources available in all municipal parks. Park Rangers and Park Ranger interns have the privilege of being outdoor educators whose primary intent should be the betterment of the community through the dissemination of knowledge about the local ecosystem and policies of city parks.  The rangers are not enforcers of the law, but rather work to dispel misconceptions about the environment all around us.  Austin is home to many greenspaces, preserves, and bodies of water, all of which arealso home to many different types of flora and fauna.  Often the only information that some people have about these aforementioned living things is misinformation, which the rangers work to dispel and replace with respect for nature.  One of the most effective ways of dispelling this misinformation is through one of the duties of the rangers known as programming.  By setting up in a park, library, school, or other highly visible location, the rangers aim to pique the interest of a passersby in order to concisely convey correct information about the subject matter of theprogram. 

Additionally, rangers are able to go out and patrol all of the city parks in search of a chance to spark a conversation with members of the community about the criticisms, (positive and negative), that they have about their favorite parks.  I found this internship as a seasonal posting for the rangers through an ad on Facebook. My favorite part of the internship thus far has been the opportunity to learn so much more about Central Texas plants, animals, and insectsfrom the other rangers.  There are many rangers that have used their time on the service to learn so much about the living things all around us and it’s always a pleasure to be able to take some of the knowledge they impart and add it to my own. 

Summer 2023 

Position: Urban Forestry Intern 
Student: Sustainability Studies and Urban Studies Senior 

Review: This summer I interned for the Urban Forestry team in the Community Tree Preservation Division under the Development Services Department of the City. The team is really small, so I had the opportunity of getting to know everyone. Although there is some field work involved, as an intern my work was more office-based, where I was able to work from home or in the office. I found this internship through cold calling/emailing pretty much every department that is of interest to me until finally, my resume fell in the hands of someone who was interested in having an intern this summer. For the internship, I help wherever my supervisor needs me so the projects I work on can vary quite a bit. My most recent project was using an ArcGIS map to determine whether every neighborhood/homeowner’s association landed in a high or low priority area for planting trees. My favorite thing about the internship is being a city employee. There are so many departments and so many kinds of people you have the opportunity of meeting and working with. Plus, you get free entry into Barton Springs using your ID! 

Spring 2023

Position: Education Intern
Student: Sociology and Sustainability Studies Senior

The Colorado River Alliance is a non-profit dedicated to educating people about the Colorado River for the sake of its vitality and health. They organize various events throughout the year, such as the Lake Travis Clean-Up and the Cocktails for the Colorado. They also host a field trip for 3-5th graders where they learn about water conservation, the Colorado River, and runoff and infiltration. I found this company through the advice of my academic advisor. As an education intern, I helped to teach the students who come to the field trip. Each day, I teach a 45-minute-long station about water conservation to multiple groups of students, then help to break down everything for the trip and prepare it again for the next day. My favorite thing about the internship is seeing kids get excited to learn about science!

Position: Environmental Education Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies and Geography Senior

I am interning with the Colorado River Alliance, a nonprofit championing the long-term vitality of the Texas Colorado River through education and engagement. I found my internship via my academic advisor. For this internship, I am an environmental education intern. In this role, I teach middle school and elementary school students about water conservation and the history and geography of the Texas Colorado River. Additionally, I have attended nonprofit board meetings and had opportunities to network with professionals in the nonprofit sector. My favorite thing about the internship is the kids! If you enjoy working with kids, you will enjoy this internship.

Position: Environmental Education Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies Junior

I work for a non-profit organization called the Colorado River Alliance which champions the long-term vitality of the Texas Colorado River through education and engagement. My main duties are leading the field trips that we host at the Redbud Center and lead the classrooms at various schools in the Austin ISD area in which we teach several lesson plans and lead activities regarding the water cycle, water conservation, and the Texas Colorado River protection to students from the 2nd grade to the 7th grade. I was able to find this internship through the help of my amazing sustainability studies advisor Henry Hammond. Henry constantly sends emails to all sustainability studies majors with internship, volunteer, and organization opportunities for us to get involved with. Being in direct communication with your advisor can be incredibly beneficial and helpful when looking for any type of opportunity. Lastly, I would say that my favorite thing about my internship is the culture that has been established at the office. My boss and the entire team have done such a great job in making the office such a trusting, safe, and comfortable environment in which I feel confident to ask questions, pitch ideas, and talk about my concerns. Working at the Colorado River Alliance has been such an amazing and gratifying experience and I would recommend anyone interested in sustainability or environmental services to check them out!

Summer 2020

Position: Conservation Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies Senior

My internship was a volunteer position with the Dallas Zoo. Originally Conservation Engagement, my title became Conservation Intern due to COVID restriction-induced changes to the program. The Dallas Zoo is a non-profit whose mission is “Engaging People & Saving Wildlife” and has a vision of “Creating a Better World for Animals”. My role as a Conservation Intern encompassed 3 different avenues. First, a research project for one of the Dallas Zoo’s conservation partners was assigned. This involved in-depth research of the organization, its goals and successes, the species of focus, conservation actions to take, the socioeconomics of the organization’s location and the Dallas Zoo’s involvement with them. Each intern wrote a lengthy analysis paper amassing all of their research, developed a newsletter with their findings and created an Ignite-style presentation that was given to all staff over Zoom. Second, professional development meetings each Thursday allowed virtual sessions with zoo and aquarium experts all over the world, speaking on subjects like community conservation, animal healthcare and the history exhibit design to name a few. Third and final, habitat restoration sessions every Wednesday and Friday helped repair and provide new habitats for local wildlife. The work completed involved the creation of 600 pollinator-plant garden on zoo-grounds and collecting and diverting 2,400 pounds of litter from local waterways. In sum, weekly work involved research and project development, professional development meetings, and habitat restoration work. This was not the original design of the internship, but it was a model that allowed us to operate successfully and with impact amidst the pandemic.

I discovered this internship through Google jobs and on the Dallas Zoo website postings. My search included environmental, sustainability and conservation internships, of which the last gave me the Dallas Zoo position I was hired for.

Fall 2019

Position: Database Developer
Student: Sustainability Studies Senior

Interning at the Devils River Conservancy was an overall positive experience for me, the best part was the internship supervisor, Julie, if you put the work in she will probably give you opportunities to network and possibly put you in contact with people who work in the specific field you are interested in. Most of the work is on the computer, using Zotero, working on adding documents related to the Devils River onto a database. This requires a lot of reading of scientific papers and old newspapers, as well as critical thinking about what should be included in the database or not. You also routinely sweep the database for duplicates or issues with copyright from the papers. Another large part of the job was sending thank you letters to donors for their donation, as well as adding their donations to a spreadsheet that keeps track of who donates what. I also assisted occasionally in grant applications and learned a lot about how grant applications work and how to write a good one. Often you work independently and this internship requires someone who is a self-starter and able to stay on task. The office environment was nice, pretty average, although the location downtown was relatively convenient, and you receive a parking pass that you can use after hours as well. The non-profit shares the office floor with Texas American Resources Co, the people are very nice and accommodating, however it is a small office population and not extremely diverse. Occasionally you are allowed to work from home, although it isn’t necessary and the office is available to use if you don’t have a workspace at home. Julie, the internship supervisor allowed us to choose times within the 9-5 business day, but she wants people to intern for at least 10 hours a week. The internship also has the possibility of travelling, although it isn’t required I believe the travel opportunities are the best time to meet others in the Conservation field and grow professionally. I recommend this as a good first internship, and an introduction to the non-profit world, but for more experienced candidates I suggest applying to other organizations as well.

Summer 2020

Position: Volunteer Intern
Student: International Relations and Global Studies & Sustainability Studies Senior

Student Name: Victoria Brandao Junior

The Environmental Protection Agency was one of the most welcoming environments I have been involved in. It is a company that focuses on the growth and personal development of its interns. I found this internship by simply googling the “Environmental Protection Agency”, and finding an open position for summer, volunteer interns. My duties are very different from usual interns because my internship is being conducted virtually, due to COVID. Currently, I am revising and updating the EPA’s website for the Clean Air Act, and noise pollution control. 

I work on updating the website so it's more understandable to everyday readers and ensure that it is appropriate as our world evolves. My favorite thing about my internship is the relationships I've made. Although the internship was conducted virtually, members in my team did a great job of reaching out to have virtual coffee talks with me. 

Spring 2016 

Position: Policy Intern
Student: Philosophy Senior

This semester I served as a policy intern for Environment Texas, the Texas state chapter of Environment America, a non-profit environmental advocacy group. I worked closely with the state director and deputy director Luke Metzger and Sara Smith, respectively, and received assignments from both. I also participated in conference calls with other chapters of Environment America, as well as, coalition meetings with other environmental and public advocacy groups.

My workload at Environment Texas consisted of synthesizing research, attending coalition meetings with other organizations, creating content for Environment Texas’ website and intra-coalitional memos, and collating contacts for an inter-organizational database. The work was primarily self-paced and I was, for the most part, allowed to select the campaigns and issues that I worked on. Sara and Luke also gave me latitude in determining what role I could take in those campaigns whether that was organizing, research, or public outreach.  For this semester I worked on hydraulic fracturing, climate change, and water issues across Texas; on those issues I wrote informal responses to amicus briefs, submitted comments on EPA and state proposed rules, and propose regulation to be forwarded by our coalition of public interest groups.  

While all of that may sound like boring office work there were plenty of opportunities to get out of the office: over the course of my semester I was able to attend several press conferences in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. I also frequented the capital to deliver letters or packages and use the Congressional reference library. We often attended meetings at other offices downtown including Public Citizens and Sierra Club. I worked fifteen hours a week over three days. Environment Texas holds office hours nine to five and Sara and Luke were flexible about the times I could come in to work.

Spring 2021

Position: Community Iniative Intern
Major: Government & Sustainability Studies Senior
Name: Daija Chambers

NATiVE Solar is a medium-sized, native Texas business. It is one of the longest operating solar companies in the Texas market and has the unique trait of only servicing Texas, unlike larger national companies. I found this internship through Solar Austin’s Pathways to Clean Energy Program which helps place students of color and women in solar and renewable energy internships to seek improved diversity in the industry. As a team member with NATiVE I was responsible for helping the Chief Strategy Officer plan different community initiative projects. The company has a goal and principle of educating the community and working to make solar accessible. As a result, NATiVE’s initiatives include community education, community solar projects, solar installation job training programs, and more. My roles in planning these projects included attending meetings, notetaking during meetings, drafting document or proposals, researching, and presenting ideas. I was also given some marketing tasks such as writing informational blogs and planning community outreach related social media posts.

Fall 2019

Position: Database Developer
Student: Sustainability Studies Senior

Interning at the Devils River Conservancy was an overall positive experience for me, the best part was the internship supervisor, Julie, if you put the work in she will probably give you opportunities to network and possibly put you in contact with people who work in the specific field you are interested in. Most of the work is on the computer, using Zotero, working on adding documents related to the Devils River onto a database. This requires a lot of reading of scientific papers and old newspapers, as well as critical thinking about what should be included in the database or not. You also routinely sweep the database for duplicates or issues with copyright from the papers. Another large part of the job was sending thank you letters to donors for their donation, as well as adding their donations to a spreadsheet that keeps track of who donates what. I also assisted occasionally in grant applications and learned a lot about how grant applications work and how to write a good one. Often you work independently and this internship requires someone who is a self-starter and able to stay on task. The office environment was nice, pretty average, although the location downtown was relatively convenient, and you receive a parking pass that you can use after hours as well. The non-profit shares the office floor with Texas American Resources Co, the people are very nice and accommodating, however it is a small office population and not extremely diverse. Occasionally you are allowed to work from home, although it isn’t necessary and the office is available to use if you don’t have a workspace at home. Julie, the internship supervisor allowed us to choose times within the 9-5 business day, but she wants people to intern for at least 10 hours a week. The internship also has the possibility of travelling, although it isn’t required I believe the travel opportunities are the best time to meet others in the Conservation field and grow professionally. I recommend this as a good first internship, and an introduction to the non-profit world, but for more experienced candidates I suggest applying to other organizations as well.

Fall 2021

Position: Sustainability Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies

My internship this semester is with an Austin-based carbon capture technology company named Earthly Labs. Earthly Labs’ technology is designed to capture, scrub, and recycle carbon dioxide to create a circular production process for craft breweries. What initially drew me to Earthly Labs is their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and corporate sustainability. I found this internship on Indeed.com, and easily applied with a resume and cover letter. My role as a Sustainability Intern allowed me the opportunity to see behind-the-scenes at a business committed to sustainability in every way. As a Sustainability Studies student, it provided great insight into what a career in sustainability could look like after college. The projects assigned to me let me explore many facets of business, including social media curation, customer research and databasing, educational presentation creation, B Corporation advancement, and global policy reporting. One of my favorite things about my internship is having autonomy over my schedule. Because this internship was remote, it enabled me to develop better time management skills and synthesize concise reports concerning my work on projects. Being a Sustainability Intern for Earthly Labs is a fantastic opportunity to see how sustainability principles translates into business and the corporate world.

Summer 2021

Position: Strategy and Innovation Summer Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies and Communication and Leadership

The Strategy and innovation team at the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) is working on a variety of projects that will contribute to the upcoming energy transition. They are working on low cost, low carbon technologies and creating energy roadmaps of the future. I found this internship though a family friend who put me in contact with someone on the Strategy and Innovation team. I have worked on a variety of projects this summer, with most of them focusing on market research and competitive landscaping. One of my largest projects was an assessment of the global hydrogen market that included future from over 30 countries. I also did competitive landscaping for two different methane emission reduction technologies that GTI is developing. One was for a methane mitigation thermoelectric generator, and the other was for a software program that will track and analyze methane emissions in the oil and gas sector. For each of my market assessments, I made a comprehensive report of who their competitors will be and other similar products are available. The other project I dedicated a lot of time to was adding onto a decarbonization commitments dashboard for companies in the energy sector. This will be a reference that is distributed throughout GTI for internal use. My favorite thing about this internship is the flexibility they offered me. There were no strict deadlines, and they gave me the freedom to work on things I was truly interested in, which I have really appreciated.

Fall 2021

Position: Communications Intern
Student: International Relations and Sustainability Studies

I am completing a Communications internship with the Social Gastronomy Movement: a global network of grassroots organizations, chefs, academics, entrepreneurs, farmers and companies that uses the power of food for social change. I found this internship through Instagram and reached out to one of their current employees to learn more about the positions. Initially, I was responsible for social media management, content writing, blog posts, facilitating conversations for the UN Food Systems Summit, event planning, grant writing and used research to help develop communications strategies across 5 languages. Now, I am completing a special project for the team which is a cookbook inspired by the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals which helps position food as a valuable tool for social change. My favorite thing about the internship is how my mentors allow me to create opportunities for creative expression and help provide me with the resources I need to complete dream projects. I have never felt more empowered in a position before- especially an internship!

Fall 2021

Position: Digital Media & Business Operations Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies

I’m interning for madder home, which is a natural dye start up where imperfect goods (currently sheets, pillowcases, and duvet covers, but hopefully expanding soon) are dyed with plant-based dyes and sold at a discount. I found this job by messaging accounts that had companies with similar values as me, which worked out better than I expected it to. My job responsibilities include creating social media content and scheduling posts, data analytics, SEO optimization for the website and blog posts, writing blog posts, and helping organize the launches of products. I love working for a small company right now because it has made it easy to learn skills that I didn’t learn in school since there are only two of us and she doesn’t expect me to know how to do everything she needs help with. It’s been really educational, and I’ve gotten to build a relationship with my boss that I know will last longer than the internship itself.

Spring 2022

Position: Intern Analyst
Student: Sustainability Studies

Learned about the position through a family friend.

Responsibilities: While I am working at a real estate company, the majority of my responsibilities are sustainability-focused to help the company move towards a more sustainable future. More than half of the time, my sole responsibility is creating financial reports of potential solar energy installation and use for apartment complexes in the Houston area. Currently, I am working towards an encompassing report outlining the analytics behind converting to solar energy and what kind of financial benefits could be gained through various environmental tax grants. I also look into future properties that would be eligible to become LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. I am helping Marcus & Millichap create and achieve sustainable goals for the future, and clean energy is the main sustainable aspect in which am I engaged on a daily basis. I create carbon footprints and financial reports regarding government environmental regulations and potential tax savings. I also look through LEED certification requirements and identify which, if any, certification level the building can achieve based on high efficiency and cost-saving green initiatives. 

Favorite thing: Helping a traditionally non-sustainable company become more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Spring 2023

Position: Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies Senior

Environment Texas is a citizen-based environmental advocacy organization located in Austin, Texas. Their mission is to protect clean air, clean water, wide open spaces, and a stable climate. I found this internship through the recommendation of my academic advisor. One of my professors also linked this internship as an opportunity for students needing internships. During my internship, I conducted research on environmental issues, wrote blog posts and factsheets, helped lobby elected officials, and engage the public by collecting petitions and writing action alert emails. My favorite thing about this internship is being able to meet different people throughout the environmental sector.

Fall 2022

Position: Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies Senior

I am an intern with Environment Texas, a non-profit organization fighting for clean air, clean water, clean energy, wildlife, open spaces, and a livable climate. I found Environment Texas through Google searches of environmental groups in the Austin area, and I previously interned with them prior to the pandemic and worked on their campaign to ban the flaring of oil and gas. I am passionate about environmental justice, conservation, and fighting climate change which is why I chose to intern with Environment Texas. I am currently working on the organization’s campaign to pass the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA) which would be a huge win for wildlife conservation across the U.S. The organization has been flexible with my schedule and has allowed me to work on the specific projects I am very passionate about, taking my interests to heart, so that has been the best thing about the internship for me. 

Summer 2020

Position: Volunteer Intern
Student: International Relations and Global Studies & Sustainability Studies Senior

The Environmental Protection Agency was one of the most welcoming environments I have been involved in. It is a company that focuses on the growth and personal development of its interns. I found this internship by simply googling the “Environmental Protection Agency”, and finding an open position for summer, volunteer interns. My duties are very different from usual interns because my internship is being conducted virtually, due to COVID. Currently, I am revising and updating the EPA’s website for the Clean Air Act, and noise pollution control. 

I work on updating the website so it's more understandable to everyday readers and ensure that it is appropriate as our world evolves. My favorite thing about my internship is the relationships I've made. Although the internship was conducted virtually, members in my team did a great job of reaching out to have virtual coffee talks with me. 

Summer 2021

Position: Strategy and Innovation Summer Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies and Communication and Leadership

The Strategy and innovation team at the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) is working on a variety of projects that will contribute to the upcoming energy transition. They are working on low cost, low carbon technologies and creating energy roadmaps of the future. I found this internship though a family friend who put me in contact with someone on the Strategy and Innovation team. I have worked on a variety of projects this summer, with most of them focusing on market research and competitive landscaping. One of my largest projects was an assessment of the global hydrogen market that included future from over 30 countries. I also did competitive landscaping for two different methane emission reduction technologies that GTI is developing. One was for a methane mitigation thermoelectric generator, and the other was for a software program that will track and analyze methane emissions in the oil and gas sector. For each of my market assessments, I made a comprehensive report of who their competitors will be and other similar products are available. The other project I dedicated a lot of time to was adding onto a decarbonization commitments dashboard for companies in the energy sector. This will be a reference that is distributed throughout GTI for internal use. My favorite thing about this internship is the flexibility they offered me. There were no strict deadlines, and they gave me the freedom to work on things I was truly interested in, which I have really appreciated.

Fall 2022

Position: LIFT Student Consultant with DLA Piper

Student: Government and Sustainability Studies Senior

I am a student consultant with the Longhorn Impact Fellowship at Texas (through the Global Sustainability Leadership Institute at McCombs) and my team consults with the DLA Piper law firm in Austin. I found this internship from the Liberal Arts department and the Sustainability Studies department. Our project is to work alongside a DLA Piper lawyer to draft sustainability handbooks for their clients in the Industrials sector, but other LIFT consultants work with other clients on a wide variety of projects. My favorite part of the internship is getting to collaborate with legal professionals in the ESG sector!

Fall 2021

Position: Digital Media & Business Operations Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies

I’m interning for madder home, which is a natural dye start up where imperfect goods (currently sheets, pillowcases, and duvet covers, but hopefully expanding soon) are dyed with plant-based dyes and sold at a discount. I found this job by messaging accounts that had companies with similar values as me, which worked out better than I expected it to. My job responsibilities include creating social media content and scheduling posts, data analytics, SEO optimization for the website and blog posts, writing blog posts, and helping organize the launches of products. I love working for a small company right now because it has made it easy to learn skills that I didn’t learn in school since there are only two of us and she doesn’t expect me to know how to do everything she needs help with. It’s been really educational, and I’ve gotten to build a relationship with my boss that I know will last longer than the internship itself.

Spring 2022

Position: Intern Analyst
Student: Sustainability Studies 

I learned about the position with Marcus & Millichap through a family friend.

While I am working at a real estate company, the majority of my responsibilities are sustainability-focused to help the company move towards a more sustainable future. More than half of the time, my sole responsibility is creating financial reports of potential solar energy installation and use for apartment complexes in the Houston area. Currently, I am working towards an encompassing report outlining the analytics behind converting to solar energy and what kind of financial benefits could be gained through various environmental tax grants. I also look into future properties that would be eligible to become LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. I am helping Marcus & Millichap create and achieve sustainable goals for the future, and clean energy is the main sustainable aspect in which am I engaged on a daily basis. I create carbon footprints and financial reports regarding government environmental regulations and potential tax savings. I also look through LEED certification requirements and identify which, if any, certification level the building can achieve based on high efficiency and cost-saving green initiatives. 

My favorite thing about the internsip is helping a traditionally non-sustainable company become more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Spring 2023

Position: Sustainability Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies Senior

The Moody Center is a state-of-the-art venue that replaced the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. The new arena, with a capacity of 15,000, is the result of a partnership between the University of Texas and Oak View Group. Oak View Group is a sports and entertainment company engaged in a wide variety of activities, including arena development, facility management, arena and stadium alliance, sponsorships and partnerships, security services, publications, conferences, and consulting. The company, privately held, is headquartered in Los Angeles, California with offices throughout the world. Oak View Group's mission is to reduce the environmental impact of their venues and promote sustainable practices in their operations while delivering an exceptional experience for our clients and fans. The Moody Center is no exception! The venue is furthering eco-friendly features that promote sustainability.

This job listing was published on Handshake, google, and LinkedIn. However, for myself, I found this internship through networking. I was working at The Moody Center already under a different title, which was a job position under the same operations department (not school related). Finally, after a couple of casual conversations with the director of operations, he informed me that the venue was moving towards establishing a sustainability department. Finally, after a few discussions of what suitability was and could be in the entertainment niche, he approached me with an internship offer.

My duties included: researching and preparing information for comprehensive departmental reports in relation to the Sustainability program. In addition to assisting in the drafting, proofreading, and processing of these reports and related documents. Ie. Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), regarding properly sorting, identifying, and handling waste material. Maintain a variety of files and records of information for tracking and reporting purposes. Ie. Properly sorting company-provided information and any personal work separately. In addition to using company financial sheets and non-renewable/ renewable resources data in GOAL software. The software will track the venue's carbon footprint and more. Assist in the development of short and long-term goal-setting for the Sustainability program. Ie. Establish short-term weekly goals and long-term goals for monthly projects. As the department continues to grow these goals will are being updated taking into account current policy & corporate initiatives. Engage and encourage venue staff to participate in the Sustainability program through education and activities. Ie. Being attentive, prepared, and on time for monthly venue meetings. Collaborating and asking other departments on ways they personally can be more sustainable regarding their day-to-day environment. Then, use those ideas to formulate a grander game plan on how the whole building can push this green move. Establish relations with HR and get donation supplies for them (mainly but not always).

My favorite part of the internship hands down is being able to see behind the scenes what goes into a concert or show! In addition to experiencing the most mind-blowing concerts and entertaining shows of today. For example, I got to fist-bump comedian Gabriel Iglesias just casually walking down the hallway. In the entertainment industry, everyone was an energetic and lively personality to them which ensures that there will never be a boring day. As an intern, you get access to working anywhere in the venue, which is great if you are someone who needs to switch their environment to get the creative juices flowing. Finally, the internship is very self-driven so you have the opportunity for trial and error which is great for professional development in a real-world setting! 

Summer 2021

Position: Team Member
Student: Sustainability Studies and Geography

The DEVELOP program is part of NASA’s Applied Sciences Program which attempts to address environmental and public policy issues through interdisciplinary research using NASA satellite data. The program has a focus on bettering society through the research of community concerns and environmental issues around the globe. I discovered this opportunity through a friend I made on the UT Austin Botswana study abroad who also was in the DEVELOP program. I was placed in a team with four other people and we were given a project that analyzed the urban heat island effect in Fairfax County, Virginia using NASA earth observations. My duties included downloading, processing, and analyzing data, as well as writing technical papers, crafting presentations, and meeting other deadlines. In addition, I attended bi-weekly meetings with our project partners, the Fairfax County Office of Energy and Environmental Coordination, as well as weekly meetings with my science advisor. My favorite thing about the internship was conducting meaningful research that would serve to benefit a community and address the effects of climate change and urbanization.

Fall 2021

Position: Undergraduate Research Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies & Latin American Studies

This semester, I am currently an Undergraduate Research Assistant for The National Science Foundation’s Smart and Connected Communities program, which is coordinated with Planet Texas 2050 and Go Austin/Vamos Austin (GAVA). This project integrates local residents’ knowledge and experience in climate disasters such as flooding and the recent winter storm into urban policy-making decisions to build climate resiliency. The way that I was given this opportunity was through my Latin American studies professor who reached out to me because he believed I would be a good fit for this project due to my double major in Sustainability studies and Latin American studies. He gave me Katherine Lieberknech’s email, who is now my supervisor, and told me all she needed was a resume. As an Undergraduate Research Assistant, I shadow graduate students and professors from the university as they develop the technology to conduct the surveys using information flows, communicated in both English and Spanish to local residents of Dove Springs about community events, translated documents, work hands on with NGOs in the Austin area. My favorite thing about my experience is being able to network with these NGOs as well as speak with graduate students and professors here at UT about their future plans and what they’ve accomplish. Additionally, prior to this experience, I wasn’t quite sure what my future professional career would look like, but this project has been a great help in developing my post-graduation goals.

Spring 2022

Position: Resource Recovery Team Member
Student: Anthropology & Sustainability Studies

UT Resource Recovery is primarily responsible for the reuse and redistribution of campus-generated resources through compost, recycling, and their surplus store. The internship program is primarily split into two categories: Zero Waste (zero waste workplace and zero waste events) and the UT Surplus Reuse Store. Zero Waste Interns primarily focus on activities like consulting for zero waste events, training staff and faculty on composting, converting bathroom trash cans to paper towel compost, and an array of other projects.

I discovered this opportunity while browsing Handshake over the summer, hoping to find an on-campus internship or job for the fall semester. The Zero Waste Internship Program immediately caught my eye, so I applied. I’m very glad I did! This internship was a great experience for me.

I was assigned a spot on the Zero Waste Workplace team, where I assisted with monthly compost champion training, revitalized an old supply swap system, and helped organize a single-use alkaline battery recycling and sorting day. By far, my favorite project was battery recycling! Over the spring semester, I created promotional materials on canva, communicated with the buildings hosting our battery collection sites, planned the logistics of the collection itself, then organized a system to ultimately sort through over 600 pounds of batteries. It was an exciting project to take part in, especially because the positive impact was immediately visible. Outside of my individual projects, I had the opportunity to tour local recycling and compost facilities, assist with my coworkers’ projects, and learn more than I ever thought possible about waste management. Being an intern with UT Resource Recovery was truly an amazing experience for me!

Fall 2021

Position: Undergraduate Research Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies & Latin American Studies

This semester, I am currently an Undergraduate Research Assistant for The National Science Foundation’s Smart and Connected Communities program, which is coordinated with Planet Texas 2050 and Go Austin/Vamos Austin (GAVA). This project integrates local residents’ knowledge and experience in climate disasters such as flooding and the recent winter storm into urban policy-making decisions to build climate resiliency. The way that I was given this opportunity was through my Latin American studies professor who reached out to me because he believed I would be a good fit for this project due to my double major in Sustainability studies and Latin American studies. He gave me Katherine Lieberknech’s email, who is now my supervisor, and told me all she needed was a resume. As an Undergraduate Research Assistant, I shadow graduate students and professors from the university as they develop the technology to conduct the surveys using information flows, communicated in both English and Spanish to local residents of Dove Springs about community events, translated documents, work hands on with NGOs in the Austin area. My favorite thing about my experience is being able to network with these NGOs as well as speak with graduate students and professors here at UT about their future plans and what they’ve accomplish. Additionally, prior to this experience, I wasn’t quite sure what my future professional career would look like, but this project has been a great help in developing my post-graduation goals.

Spring 2021

Position: Community Iniative Intern
Student: Government and Sustainability Studies Senior

NATiVE Solar is a medium-sized, native Texas business. It is one of the longest operating solar companies in the Texas market and has the unique trait of only servicing Texas, unlike larger national companies. I found this internship through Solar Austin’s Pathways to Clean Energy Program which helps place students of color and women in solar and renewable energy internships to seek improved diversity in the industry. As a team member with NATiVE I was responsible for helping the Chief Strategy Officer plan different community initiative projects. The company has a goal and principle of educating the community and working to make solar accessible. As a result, NATiVE’s initiatives include community education, community solar projects, solar installation job training programs, and more. My roles in planning these projects included attending meetings, notetaking during meetings, drafting document or proposals, researching, and presenting ideas. I was also given some marketing tasks such as writing informational blogs and planning community outreach related social media posts.

Spring 2021

Position: Development Intern
Student: Sustainability Senior

Orsted is a renewable energy company that specializes in developing onshore and offshore solar farms, wind farms, energy storage facilities, and bioenergy plants based in Denmark with multiple locations in the United States from Austin, Boston, and Chicago. The company is ranked the most sustainable company in the world and is committed to sustainability. Orsted has clear goals towards keeping down the global temperature rise, transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables, driving down coal consumption, and saying farewell to carbon and achieving net zero emissions. I found this internship through a pathways program called Solar Austin and I discovered this program through Handshake. The Solar Austin pathways to clean energy program is a program specifically designed for underrepresented groups who have an interest in the renewable energy industry. The program has connections with several wind and solar energy companies here in Austin and from selection into the program you will be matched with one of the companies to interview with and secure an internship. The program also provides networking opportunities and mentorship. At Orsted, I am a part of the development team and my work consists of assisting the project developers and managers with tasks pertaining to building solar and wind energy projects. For example, one part of my internship is doing a considerable amount of research to find good investment opportunities for solar and wind acquisition. My overall favorite thing about my internship was working with the development team here in Austin. Even though my internship is remote, the development team in Austin is a great bunch to work with and they are always kind and willing to help when I need it.

Spring 2021

Position: Project Intern
Major: Philosophy & Sustainability Studies Junior

Rainforest Partnership is an environmental non-profit dedicated to ending deforestation through creating a network of partner communities, other NGOs, governments, and for-profit partners to carry out programs, such as, agroforestry, forest regeneration, establishing protected areas, and creating sustainable livelihoods. In my time at RP, I have worked in a few different areas. If working in the Ecuador team, you will be coordinating with team members in Ecuador and non-profit partners, doing research into agroforestry methods and procedure, and supporting existing  projects. In the Enterprise team, expect to be working on establishing a brand of for profit products, currently consisting of body care and chocolate products, that will fund RP’s work.  Even with all the interesting and varied opportunities, the best part of RP is the work culture: the whole team is made up of capable and caring people who work together toward common goals.

Summer 2019

Position: Communications Intern
Major: English and Sustainability Studies Sophomore

As a communications intern, much of what I do is copywriting. The tasks vary day to day though. For example, building up to World Rainforest Day was extremely busy and everyone was working intensely on some aspect of that. However, there are some days where I simply created research and brainstorming blog ideas. No one is going to force you to do extreme amounts of work, but it is worthwhile to put in that extra effort–you will feel so much more accomplished and fulfilled after. But back to my day.

Copywriting is the art of working language in such a way that it compels others to buy in or join your cause. One of the coolest things I got to work on was language for a new crowd-funding charity site that will hopefully be up and running soon. I dabble in social media posts, blog writing, and any sort of editing that needs to be done, like proofreading work written in English by a non-native speaker. The environment is very calm and chill throughout all of this; we get to sit and be wherever we want, and I was able to work from home on days when I asked. The office does run a little hot at 78 degrees ... our CEO Niyanta really gave us hell when she found out we all had lower temperatures than that in our own apartments. We eat vegetarian food every day, late, normally around 1 or 2. It is one of my favorite parts of the day because it brings everyone together over a healthy and environmentally sustainable meal. The people at Rainforest Partnership are quirky for sure–but in an optimistic and friendly way which quickly infects you. Although my internship is finished, I do think I will continue to work with Rainforest Partnership in some capacity.

Summer 2019

Position: Summer Outreach Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies Junior

This summer I had a paid internship with the Save Our Springs Alliance, an environmental non-profit organization that is based in Austin. The purpose of the organization is to provide legal support for water-based rights such as protection of Barton Springs, the area encompassing the Edward's Aquifer, and equity in city council as well as the Austin Community. What drew me to this organization was their will to continue fighting unjust cases and permits even though everyone else had given up. 

My title was Summer Outreach Intern, the goal this semester was to sell 300 memberships to locals and visitors. These memberships are necessary for SOS as they help prove legitimacy in court and during sessions. We are also tasked with keeping up with the weekly newsletter, as we are there to bridge the communication gap between visitors of the pool and the environmentalists behind the scenes. I was one of the few people on the team that was bilingual in Spanish so this internship also opened the doors to talk about Sustainability. Although it was not required, it was a great learning experience translating information on my time off, I was able to pick up many new terms and manners of introducing goals to members of the Spanish-speaking community.

My shifts always went by very fast as we work typically in groups of four. Every member knew what was expected of them in terms of setting up the table, selling merch, and talking with patrons. To summarize may average workday I would say I was required to be a representative of the organization. It was important to be professional as well, by arriving on time, minimizing complaints and doing my best to communicate environmental efforts that largely go under the radar!

Position: Summer Outreach Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies and Government Junior

The designated training days prepared me with all the information needed to have intellectual conversations with other professionals in my field as well as regular people. There was a full day of training at the Springs, showing us the important locations that we will be asked about by visitors, as well as various cool facets that often get overlooked. On our second day of training, we spent hours communicating with environmental lawyers and practicing tabling techniques with different passerby scenarios. This prepared us intellectually as well as made us closer to the other interns, making us more of a unit.

On the job, I had to combine the days of training, college level science, as well as muster up my own charisma and courage. No matter how many training days you have, in order to succeed at this internship, you must be approachable and outgoing. Every tabling sessions would be a group of 3 other interns to set up with and bounce energy off of. It takes courage to stand in front of the tent in hot Texas summer and reach out to people who just want to cool off in the springs. Often times, we were rejected or just used as a FAQ site for tourists. No matter how many times you hear "no", you have to keep your spirits high and talk to another person.

My time at Save Our Springs has been rewarding and I plan on staying involved. But it takes a certain kind of person to maintain positive after repeated rejection, and constantly putting yourself out there. My only complaint is that after the first day of training, we never again spent time with or spoke to the employed environmental lawyers for Save Our Springs. 

Position: Intern Assistant Manager/Outreach and Education Intern
Student: Philosophy Junior

This summer, I did an internship in the outreach and education department of an Austin environmental non-profit called Save Our Springs Alliance. Save Our Springs has a great summer intern program that was great for my busy schedule and my interests in sustainability education from a non-profit base. At its core, the summer intern outreach position consists of tabling at Barton Springs Pool every weekend, trying to educate pool patrons about the work that the non-profit does for central Texas water quality (including Barton Springs and other bodies of water in Austin). We set up the table at different spots every day. We also sell what we call “memberships” to Save Our Springs Alliance. To become a member of the Alliance, people can make a one-time donation of at least $10, but lots of people choose to donate more. This membership shows support for the work that Save Our Springs does for water quality in central Texas, and the more members we have, the more legitimacy we have in cases that our lawyers bring to court. For example, if our lawyers at Save Our Springs are fighting a new highway expansion on top of the recharge zone in the 78704 zip code, and we had no members living in the 78704 zip code, then we would not have the standing to fight this highway on legal grounds because we would technically have no support. The interns also sell Save Our Springs merchandise like t shirts and towels at the table. Intern responsibilities include making sure our tabling supplies are stocked, staying engaged and friendly to pool patrons at the table, to be well –versed on current Save Our Springs news, and to keep track of membership and merchandise sales throughout the tabling shift. Interns handle cash, operate the Square point of sales system, and must ensure that all sales are well documented. As an intern manager, I do all of this as well as help to hire new interns, make the schedule so that interns know when they will be tabling, transporting all of the interns and supplies to the pool, and helping to keep the books regarding all sales we make throughout the summer.

Summer 2019

Position: Environmental Communications Intern
Student: Government Junior

This summer I served as the environmental communications intern for the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club. The chapter serves the entire state of Texas and in addition to running political and organizing campaigns the chapter helps to manage the several volunteer groups throughout the state. My main responsibilities were to assist with our online presence, write and promote original content for the chapter’s blog, and assist other chapter and national Sierra Club staff with campaigns.

In any advocacy work being up to date and knowledgeable on the current politics and policies of local issues is vitally important. It ensures that the work we do is not only well informed, but also authentic and trustworthy. Because of this, when I would arrive to the office my primary responsibility for at least the first 30 to 45 minutes was to read local news sources from around Texas. This not only got me caught up on current events, but it also helped me to learn which environmental issues had more traction in which parts of the state, and learn about the organizing of different areas around different subjects and issues. For example, the effects of fracking will be felt all around the state, however the issue only ever appears in news sources in Northern Texas, just as issues centered on plastic or oil and gas tend to be highlighted by newspapers in the Houston and coastal region.

Following this, I would track the spokespeople for the Sierra Club and help tabulate how many times and in what context they were mentioned by media outlets. The rest of my day was dedicated to either researching and writing pieces related to our active campaigns, drafting and planning social media posts, or working with the Chapter director on the legislative scorecard where I researched the votes we supported and documented how each Texas legislator voted.

While there was some routine to my days I enjoyed being able to work with many different people across many different areas of expertise and role. This allowed me to gain insight into the organization as a whole but also how collaborative advocacy work requires you to be.

Fall 2019

Position: Sustainability Student Assistant 
Student: Government & Sustainability Studies

As Sustainability Student Assistant with the Texas Athletics Sustainability Department I helped work towards Texas Athletics’ goal of achieving zero waste at all athletics events by 2020. My main responsibilities were centered around game days. There were several shifts we would rotate through, each game we would have a different shift. Some had to do with getting trash out of the stadium and into the correct dumpster. Other shifts involved educating fans about sustainability and what they can do to help UT reach its zero waste goals as well as what they could do to live more sustainable lives.

The day following the football games, we host a “sort” where volunteers come and physically sort through the trash we collected from the football game the previous day. As a Sustainability Student Assistant, we were each responsible for a group of volunteers that we would oversee and assist. This meant signing them in and out, regulating their breaks, as well as sorting through the trash with them and answering questions about what goes into each waste stream (“does this shoe go in the recycling, compost, or landfill?”).

We also had the opportunity to come in and work in the office during the weekdays. We would either work on our own projects related to sustainability or we would help with administrative and logistical tasks, especially in preparation for game day. Examples of these tasks include updating the Texas Athletics Sustainability Department’s social media, working on producing reports outlining our waste diversion rates thus far, and drafting communication with other Athletics departments, the university, and our sponsors. During office hours we would also help work on recruiting and organizing volunteers for both game days and Sunday sorts.

Spring 2021

Position: Project Intern
Student: Philosophy and Sustainability Studies Junior

Rainforest Partnership is an environmental non-profit dedicated to ending deforestation through creating a network of partner communities, other NGOs, governments, and for-profit partners to carry out programs, such as, agroforestry, forest regeneration, establishing protected areas, and creating sustainable livelihoods. In my time at RP, I have worked in a few different areas. If working in the Ecuador team, you will be coordinating with team members in Ecuador and non-profit partners, doing research into agroforestry methods and procedure, and supporting existing  projects. In the Enterprise team, expect to be working on establishing a brand of for profit products, currently consisting of body care and chocolate products, that will fund RP’s work.  Even with all the interesting and varied opportunities, the best part of RP is the work culture: the whole team is made up of capable and caring people who work together toward common goals.

Summer 2019

Position: Communications Intern
Student: English and Sustainability Studies Sophomore

As a communications intern, much of what I do is copywriting. The tasks vary day to day though. For example, building up to World Rainforest Day was extremely busy and everyone was working intensely on some aspect of that. However, there are some days where I simply created research and brainstorming blog ideas. No one is going to force you to do extreme amounts of work, but it is worthwhile to put in that extra effort–you will feel so much more accomplished and fulfilled after. But back to my day.

Copywriting is the art of working language in such a way that it compels others to buy in or join your cause. One of the coolest things I got to work on was language for a new crowd-funding charity site that will hopefully be up and running soon. I dabble in social media posts, blog writing, and any sort of editing that needs to be done, like proofreading work written in English by a non-native speaker. The environment is very calm and chill throughout all of this; we get to sit and be wherever we want, and I was able to work from home on days when I asked. The office does run a little hot at 78 degrees ... our CEO Niyanta really gave us hell when she found out we all had lower temperatures than that in our own apartments. We eat vegetarian food every day, late, normally around 1 or 2. It is one of my favorite parts of the day because it brings everyone together over a healthy and environmentally sustainable meal. The people at Rainforest Partnership are quirky for sure–but in an optimistic and friendly way which quickly infects you. Although my internship is finished, I do think I will continue to work with Rainforest Partnership in some capacity.

Spring 2023

Position: Zero Waste Events Intern
Student: Economics and Sustainability Studies Sophomore

I am interning with UT Austin’s Resource Recovery Program in the Zero Waste Events team. Resource Recovery works to divert 90% of campus waste away from landfills. I found this internship through Handshake. My main responsibilities include managing the ZWEco Supply Store, co-hosting compost trainings, bin-monitoring, and doing waste audits. I also worked on small independent projects such as researching Amazon’s climate pledge-friendly program and finding a good virtual business card to advertise our services. When someone purchases a compostable item from our ZWEco Supply Store, I am responsible for adjusting the inventory, packing, and delivering the order. My favorite part about this internship is the opportunity for me to learn and master knowledge about recycling and composting. The tours to the recycling and compost facilities in Austin were such a valuable experience for me because I love seeing the back end of these systems.

Position: UT Zero Waste Intern
Student: Geography and Sustainability Studies Junior

 I found my UT Resource Recovery organization on Handshake my Junior year. I started out working on waste audits, but then moved to a new project which was called Visual Audits. Visual audits involve exploring how to reduce contamination in recycling and compost bins on campus. To do this I inspected the recycling bins and compost bins in 4 on-campus buildings and then interacted with building tenants through tabling, speaking at staff meetings, and speaking to classes. My favorite part of the internship was working with landscape management to teach them how to properly sort recycling, they were all so kind and really wanted to learn about how to recycle better!

Fall 2022

Position: Zero Waste Workplace Intern
Student: Economics and Sustainability Studies Sophomore

The organization I am interning with is UT’s Resource Recovery department. Specifically, I’m a Zero Waste Workplace Intern. I found this internship through Handshake. My intern responsibilities include attending weekly team meetings and intern-wide meetings, conducting waste audits, and managing a few projects. I’m involved with the Compost Champion program in which I communicate with staff and faculty interested in composting in their breakrooms. I host training sessions for the interested individuals in order to make sure the composting is done correctly. I am also involved in rolling out Paper Towel Composting, a project that includes converting the paper towel stations in restrooms that normally go to the landfill into ones that are compostable. My favorite thing about the internship is that I work with people who are just as passionate about sustainability and being environmentally friendly as I am. My work is filled with so much purpose and everything I do makes a difference. I feel so full and content interning here! :)

Fall 2022

Position: Zero Waste Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies Junior

I am a Zero Waste Intern for UT Austin’s Resource Recovery department and I found this internship through a posting on Handshake. The intern team for Resource Recovery is made up of around 15 students working on different project teams such as the Zero Waste Workplace team, the Surplus Store team, Social Media and Outreach team, and the Waste Audit team. The overall goal of our overall goal is to improve sustainability education and implementation on campus and to help UT reach its Zero Waste goal of diverting 90% of all materials from landfill. I am a member of the Waste Audit team where we work on data collection on what kind of waste is being generated on campus and if people are disposing of their waste correctly. We also look at how well people are recycling and composting and based on our data collection, we propose training and solutions for different buildings on campus on how they can better minimize waste. We have had great educational opportunities through this internship such as touring different campus facilities and learning from sustainability professionals on campus. We will also get to be a part of educating students and faculty on how to better implement waste diversion strategies through tabling on campus and through our end-of-the-year presentations to UT faculty and staff. My favorite part of this internship has been getting to interact with students from all of the different project teams and with the faculty on campus. I have gotten to meet so many different people who are interested in making a difference on campus, which is really inspiring to see. It has also been great to interact with staff who are interested in the work that our team is doing and want to learn more about how they can do better.

Spring 2022

Position: Resource Recovery Team Member
Student: Anthropology and Sustainability Studies

UT Resource Recovery is primarily responsible for the reuse and redistribution of campus-generated resources through compost, recycling, and their surplus store. The internship program is primarily split into two categories: Zero Waste (zero waste workplace and zero waste events) and the UT Surplus Reuse Store. Zero Waste Interns primarily focus on activities like consulting for zero waste events, training staff and faculty on composting, converting bathroom trash cans to paper towel compost, and an array of other projects.

I discovered this opportunity while browsing Handshake over the summer, hoping to find an on-campus internship or job for the fall semester. The Zero Waste Internship Program immediately caught my eye, so I applied. I’m very glad I did! This internship was a great experience for me.

I was assigned a spot on the Zero Waste Workplace team, where I assisted with monthly compost champion training, revitalized an old supply swap system, and helped organize a single-use alkaline battery recycling and sorting day. By far, my favorite project was battery recycling! Over the spring semester, I created promotional materials on canva, communicated with the buildings hosting our battery collection sites, planned the logistics of the collection itself, then organized a system to ultimately sort through over 600 pounds of batteries. It was an exciting project to take part in, especially because the positive impact was immediately visible. Outside of my individual projects, I had the opportunity to tour local recycling and compost facilities, assist with my coworkers’ projects, and learn more than I ever thought possible about waste management. Being an intern with UT Resource Recovery was truly an amazing experience for me!

Spring 2023

Position: SAISD/Gardopia Garden Based Learning Partner
Student: Sustainability Studies Senior

Maverick Elementary is a school of just above 500 students ranging from Headstart to Fifth grade. Every morning we begin the day by saying our school mission statement, “At Maverick Elementary, we inspire and empower each other to be lifelong learners who improve the world. And it starts with me!" Here at this school, the kids are encouraged to keep learning and it is an environment of growth and community in all aspects. After the recommendation of a family member, I spoke with the principal of the school to discover they were partnering with a local non-profit organization that focuses on garden-based teachings, where they help the school educate the kids on growing their own organic produce, the health benefits provided by the garden, nutrition, and physical activity. This semester I am mainly responsible for working with our assigned garden educator to build a garden of flowers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables in six raised beds from just soil and an irrigation system with First graders. Because I love the work we are doing this semester I have been working with our partners on a grant funded through the City of San Antonio to allow for our entire school to participate next school year, along with other projects that have positive environmental impacts. My favorite part about this internship is knowing how excited the kids are to see their weekly progress in the garden thinking that it is so much fun, while I am also thinking about the differences we are making in the lives of not only the kids but the plants and animals as well.

Summer 2019

Position: Summer Outreach Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies Junior

This summer I had a paid internship with the Save Our Springs Alliance, an environmental non-profit organization that is based in Austin. The purpose of the organization is to provide legal support for water-based rights such as protection of Barton Springs, the area encompassing the Edward's Aquifer, and equity in city council as well as the Austin Community. What drew me to this organization was their will to continue fighting unjust cases and permits even though everyone else had given up. 

My title was Summer Outreach Intern, the goal this semester was to sell 300 memberships to locals and visitors. These memberships are necessary for SOS as they help prove legitimacy in court and during sessions. We are also tasked with keeping up with the weekly newsletter, as we are there to bridge the communication gap between visitors of the pool and the environmentalists behind the scenes. I was one of the few people on the team that was bilingual in Spanish so this internship also opened the doors to talk about Sustainability. Although it was not required, it was a great learning experience translating information on my time off, I was able to pick up many new terms and manners of introducing goals to members of the Spanish-speaking community.

My shifts always went by very fast as we work typically in groups of four. Every member knew what was expected of them in terms of setting up the table, selling merch, and talking with patrons. To summarize may average workday I would say I was required to be a representative of the organization. It was important to be professional as well, by arriving on time, minimizing complaints and doing my best to communicate environmental efforts that largely go under the radar!

Position: Summer Outreach Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies and Government Junior

The designated training days prepared me with all the information needed to have intellectual conversations with other professionals in my field as well as regular people. There was a full day of training at the Springs, showing us the important locations that we will be asked about by visitors, as well as various cool facets that often get overlooked. On our second day of training, we spent hours communicating with environmental lawyers and practicing tabling techniques with different passerby scenarios. This prepared us intellectually as well as made us closer to the other interns, making us more of a unit.

On the job, I had to combine the days of training, college level science, as well as muster up my own charisma and courage. No matter how many training days you have, in order to succeed at this internship, you must be approachable and outgoing. Every tabling sessions would be a group of 3 other interns to set up with and bounce energy off of. It takes courage to stand in front of the tent in hot Texas summer and reach out to people who just want to cool off in the springs. Often times, we were rejected or just used as a FAQ site for tourists. No matter how many times you hear "no", you have to keep your spirits high and talk to another person.

My time at Save Our Springs has been rewarding and I plan on staying involved. But it takes a certain kind of person to maintain positive after repeated rejection, and constantly putting yourself out there. My only complaint is that after the first day of training, we never again spent time with or spoke to the employed environmental lawyers for Save Our Springs. 

Position: Intern Assistant Manager/Outreach and Education Intern
Student: Philosophy Junior

This summer, I did an internship in the outreach and education department of an Austin environmental non-profit called Save Our Springs Alliance. Save Our Springs has a great summer intern program that was great for my busy schedule and my interests in sustainability education from a non-profit base. At its core, the summer intern outreach position consists of tabling at Barton Springs Pool every weekend, trying to educate pool patrons about the work that the non-profit does for central Texas water quality (including Barton Springs and other bodies of water in Austin). We set up the table at different spots every day. We also sell what we call “memberships” to Save Our Springs Alliance. To become a member of the Alliance, people can make a one-time donation of at least $10, but lots of people choose to donate more. This membership shows support for the work that Save Our Springs does for water quality in central Texas, and the more members we have, the more legitimacy we have in cases that our lawyers bring to court. For example, if our lawyers at Save Our Springs are fighting a new highway expansion on top of the recharge zone in the 78704 zip code, and we had no members living in the 78704 zip code, then we would not have the standing to fight this highway on legal grounds because we would technically have no support. The interns also sell Save Our Springs merchandise like t shirts and towels at the table. Intern responsibilities include making sure our tabling supplies are stocked, staying engaged and friendly to pool patrons at the table, to be well –versed on current Save Our Springs news, and to keep track of membership and merchandise sales throughout the tabling shift. Interns handle cash, operate the Square point of sales system, and must ensure that all sales are well documented. As an intern manager, I do all of this as well as help to hire new interns, make the schedule so that interns know when they will be tabling, transporting all of the interns and supplies to the pool, and helping to keep the books regarding all sales we make throughout the summer.

Summer 2019

Position: Environmental Communications Intern
Student: Government Junior

This summer I served as the environmental communications intern for the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club. The chapter serves the entire state of Texas and in addition to running political and organizing campaigns the chapter helps to manage the several volunteer groups throughout the state. My main responsibilities were to assist with our online presence, write and promote original content for the chapter’s blog, and assist other chapter and national Sierra Club staff with campaigns.

In any advocacy work being up to date and knowledgeable on the current politics and policies of local issues is vitally important. It ensures that the work we do is not only well informed, but also authentic and trustworthy. Because of this, when I would arrive to the office my primary responsibility for at least the first 30 to 45 minutes was to read local news sources from around Texas. This not only got me caught up on current events, but it also helped me to learn which environmental issues had more traction in which parts of the state, and learn about the organizing of different areas around different subjects and issues. For example, the effects of fracking will be felt all around the state, however the issue only ever appears in news sources in Northern Texas, just as issues centered on plastic or oil and gas tend to be highlighted by newspapers in the Houston and coastal region.

Following this, I would track the spokespeople for the Sierra Club and help tabulate how many times and in what context they were mentioned by media outlets. The rest of my day was dedicated to either researching and writing pieces related to our active campaigns, drafting and planning social media posts, or working with the Chapter director on the legislative scorecard where I researched the votes we supported and documented how each Texas legislator voted.

While there was some routine to my days I enjoyed being able to work with many different people across many different areas of expertise and role. This allowed me to gain insight into the organization as a whole but also how collaborative advocacy work requires you to be.

Fall 2021

Position: Communications Intern
Student: International Relations and Sustainability Studies

I am completing a Communications internship with the Social Gastronomy Movement: a global network of grassroots organizations, chefs, academics, entrepreneurs, farmers and companies that uses the power of food for social change. I found this internship through Instagram and reached out to one of their current employees to learn more about the positions. Initially, I was responsible for social media management, content writing, blog posts, facilitating conversations for the UN Food Systems Summit, event planning, grant writing and used research to help develop communications strategies across 5 languages. Now, I am completing a special project for the team which is a cookbook inspired by the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals which helps position food as a valuable tool for social change. My favorite thing about the internship is how my mentors allow me to create opportunities for creative expression and help provide me with the resources I need to complete dream projects. I have never felt more empowered in a position before- especially an internship!

Fall 2022

Position: Engineering Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies Senior

My internship is with Tarrant Regional Water District, or TRWD for short, based out of Fort Worth, Texas. My role is in the engineering department, where I am the student engineering intern. Although I am the engineering intern, my background is in sustainability, and the movement within companies to push sustainability is evident in all departments, especially for TRWD, where the engineering department makes crucial decisions in design, construction, implementation, etc., where sustainability has a massive influence on the decisions needed to be made for not only the current projects, but the long-term decisions as well.

I found TRWD through a family friend who used to work with a similar organization, called the Trinity River Alliance, who is involved with many of the projects with TRWD on the Trinity River in Dallas/ Fort Worth. This family friend was very excited to hear I was looking for an internship and that my background was in sustainability, so she helped me apply for the position and eventually become the student intern. Overall, I have utilized many of the skills I learned in college to help me succeed within TRWD. The primary skill that has helped me is my GIS familiarity, which I have began to incorporate into my daily regimen greatly. Learning how to operate basic GIS programs in GRG460G made it possible for me to feel comfortable with the initial assignments my supervisor had me complete, and after I got back into using GIS I realized I enjoyed it to a great extent.

My favorite thing about this internship is the field trip component.  From visiting water pump stations around the metroplex, where I have learned a great deal about hydraulics andenergy, to helicopter patrols, where I have recorded data from an aerial perspective. Overall,my internship has been great, and I recommend anyone in natural sciences or engineering to apply!

Fall 2019

Position: Sustainability Student Assistant 
Student: Government and Sustainability Studies

As Sustainability Student Assistant with the Texas Athletics Sustainability Department I helped work towards Texas Athletics’ goal of achieving zero waste at all athletics events by 2020. My main responsibilities were centered around game days. There were several shifts we would rotate through, each game we would have a different shift. Some had to do with getting trash out of the stadium and into the correct dumpster. Other shifts involved educating fans about sustainability and what they can do to help UT reach its zero waste goals as well as what they could do to live more sustainable lives.

The day following the football games, we host a “sort” where volunteers come and physically sort through the trash we collected from the football game the previous day. As a Sustainability Student Assistant, we were each responsible for a group of volunteers that we would oversee and assist. This meant signing them in and out, regulating their breaks, as well as sorting through the trash with them and answering questions about what goes into each waste stream (“does this shoe go in the recycling, compost, or landfill?”).

We also had the opportunity to come in and work in the office during the weekdays. We would either work on our own projects related to sustainability or we would help with administrative and logistical tasks, especially in preparation for game day. Examples of these tasks include updating the Texas Athletics Sustainability Department’s social media, working on producing reports outlining our waste diversion rates thus far, and drafting communication with other Athletics departments, the university, and our sponsors. During office hours we would also help work on recruiting and organizing volunteers for both game days and Sunday sorts.

Spring 2018

Position: Environmental Community Organizer 
Student: Rhetoric and Writing Sophomore 

The work day at Texas Campaign for the Environment doesn’t start until 2pm, so if you like sleeping in and starting your day a little bit later, TCE definitely has that perk. The office is located on West Riverside in downtown Austin, so the commute isn’t bad. I live in North Austin, and on the worst days it takes me 25 minutes to get there.

I really enjoy how we start our day. Every afternoon at 2pm  all the canvassers have a 35-40 minute briefing with the executive director, project manager, hiring manager, and office manager. All the head honchos are there if they are able to be. In the briefings, they go over fundraising and letter statistics (we ask people to write letters to the particular officials). They also go over what we’ve been able to achieve thus far in the particular campaign we’re canvassing for. They let us know what is going on in local, statewide, and nationwide news pertinent to our campaigns.  

After the briefing, we load up into vehicles and drive to our lunch drop. During the drive, we always come up with a list of silly introduction questions so we can get to know each other better. This is probably one of my favorite parts of the job. The questions can range from “What motivates you to do this work?” to “What is your favorite type of grass?” I love it. We then have lunch from about 3-3:40pm. After lunch, we drive to turf (the area we’re canvassing). We practice our rap (the structure of our campaign conversation) during the drive. We go our separate ways and start knocking on people’s doors at about 4pm. Finally, we meet back up at about 9:00pm and head to the office after calculating everyone’s donations and letters. Thus, our organizing day is comes to an end!

Summer 2019

Position: Summer Support Technician
Student: Sustainability Studies Senior

A typical day at the Texas Department of Transportation starts at 8 in the morning, when you are expected to arrive at your provided cubicle office space. This space comes equipped with a telephone, dell laptop, and monitors for extra viewing space. I frequently arrive to work knowing what assignment or project I will be working on, as there are usually ongoing projects or duties that I am already aware of. You can also expect to check your email frequently, as supervisors and general Environmental and department wide updates are sent out often. There is also a good level of communication with your supervisor, and you can expect to update them on project progress and be assigned work regularly. Work assignments in the Environmental branch have included assessing and calculating the reductions of greenhouse gas emissions via various TXDOT flexible work programs, completing training and attending educational field trips, participating in meetings related to TXDOT’s fledgling Sustainability Program, various clerical duties such as data entry of TXDOT bridge data into a data-base, among other miscellaneous duties. Lunch is typically taken at 12 noon, and you are given an hour for lunch, though you can shorten this time to 30 minutes if you wish to leave the office a bit earlier (this is my preference). Overall, the job is a great opportunity to gain experience in the environmental space, build professional skills in a government work environment, and take responsibility for your work and time keeping. I would recommend this internship opportunity to any environmentally focused student or young professional.

Spring 2021

Position: Data Analysis Intern
Major: Sustainability Studies Senior

The mission of The USDA APHIS Wildlife Services (WS) is to provide Federal leadership and expertise to resolve wildlife conflicts to allow people and wildlife to coexist. In Texas we resolve conflicts with various species on both private and public property which allows the various ecosystems around the state to thrive. I found this internship through family and friend connections. When I began this internship the State Director had a specific project which he assigned to me for the duration of the internship. I was to develop a non-lethal approach to managing livestock and predator relations in Edwards County. This required collection of data through MIS, analysis of data, and creating multiple alternatives to this problem depending on funding, supplies, and time constraints. My favorite thing about this internship was the collaboration with professionals of all different backgrounds and the openness of sharing insight behind this and other projects. 

Spring 2021

Position: Marketing and Communications Intern
Major: Geography & Sustainability Studies Junior
Name: Mercy Ogunlade

The U.S. Green Building Council is a community-based nonprofit that strives to build a greener Texas by uniting professionals from all fields including: construction, architects, teachers, and many more professions to host sustainability/green events, advocate for conservation laws, LEED study groups, and even community projects. The USGBC Texas chapter is just one amount the many chapters of USGBC nationwide. I found this internship by emailing Dr. Molly Polk about interest in being in her internship class for my majors, and she suggested this internship since I am very interested in Architecture and hope to apply to a Master’s in Architecture this Fall 2021. As the Marketing and Communications intern, some of my tasks included planning and organizing meetings for the communications committee, creating a weekly newsletter to send to the whole chapter, and planning events on the website calendar.

Spring 2021

Position: Market Assistant 
Major: Sustainability Studies & Undeclared Business Freshman

UT Farm Stand is a three-pronged organization: zero-waste, gardens, and market. The Farm Stand operates a bi-weekly market where it supplies produce from the on-campus gardens at UT and from other Texas suppliers. Essentially, it seeks to grow and source healthy, local foods and educate others about the journey from farm to table to waste.

I came across this internship opportunity in a weekly advising email from my Sustainability Studies Advisor. UHD was originally looking for sustainability interns and when I interviewed I was recommended to apply for a paid position at the Farm Stand instead.

As a Market Assistant, I prepared for the bi-weekly markets by taking inventory, creating educational materials and signage, and prepping produce. On market day, I assisted with set-up and take-down of the event, selling and bagging produce and bread, and marketing on-campus sustainability initiatives. Additionally, I tended to the gardens and completed some work with the zero waste team through waste audits and a plant propagation project.

My favorite part of this internship was being able to interact with peers who are as passionate about sustainability as I am but pursue it from an entirely different perspective. I hope to have a career in the Corporate Social Responsibility Sector because of my business degree, but some of my coworkers are communications majors interested in marketing sustainable products or ecologists or engineers. Regardless of our background, we shared a common goal and that was inspiring!

Summer 2019

Position: Summer Support Technician
Student: Sustainability Studies Senior

A typical day at the Texas Department of Transportation starts at 8 in the morning, when you are expected to arrive at your provided cubicle office space. This space comes equipped with a telephone, dell laptop, and monitors for extra viewing space. I frequently arrive to work knowing what assignment or project I will be working on, as there are usually ongoing projects or duties that I am already aware of. You can also expect to check your email frequently, as supervisors and general Environmental and department wide updates are sent out often. There is also a good level of communication with your supervisor, and you can expect to update them on project progress and be assigned work regularly. Work assignments in the Environmental branch have included assessing and calculating the reductions of greenhouse gas emissions via various TXDOT flexible work programs, completing training and attending educational field trips, participating in meetings related to TXDOT’s fledgling Sustainability Program, various clerical duties such as data entry of TXDOT bridge data into a data-base, among other miscellaneous duties. Lunch is typically taken at 12 noon, and you are given an hour for lunch, though you can shorten this time to 30 minutes if you wish to leave the office a bit earlier (this is my preference). Overall, the job is a great opportunity to gain experience in the environmental space, build professional skills in a government work environment, and take responsibility for your work and time keeping. I would recommend this internship opportunity to any environmentally focused student or young professional.

Spring 2021

Position: Data Analysis Intern
Major: Sustainability Studies Senior

The mission of The USDA APHIS Wildlife Services (WS) is to provide Federal leadership and expertise to resolve wildlife conflicts to allow people and wildlife to coexist. In Texas we resolve conflicts with various species on both private and public property which allows the various ecosystems around the state to thrive. I found this internship through family and friend connections. When I began this internship the State Director had a specific project which he assigned to me for the duration of the internship. I was to develop a non-lethal approach to managing livestock and predator relations in Edwards County. This required collection of data through MIS, analysis of data, and creating multiple alternatives to this problem depending on funding, supplies, and time constraints. My favorite thing about this internship was the collaboration with professionals of all different backgrounds and the openness of sharing insight behind this and other projects. 

Spring 2021

Position: Marketing and Communications Intern
Student: Geography and Sustainability Studies Junior

The U.S. Green Building Council is a community-based nonprofit that strives to build a greener Texas by uniting professionals from all fields including: construction, architects, teachers, and many more professions to host sustainability/green events, advocate for conservation laws, LEED study groups, and even community projects. The USGBC Texas chapter is just one amount the many chapters of USGBC nationwide. I found this internship by emailing Dr. Molly Polk about interest in being in her internship class for my majors, and she suggested this internship since I am very interested in Architecture and hope to apply to a Master’s in Architecture this Fall 2021. As the Marketing and Communications intern, some of my tasks included planning and organizing meetings for the communications committee, creating a weekly newsletter to send to the whole chapter, and planning events on the website calendar.

Spring 2023

Position: Key Holder, Sustainability Intern
Student: Sustainability Studies Senior

The Sustainability Internship that I participated in this semester was through the company URBN which houses clothing stores like Urban Outfitters, Free People, Anthropology, Nuuly and more. I was working at Free People Movement store and studio in Austin, Texas as a part-time manager starting in October of 2021, which is how I learned about the internship. Working with my senior brand leader, I created district communications on sustainable practices for individual storefronts and initiatives within the larger corporation. I raised awareness and motivation among staff to participate and contribute to new ideas and practices. Through the internship, I learned so much about professional communication and inspiring excitement in others.

Spring 2021

Position: Market Assistant 
Major: Sustainability Studies & Undeclared Business Freshman

UT Farm Stand is a three-pronged organization: zero-waste, gardens, and market. The Farm Stand operates a bi-weekly market where it supplies produce from the on-campus gardens at UT and from other Texas suppliers. Essentially, it seeks to grow and source healthy, local foods and educate others about the journey from farm to table to waste.

I came across this internship opportunity in a weekly advising email from my Sustainability Studies Advisor. UHD was originally looking for sustainability interns and when I interviewed I was recommended to apply for a paid position at the Farm Stand instead.

As a Market Assistant, I prepared for the bi-weekly markets by taking inventory, creating educational materials and signage, and prepping produce. On market day, I assisted with set-up and take-down of the event, selling and bagging produce and bread, and marketing on-campus sustainability initiatives. Additionally, I tended to the gardens and completed some work with the zero waste team through waste audits and a plant propagation project.

My favorite part of this internship was being able to interact with peers who are as passionate about sustainability as I am but pursue it from an entirely different perspective. I hope to have a career in the Corporate Social Responsibility Sector because of my business degree, but some of my coworkers are communications majors interested in marketing sustainable products or ecologists or engineers. Regardless of our background, we shared a common goal and that was inspiring!