Student Comments

– Alex Moon, Psychology almnus
hired by Apple upon graduation for the Siri group
will study Law in the fall 2020

 

“When I joined as an intern for impactmania’s Human Mind and Migration project at the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, I could not have predicted how the skills acquired in this program would prepare me for our post-pandemic world. The nature of the program required that I learned to communicate and collaborate with my teammates virtually, practice self-discipline and goal setting, and quickly adapt to sudden changes. Throughout, I held a significant amount of agency as I was able to develop my research around a migration path that aligned with my personal interests. Specifically, I have spent the last year exploring how opportunities in the performing arts can be a catalyst for migration, how this migratory background often influences many artists’ creative outputs, and how all of this might impact the brain. I interviewed three such nomads in the performing arts — UCSB Naked Shakes director Irwin Appel, Galician bagpiper Cristina Pato, and Finnish tango dancer Tarja Huuskonen — each across different mediums (in-person, by phone, and over video call). The professional experience I’ve gained through this internship has been unparalleled. I’ve had the opportunity to make connections and be persistent with people outside of UCSB, write and edit various documents, and learn how to contribute to a product on a tight deadline, such as in our latest endeavor the Digital Nomads Magazine. Overall, my time in the impactmania program has been both meaningful and challenging, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside such great people for something bigger than all of us.”

– Natalie Gomez
English
Returns to UCSB in the fall

 

impactmania has been a unique, personalized internship like no other. I felt like a true team player in this program contributing to its mission. This experience has been highly valuable and prepared me to take on the world!

– Saehee Jong
Global Studies and Art History and Professional Writing
Hired by The Independent

 

“impactmania’s Human Mind and Migration was one of the most excellent opportunities I could have had as an undergraduate student. I initially, and honestly, started this program to boost my resume, but it ended up being so much richer than that. As an experiential learner, I had the complete freedom to deeply explore and research topics of my own interests on a flexible timeline. I was able to lead personal side-passion projects and turn them into something that I could share with the world. It was also very collaborative, which strengthened relationships among my peers and mentors creating great friendships. For me, Human Mind and Migration was a great autonomous, unique, and independent learning experience that is applicable far beyond any lecture or classroom setting. For the doers and the dreamers, this program is for you!

– Joanne Mun, Art and Philosophy, UCSB
Hired as a designer in NYC post-program

 

“I got the opportunity to engage with a diverse group of talented folks and speak with very powerful people it was an honor to be apart of the project.”

– Laic Beugre, Philosophy, UCSB with a concentration in Public Policy
 

“I was inspired by the organization’s dedication to enacting change in the world while including young people such as myself. Oftentimes, it is difficult to gain hands-on experience researching and building large, influential projects. I feel incredibly grateful that impactmania has created space for young minds to contribute our ideas and perspectives to this effort.

– Tess Reinhardt, History of Art, Architecture and Economics – UCSB
 

The internship has helped me form lifelong relationships and connections with people in various fields who are willing to help me pursue my career. Everyone involved in the program wants nothing more than for you to grow professionally and academically. It was an amazing experience and I would do it a thousand times again. If you are given the opportunity to be part of the AD&A Museum/impactmania internship program, do not pass it up!

– Marirose Meyer, Anthropologist in California – UCSB alumna
Traveled with impactmania to New Zealand

 

“I got to take part in the ‘making of Women of Impact. I was honored to be a part of such a big project and to have been able to play a real, tangible role in the exhibition’s development. It was an enriching, interesting, at times challenging experience, that taught me skills I had no idea I would gain when I started the internship.

– Zoe Crouzat – Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
 

“Working on the Women of Impact project is inspiring me to think differently about my own work and empowering me to make my own positive impact on the world! impactmania in action!”

– Virginia “Ginny” Reynolds Badgett,  PhD Candidate, History of Art and Architecture – UCSB

The impactmania student program at UCSB is an accelerator innovation hub for students who receive opportunities to connect with people and projects of impact.