Become a Student Ambassador!
Program Description
Student Ambassadors are college-level or graduate students enrolled at a higher education institution in the Monterey Bay region (Cabrillo College, CSU Monterey Bay, Hartnell College, Middlebury Institute of International Studies, Monterey Penisula College, UC Santa Cruz) who participate in work-based learning at Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) with the opportunity to earn a stipend or academic credit.
We are a regional nonprofit membership organization consisting of public, private, and civic entities located throughout the counties of Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz. Founded in 2015, our mission is to improve the economic health and quality of life in the region. Student Ambassadors work with the following MBEP Initiatives:
Workforce Development: to create positive change through collaborative approaches that bring new resources to the region, amplify the impact of best practices, encourage the growth of start-ups and other companies, and help ease the transition of students to the workforce. Student Ambassadors will become developed student leaders and role models at each college campus who will help educate the community (e.g. students, staff, families, student organizations, etc.) on the college and career resources offered on Monterey Bay Career Connect and Monterey Bay Internships programs. Student Ambassadors get the opportunity to inform and inspire emerging young professionals and offer unique professional development opportunities to students across the Monterey Bay region. Other projects will involve social media, outreach campaigns, website projects, and more!
Housing: to support an increase in the supply of all housing at all income levels in the Monterey Bay region.
Climate Change: to support and engage its members and community network on collaborative efforts that advance effective climate change solutions for a sustainable planet and economy - one that is clean, safe, fair, healthy, and resilient. We are looking for college- and graduate-level students passionate about environmental, climate, and social justice; and who are interested in connecting with other motivated and dedicated students to create a region-wide Climate Ambassador Collaborative. Student Ambassadors will have an opportunity to work individually or with a team to provide technical assistance to our members that request support and/or on an in-house project or task force. Technical assistance could include anything from research, due diligence, data collection, data analysis, reporting, business writing, marketing, social media, graphic design, video, stakeholder and community engagement, public speaking, grant writing, event planning, and/or web editing in the following focus areas: climate action planning and implementation, forest resilience, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture, building, and infrastructure in urban planning and transportation.
Benefits
We provide a flexible, remote work schedule with the opportunity to earn academic credit, UC Santa Cruz work-study wages (if eligible), and/or a stipend upon completion. Student Ambassadors will be recognized and featured on our website and communications, at different events, and on a rotating basis in MBEP’s Monterey Bay Career Connect quarterly newsletter. We will also provide a LinkedIn recommendation, letter of reference, and the opportunity to attend MBEP’s annual conferences for free ($150 in value)!
Minimum Qualifications
- Any college-level student or graduate student enrolled at a higher education institution in the Monterey Bay region
- Commit to a minimum of one quarter or 3 months
- Interest in MBEP's mission and the work of our initiatives
- Responsible, self-motivated, and quality communicator
- Ability to work remotely, access to a computer or laptop, and reliable WiFi
- Reliable transportation when needed (carpooling will be offered when appropriate)
- Experience with social media: Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube (preferred)
General Responsibilities
- Attend online orientation
- Engage in an online group and 1:1 check-ins
- Work remotely with MBEP staff and/or partners
- Document activities and hours worked
- Develop and report out on deliverables with assigned Supervisor
- Attend at least one MBEP event (online or in-person)
- Coordinate any relevant coursework for academic credit (optional)
- Participate in an Exit Interview
- Write a 2 paragraph article about your experience as a Student Ambassador for MBEP public relations
General Timeline
- Onboarding: assess and identify interest areas and initiative priority areas, attend orientation and training, complete internship agreement and initial scope of work, coordinate hours with Supervisor
- During: identify, develop and execute work-based project(s) or research, attend monthly check-ins, fulfill deliverable deadlines, participate in events and professional development opportunities
- Completion: submit deliverables & summary brief for our newsletters, submit rewards checklist to qualify for stipend and certificate, participate in an exit interview
I'm Interested!
Interested students are encouraged to contact Ashley Gauer, Project Manager, at agauer@mbep.biz with a cover letter and resume. Qualified candidates will be contacted via email to schedule a phone interview. Don't have a resume? Sign up for free to use our online Resume Builder to create one! Helpful information to include in your cover letter:
- Express your interest in becoming a Student Ambassador with MBEP (e.g. why are you interested in MBEP’s work? What are your goals?)
- Describe the initiative or project(s) you would be interested in working on at MBEP
- Include any skills and abilities that you already have and/or would like to acquire or augment during your internship at MBEP
- Share any campus and/or community involvement you've participated in