The WVU Center for Resilient Communities is thrilled to announce our newest cohort
of
Sustainable Development Interns for Spring 2023. Now entering its
fourth year, the Sustainable Development Internship program is designed
for
undergraduate students who wish to cultivate their
leadership and
community-based research capacities to contribute to transformative
social change in
Appalachia. In Spring 2023 interns will join
four collaborative research teams focused on raising the capacity
of a new generation in West Virginia to secure the
right to food, build a
resilient regional food system, prepare
vulnerable communities for future climate and flood hazards, and
growing access to non-extractive financing for the
development of social enterprises that operate in and serve
disadvantaged communities.
The Sustainable Development Internship provides undergraduate students a space
to build confidence and capacity in their search for
creative solutions to
local and
global problems.
"This opportunity will help me gain a better understanding of the real problems
that are going on in West Virginia communities and help me grow as a person and
gain new skills that I can apply to my major in the future," explains Darren Aguilera,
a Geology Major in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. "Learning from people's
experiences and finding out ways to solve problems they are facing is my goal from
this program. I'm scared of failure, but I know if I don't take this chance I will
never be able to grow out of my shell and unlock my potential to learn from this
program. This is why I'm here, to learn, to grow, and to help those that need it."
Our goal with the Sustainable Development Internship is to embody the highest aspirations of our land-grant mission here at WVU Bradley Wilson
Starting in January 2023, interns will join research teams composed of faculty, graduate students
and grassroots leaders who are working together on lines of inquiry identified
by stakeholders and partners of the Center for Resilient Communities. A key innovation
of the program is that interns will benefit from a process of layered mentoring,
experiential learning, leadership development and training in community-based participatory
research.
"
Our goal with the Sustainable Development Internship is to embody the highest aspirations
of our land-grant mission here at WVU," explains Bradley Wilson, Executive
Director of the Center for Resilient Communities. "
We are creating pathways for undergraduate students and graduate students to build
capacities to serve our communities through meaningful research, cooperative
experimentation, and shared learning with community partners. This work is long-term
and ongoing and builds on years of groundwork. Our hope is that the research
we do not only makes an impact on policy and practice in WV, but also gives young
people courage and confidence that they can make a difference when working cooperatively
and collaboratively with community partners."
The Sustainable Development Internship runs from January to May 2023. It is made
possible through a generous partnership with the One Foundation.
Discover Spring 2023 Youth Resilience Leaders: