2022 Summer Experience Fund

The Summer Experience Fund is part of the Zankel Experience Network (ZEN). ZEN was established in 2020 by Jimmy Zankel ’92 and Pia Scala-Zankel ’92 to foster Skidmore’s deep commitment to experiential learning, including the Summer Experience Fund, Collaborative Research, and a new Mentoring Program.

To learn more, visit: skidmore.edu/summerexperiencefund

(Kuh, 2008)

Internships, research experiences, and service-learning opportunities are just some of the examples of high-impact learning practices that are crucial to long-term student success. In return for the time and effort required, students enhance and integrate their learning, have the opportunity to collaborate with people who are different from themselves, gain insight into their fields of interest, and receive meaningful feedback. These experiences can be life changing and are a crucial part of a Skidmore education.

In 2022, Skidmore’s Summer Experience Fund — a signature program within the Zankel Experience Network (ZEN) — supported 88 students who gained experiences in art museums and theater, rehabilitation centers and crisis text lines, medical centers and academic institutions, music and production companies, environmental councils and agricultural centers, film, and alongside state representatives and government officials. Over the course of the summer, they honed the skills needed to succeed in entry-level positions as well as skills that will one day be required to advance within these organizations, including critical thinking skills, quantitative reasoning, writing, teamwork, intercultural skills, and more.

It’s worth noting that “participating in high-impact practices are especially striking for students from communities that historically have been under served in higher education (Kuh, 2008).” This fund helps to create more equitable access to these opportunities and very real pathways for students to achieve their goals. We are tremendously proud of these students and grateful to you for making these experiences possible for them.

gratitude, Shannon Rodriguez Executive Director Skidmore Career Development Center

Decades of research shows that student development is a process shaped by experiences inside and outside the classroom.”

With

Kuh, G., High-Impact Learning Practices, Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2008.

Bicol Archaeology Project, Institute for Field Research’s Virtual Introduction to Digital and Cyber Archaeology

Uncovering new truths

This opportunity helped me realize that archaeology — specifically Philippine archaeology — is an ever-changing, growing, and developing field.

Archaeology fact-checks history. In countries like the Philippines, this field can rewrite history to better represent the actions of the colonized and the oppressed, and it can ultimately help us reckon with our colonial past.

I was able to practice archaeology in my home country, the Philippines, and study my ancestors. I worked toward uncovering a decolonized history of my people — a story told not by Spanish colonial officials but by Filipinos. I was so lucky to participate in this important work.

Through this experience, I’ve been able to equip and drive myself toward a career that can really do some good. This experience has changed my life, and I am incredibly grateful.

Left: Me and Fr. Eric, the local archdiocese’s representative with the Bicol Archaeological Project.

Clockwise from top: Excavating in a trench as part of a four-person team — one person excavating, one person transporting buckets, and two people always taking notes; Fort Santiago, the fortress at the heart of “Intramuros,” the walled city of Manila; my team-member Fawwaz as we hiked two kilometers to a potential site.

Tibet Fund

Cultural Connections

I was fortunate to work with Tibet Fund, a program dedicated to helping Tibetan youth around the world learn more about their culture. The program takes them on pilgrimage trips and offers Tibetan writing, history, and Buddhist philosophy classes. At the same time, I was able to rediscover my roots and get in touch with my cultural background.

With my anthropology, social, and organizational psychology background, I decided to launch an independent research project to learn how Tibetan refugees view work and labor. This summer, I interviewed several Tibetan refugees in India — a café owner, a nurse, and a street vendor — and learned they are all continuously affected by their refugee status.

I was so lucky to spend a month in the city where His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama resides and where the Tibetan government-in-exile is located. We met the president of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Penpa Tsering, and many other Tibetan activists.

Right: A picture of me and the President (Sikyong) of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Penpa Tsering.

Opposite Page: An image of me interviewing an elderly stall owner (top) and a Tibetan male clothing stall owner (bottom).

“ One man in his time plays many parts...”

Being a sound design/tech intern was the perfect opportunity to explore how I could combine computer science and theater into a meaningful career path. I was surprised by how much I picked up by helping whenever and wherever I could. I was ready for any opportunity that came my way. From organizing the sound and light inventory to running the show each night, I was able to explore many possible careers on the tech side of theater and did so much more than just sound design. I loved that my internship title did not define everything I did at the theater.

I rediscovered a passion for something I hadn’t previously had the chance to fully immerse myself in, without sacrificing the financial benefit of a standard summer job.

Right: A picture of me working on design for final performances.

Opposite Page: Me atop a 24’ truss pulling instruments up to secure on sidearms (harnessed in with three points of contact).

The Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES MAJOR

Environmental Justice in the Capitol Region

Planting the seed

I spent the summer exploring my interest in environmental justice in the Capital Region, focusing on access to food and learning how my passion and strengths could support a farm’s mission of uprooting racism and seeding sovereignty into the food system.

I am so grateful for the creative liberties I was afforded this summer. I worked on diverse projects, including helping an Americorps team write and publish its end-of-year report and taking soil samples to test for lead contamination.

I hope to continue this sustainable agriculture research with my senior capstone. I know I am on my way to making a difference in my community and the world.

Top: Meeting Porkchop the pig at Old Tavern Farm to learn about the integration of livestock for sustainable agriculture.

Bottom: Visiting Radix Ecological Center in Albany, New York to see their new hoop house and crops.

MARVELOUS

EKEH

’23

MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE DOUBLE MAJOR

ForwardStart

Moving dreams forward

It has always been my dream to start my own nonprofit, so I created ForwardStart, a free, student-led mentorship program designed to give high-achieving high school students a head start on their college preparation and professional and personal development.

I found that mentoring helped me throughout my own academic journey and career, so my vision is to offer the same access to ambitious, low-income students in New Jersey.

My team and I held a symposium for 30 students this summer, and our program will continue to connect students with opportunities and guidance from industry professionals.

The Skidmore Summer Experience Fund has truly helped turn my dream into a reality.

Above: Logo created for my nonprofit organization.

Creative Thought Matters