UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

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rts co-op program nnual report 2010 / 2011

MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN In the Faculty of Arts, we expect that our students develop skills and attributes such as critical thinking, communication, reasoning, and intellectual curiosity. But at UBC, we also aim to prepare students who are creative, adaptable, research-informed, and “life ready.” When we say “life-ready”, we mean that they have accumulated experiences in community, global travel, leadership, interpersonal skills, teamwork, and real-world problem-solving experience that prepare them exceptionally well to succeed in their careers. And there is probably no better experience for this purpose than Co-op.

In conversation after conversation with graduating students and alumni, I hear that their Co-op experiences were perhaps the single-most important component of their education, and that Co-op enhanced their skills through experiential learning in the workplace and helped them to develop the contacts and networks to move seamlessly from the university to employment. As Dean of the Faculty of Arts, it has been immensely encouraging to me to hear these stories from Co-op students and to learn of their success in finding jobs.

As you’ll see in the pages of this Annual Report, the Arts Co-op Program helps to make the magic of learning take hold outside the classroom for students across all of our undergraduate majors in Arts, as well as graduate students in the School of Library, Archival, and Information Studies. The Arts Co-op program has grown dramatically in recent years as students have sought out enriched educational experiences and career preparation. Arts Co-op furthers our goal of educating global citizens grounded in their academic disciplines and connected to their communities.

I want to acknowledge and to thank the nearly 300 community partners who employed our students this past year, providing transformational learning opportunities in a wide range of non-profit, government, and private sector workplaces across Canada and around the world. The over $2.7 million you invested in UBC Arts Co-op students’ salaries is a testament to the value of our students in your workplaces and to your commitment to partnering with UBC. Thank you.

Gage Averill Dean, Faculty of Arts

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UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR 2010/11 was a busy year for the UBC Arts Co-op Program. After losing 7% of placements last year, we were pleased to see a 16% increase in placements this year, bringing us closer to our numbers prior to the economic downturn of 2008. We were pleased to see a significant increase in graduate student placements this year, resulting in the largest number of graduate co-op placements in our Program’s history, as well as a modest increase in private sector placements. Thank you to all of our employer partners across Canada and around the world for the transformative workplace experiences you provided to our students!

To continue to improve our program’s services to employers and students, we undertook a series of projects, including: • Launching a self-serve recruitment module for employers in our database, Symplicity, to make hiring easier • Creating student and employer videos about our program: check them out on our new web site!

• Using Twitter to share key information and activities with our students and other followers (follow us @UBCartscoop) As for student successes, we were extremely proud of some notable accomplishments: Congratulations to our Co-op Student of the Year Award Winners Sarah Rathjen (MAS) and Meghan Radomske (MLIS), and a special congratulations to our undergraduate student winner, Meghan Magee (BA Sociology), who was selected as the top BC University Co-op student for 2011 by the BC Association for Co-operative Education, the first time a student from our program has received this recognition.

Turn to Page 8 to learn more.

To showcase our innovations in student engagement, 3 of our talented student leaders co-presented a workshop entitled “Superheroes, Students, and Success” at the 2011 BC Association for Co-operative Education conference in Victoria. Along with our staff, they chronicled how student leaders have developed and delivered parts of our pre-employment workshop curriculum. This was the first time in recent memory that co-op students presented to co-op professionals at this conference! Learn more about our student engagement on Page 9.

Finally, a big thank you to our alumni who give back to our program in so many ways, as speakers at workshops, mentors to students, members of our Advisory Committee, and co-op employers, just to name a few.

This summer, we added the opportunity to contribute to an Arts Co-op Endowment fund to the ways to stay connected. The Endowment will allow us to create an on-going legacy of support for our Student of the Year awards and student travel bursaries. To learn more, or to donate, visit www.supporting.ubc.ca/2011/special-appeals/arts-co-op-program Julie Walchli Director, Arts Co-op Program UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

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rts co-op program mission statement The UBC Arts Co-op Program offers students enriched educational experiences for personal and professional growth by working with diverse community partners and sectors to provide transformative workplace learning.

The UBC Arts Co-op Program aims to: • Provide students with the support and opportunities for career exploration, and diversification of experience and skill sets • Develop skilled professionals who can strengthen the workforce in new and innovative ways • Enable students to be engaged citizens who contribute positively to a global society • Build student capacity for leadership • Foster student and alumni connections to UBC and the local and international communities

Our Roots The UBC Arts Co-op Program started as a pilot program for students in the Department of English. As a result of our growth and success in the past 10+ years, the program is thriving and includes students across all undergraduate disciplines within Arts (26 different undergraduate programs in the Social Sciences, Humanities, and Creative and Performing Arts) and graduate programs in the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies.

We are now the third largest co-op program at UBC with about 440 active students in the program.

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UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

FACTS & FIGURES The Arts Co-op Program placed 276 students during 2010/11 including 215 undergraduate (UG) students from Humanities, Social Science, and Creative and Performing Arts majors, and 61 graduate (G) students from the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies.

This is a 16% increase from last year’s placement numbers.

Employment by Sector & Region The public sector remains the largest employer of Arts Co-op students in 2010/11 with 53% of placements, down 2% from last year. The non-profit sector had 27% of placements (a decrease of 1% from last year), with the remaining 20% working in the private sector (an increase of 2% from last year).

In 2010/11, 71% or our placements were in the Lower Mainland area, 5% on Vancouver Island, 4% in other BC locations, 12% in other Canadian provinces and territories, and 8% in foreign countries.

Placement History Year

UG

G

Total

99/00

112

-

112

00/01

119

-

119

01/02

144

-

144

02/03

134

15

149

03/04

189

25

214

04/05

182

20

202

05/06

212

28

240

06/07

220

46

266

07/08

264

54

318

08/09

223

39

262

09/10

201

37

238

10/11

215

61

276

Total

2215

325

2540

International Placements

Educating Global Citizens: International Placements This year 23 students completed co-op terms in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Costa Rica, the United States, Korea, Australia, and Switzerland – a 1% increase from last year. Since the Program’s inception in 2000, Arts co-op students have worked in over 22 different countries.

We know that living and working abroad is one of the most powerful educational experiences students can have, and want to ensure all students who want international co-op experience have access to challenging opportunities.

Year

Placements

% of Total

99/00

10

9%

00/01

10

8%

01/02

10

7%

02/03

15

10%

03/04

18

8%

04/05

19

9%

05/06

35

15%

06/07

25

10%

07/08

43

14%

08/09

29

11%

09/10

16

7%

10/11

23

8%

Total

253

10%

UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

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STUDENT INTAKE & SELECTION During our annual intake in September 2010, we received 251 applications from undergraduate students and 71 from SLAIS students. We admitted 147 students to the undergraduate program and 70 students to the SLAIS co-op program.

In part to respond to an increase in student demand, the Faculty of Arts has funded 2 additional staff positions for 2 years in the Arts Co-op Office to enable us to increase our undergraduate admissions in 2010 and 2011 by 50 each year.

“

People would be surprised at the caliber of students [they] see through the program…It’s a wonderful experience to help teach another person.

High Caliber Students

”

- BC Lung Association

Potential undergraduate Arts Co-op students go through a rigorous and competitive application process, as we strive to admit outstanding students who will meet the needs of our employers.

We assess students’ suitability for the Program by reviewing their academic achievements, previous work and volunteer experiences, interpersonal skills, writing abilities, and career motivation. After reviewing applications, we select the strongest students to participate in group interviews, where students are asked both behavioural and standard interview questions, participate in a team-building exercise, and complete an independent writing assignment.

We invest in this rigorous selection process to ensure that we consistently deliver the highest caliber students for our employers.

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UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

STUDENT SALARY AVERAGES Since the Program’s launch in January 2000, Arts Co-op student wages have totalled over $20 million!

The following salary data shows co-op salary averages by employment sector. Undergraduate students earn an average of $2,350.67 per month while on Arts Co-op work terms, while graduate students earn an average of $3014.81 per month. In total, undergraduate Arts Co-op students earned approximately $2,021,575.72 in salaries during 2010/11, and graduate Arts Co-op students earned $735,612.47 in salaries, for a total of $2,757,188.19 earned in 2010/11.

An undergraduate student will earn on average a total of $28,512.38 over 4 work terms. Students who choose to do an optional fourth co-op work term before graduation will earn an average of $39,090.36 and students who choose to do an optional fifth co-op work term will earn an average of $51,162.74. The data shows that undergraduate student salaries usually increase with each work term, depending on the sector.

Undergraduate Salary by Work Term Work Term

Average Salary

1

$8,340.83

2

$9,698.69

3

$10,416.15

Total

$28,512.38

4

$10,577.97

5

$12,072.38

Total

$51,162.74

Undergraduate & Graduate Salaries by Sector Average Monthly Salary Sector

Undergraduate

Graduate

Public

$2,736.14

$3,324.76

Non-profit

$2,022.51

$3,080.45

Private

$2,070.98

$3,262.19

Overall

$2,350.67

$3,014.81

UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

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STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

2010 UBC Arts Co-op Students of the Year The Arts Co-op Program recognized each of the three winners for outstanding achievement in all aspects of student performance, including academics, the workplace, and professional and/or community involvement.

Undergraduate Arts Co-op Student of the Year Meghan Magee Bachelor of Arts, Major in Sociology, Minor in English Work term: Communications Assistant, TRIUMF

SLAIS MLIS Co-op Student of the Year Meghan Radomske Master of Library and Information Studies Work term: Writing & Book Camp Coordinator, Vancouver Public Library (VPL) SLAIS MAS Co-op Student of the Year Sarah Rathjen Master of Archival Studies Work term: Archives Technician, Royal BC Museum

UBC Arts Co-op Student Top in BC In addition to being named UBC Arts Co-op’s Undergraduate Student of the Year, Meghan Magee was also awarded the top university co-op student in BC. Meghan received the award for her work as a Public Affairs Assistant with BC Transmission Corporation as it went through a merger with BC Hydro in Summer 2010.

Meghan’s exceptional talent and contributions made her one of the very best co-op students her employer has worked with.

Pictured: March 24, 2011 – BC’s University Co-op Student of the Year Meghan Magee alongside City of Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson as he presents a proclamation for National Co-op Week (March 21-25, 2011).

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UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT The Arts Co-op Students’ Association (ACSA) strives to create a community for students and alumni to connect with their peers, and to share their co-op experiences and career aspirations. As the first co-op student association at UBC, ACSA organizes events to enhance students’ professional skills and provide them with an opportunity to get to know others in the program so they can learn from one another, have fun and stay connected.

ACSA’s 8 teams are led by students and elected by Arts Co-op students: · Publishing Team · Finance Team · Web Team · Alumni Relations Team

· Social/Grad Team · Promotions Team · Mentorship Team · Professional Development Team

In addition to regular professional development workshops, mentoring, and a range of social events, ACSA also contributes a portion of each students’ membership fees to the UBC United Way campaign, helping to raise awareness of the needs and services within our local community.

To learn more about ACSA and their accomplishments, and to read their new online blog, visit http://ubcacsa.wordpress.com.

Pictured: Superman, Arts Co-op staff & ACSA leaders following their presentation at a provincial co-op educators conference.

Engaging Student Leadership For the past few years, the Arts Co-op Program has engaged leaders from ACSA to help deliver portions of the workshops new co-op students are required to attend as part of their pre-employment training.

Most notably, ACSA leaders have developed a presentation entitled “Holy Accomplishments Batman” – a hands-on tutorial on how to write effective resumes using accomplishment statements.

In May 2011, Arts Co-op staff and three of ACSA’s student leaders were invited to share this unique approach at a conference for co-op educators from across BC, Canada and even as far away as South Africa.

The presentation opened many educators’ eyes to the power of a peer-to-peer communication and mentoring model.

UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

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SOCIAL SCIENCES MAJORS Types of Knowledge • Archaeological methods and principles • Data collection and analysis • Economic modeling • Environmental assessment • Environmental economics • Finance • Fundraising • Geographic Information Systems • International development • International peace & security • Policy analysis • Quantitative & qualitative research • Statistical analysis • Survey design & implementation • Technical & research report writing

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Majors • • • • • • •

Anthropology Economics Environmental Geography Physical Geography International Relations Psychology Speech Sciences

• • • • • • •

Cognitive Systems Economics & Political Science Human Geography Health & Society Political Science Sociology Women’s Studies

Kiran Kalkat, Psychology Going into her first work term, Kiran’s goal was to gain experience to enhance her application for graduate school in Psychology. Not only did she obtain a position in research at BC Women’s Hospital that is relevant to her academic studies, she also had the opportunity to travel for work to Paris and present at an international research conference.

Through co-op, Kiran developed many connections with health professionals and was able to observe their interactions with patients. She learned what a day in the life of each profession was like and has now decided to pursue Dietetics.

Aaron Cheng, Geography Before joining Arts Co-op, Aaron wondered what his degree would offer him upon graduation. However, with his experience as a Planning Technical Assistant at the Capital Regional District in Victoria, Aaron is now excited about pursuing a career in Planning. He compiled data to create one of the first bike maps of the Greater Victoria Region, using GIS to cartographically make a colour coded map that is easy to read. According to Aaron, “Co-op is one of the best programs at a post-secondary institution. It supplements your educational development, builds your career, and gives students a chance to go out and explore different opportunities.”

UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

HUMANITIES MAJORS

Majors • • • • • • •

Asian Language and Culture • Canadian Studies • English • History • Italian • Modern European Studies • Religion, Literature, & the Arts •

Asian Studies Classical Studies French Interdisciplinary Studies Japanese Nineteenth Century Studies Spanish

Stephen Ullstrom, Political Science & Creative Writing Stephen says co-op is “a great way to learn what it is like to work, relate to colleagues and supervisors and to gain transferable skills.” Stephen has been able to use each work term as a stepping stone to develop skills in the area of publishing, finally obtaining a position with Harbour Publishing as a Production and Editorial Assistant.

According to Stephen, co-op has helped him gain “contacts, references and a resume with good accomplishments in the field of publishing that will show [his] experiences” to future employers.

Cindy Choo, English Literature & Psychology

Types of Knowledge • Communications • Fundraising • Intercultural communication • Language abilities: Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, South Asian Languages, Spanish • Museum collections • Policy development & analysis • Program administration • Research & analysis • Technical & business writing • Translation

Through her work terms, Cindy built relationships with mentors and colleagues who gave her advice about different career paths.

Cindy says, “it’s the people that I’ve met and had the chance to work with that have made the biggest difference to me.” Her work terms helped Cindy realize that her career path is not limited by her English Literature degree. Through her education, Cindy developed advanced writing and critical analysis skills, which she was able to apply to co-op work term projects like event management with UBC’s Faculty of Engineering and research for the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation.

UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

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CREATIVE & PERFORMING ARTS MAJORS Types of Knowledge • Arts administration • Creative writing • Digital arts • Film production • Fundraising • Music education • Music composition & performance • Painting, photography, print media, sculpture • Theatre design, directing & acting

Majors • • • • • •

Film Studies Film Production Music Studio Arts Visual Arts Art History

Belle Cheung, Honours in Theatre Belle’s co-op position with Mortal Coil Performance Society was a perfect fit for her education and intended career path. Through her roles as apprentice stage manager and production assistant, Belle has strengthened her network of designers, artists and other arts administrators who are active in the Vancouver and theater arts scene. Belle says, “I believe this work term has proven my strengths and skills and put me in touch with many people who can help me. The Vancouver theatre scene is all about who you know.”

Clara Wong, Art History & Anthropology With the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Clara provided interpretive tours of galleries and heritage homes for museum visitors and assisted in special events. Combined with the skills she gained as a Project Assistant with the Vancouver Adapted Music Society, Clara has developed stronger written and verbal communi­ cation, as well as the ability to be flexible and organized. She says, “I believe that my studies in school will provide me with the knowledge I need for my future career goal of working in a museum or non-profit organization. However, I think it is my co-op terms that taught me the skills necessary to apply my knowledge.”

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UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

SCHOOL OF LIBRARY, ARCHIVAL & INFORMATION STUDIES For five decades, SLAIS has been a leader in educating information professionals in Canada, equipping them with the knowledge and understanding necessary to obtain and manage information in an increasingly complex world.

SLAIS offers students graduate level instruction and hands-on practice in library and archival theory and best professional practices. This combination of academic education and professional training prepares SLAIS graduates to perform effectively as leaders in the information professions.

Meghan Radomske, MLIS Through her position as a Writing & Book Camp Coordinator at the Vancouver Public Library, Meghan gained a range of skills that will be an asset in her education and chosen career working with young adults and children. She learned to manage a $50,000 budget, and organize sponsors, volunteers and campers. Meanwhile, she also developed team building skills by creating a positive atmosphere with her co-workers and interacting with a wide range of creative writers, volunteers, staff and Canadian authors. Meghan flourished in this position and made numerous lasting contributions, and has set high standards for future camps.

Sarah Rathjen, MAS As an Archives Technician at the Royal BC Museum, Sarah collaborated in a four person team on a project to process a collection of archival material related to the history of the town site and pulp and paper mill at Ocean Falls, the first project of its kind. Sarah’s tasks included assisting with the arrangement of records into series, physically re-housing the material into stable containers and enclosures, and undertaking preventative conservation. Through her work term, Sarah was able to improve her reasoning and analytical skills, the very skills she wanted to work on during this co-op term.

Masters Degrees • Library & Information Studies (MLIS) • Archival Studies (MAS) • Joint Archival & Library Studies (MASLIS) Types of Knowledge • Electronic information retrieval • Internet research • Knowledge management • Management principles • Organization of information • Records management • Research and analysis • Web site design and content development

UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

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ALUMNI PROFILES Christiane McInnes, BA, Art History, 2008 Special Giving Officer, Union Gospel Mission Throughout her university career, Christiane was passionate about fundraising. During her work term with Atira Women’s Resource Society, Christiane worked as a Fund Development Associate and discovered her true career path. She utilized the research, writing and interpersonal skills developed through her education and previous work terms to raise over $100,000 for the organization. She says, “the co-op experience helps you mature into a young professional and employers want to invest in candidates who have an advanced learning curve.” Upon completion of her final co-op work term, Christiane worked at Atira Women’s Resource Society for a year before moving on to other professional development opportunities. She has been able to apply the knowledge and skills she developed during her co-op terms to her current position as a Special Giving Officer at Union Gospel Mission, and now hires co-op students herself.

Azar Eskandarpour, BA, International Relations, 2006 Delegate at the International Committee of the Red Cross Through co-op, Azar gained professional international experience directly relevant to her studies. She started co-op with the Recycling Council for BC, where she collected and analyzed data on municipal solid waste and produced a 70-page report. She then worked for CIDA in Ottawa to analyze Voluntary Sector Division programs and projects. She then followed with a term at CTV to lead its diversity initiative to increase the representation of cultural and ethnic communities in daily newscasts. For her final term, Azar moved to Geneva to work as a Political Section Attaché with the Mission to Canada to the EU. She attended and reported on meetings and international negotiations between Canada and the EU and wrote over 15 reports, which were distributed to supervisors and headquarters. Azar says co-op has “made an important contribution towards my career accomplishments to date” and believes the “continual networking opportunities will last many years down the road towards a successful career post-graduation.”

Sheena Bell, BA, Political Science Honours and French, 2008 Research Assistant, UNESCO Institute for Statistics Working at the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation in the Department of Audit and Evaluation gave Sheena an edge and niche in statistical analysis that she continued to develop throughout her educational career. She worked with SPSS statistical software to collect and analyze data and to create a 5-page survey for 500 members. She continued to utilize her knowledge of SPSS during a work term with the Arts Co-op Program and then applied her skills to create report documents as a State of Forests Report Research Assistant with the Ministry of Forests and Range. Through each of her diverse work terms, Sheena developed skills and gained experiences that she uses in her current position with UNESCO; she realized her interest in leadership, team building and community development, learned how to work in a professional environment and gained an understanding of how the public sector works and how to write large analytical reports. Sheena says, “Finding work after the BA is a much less daunting task if the student is equipped with the resume, cover letter, portfolio and experience of a UBC Arts Co-op student.”

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UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

ALUMNI PROFILES Oliver Zihlmann, BA, International Relations, 2005 Senior Project Manager, Global Medical Services According to Oliver, “there is no substitute for experience.” Through working with a diverse range of co-op employers – Muscular Dystrophy Canada, Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and UBC Enrolment Services – Oliver came to understand the types of environments and tasks he enjoyed most. He was able to apply the critical thinking and analysis skills he developed through his education to the work place, where he learned how to interact and communicate with others in a professional manner. He gained 3 professional references and developed a network of contacts that enabled him to obtain a position more easily upon graduation. As part of his effort to continually give back to the program that has provided him with a head start in his career, Oliver spearheaded the hiring of UBC Arts Co-op students at his current workplace and is now helping to develop these students as young working professionals.

Susanne Sulzberger, MAS, 2008 ATIP Analyst, Library and Archives Canada Susanne says, “The experience of preparing a resume, going on interviews, and working in the area of your choice is an invaluable experience. It really does prepare you for what lies ahead in the real world after school.”

By working in the private sector with Athabasca University and in government, Susanne was exposed to two very different kinds of work environments. With Library and Archives Canada, Susanne screened records for each department and created an accession level description and finding-aid for architectural drawings for a Public Works accession. In addition, she had the opportunity to accompany archivists on visits to government departments in order to assess the kinds of records created and the specific record keeping systems. The co-op program gave Susanne an opportunity to put the theoretical knowledge she gained in her studies into practice, leading to a full time job upon graduation.

Lindsay Tripp, MLIS, 2009 Liaison Librarian, Health & Life Sciences, SFU Library Lindsay knows first-hand how beneficial co-op work terms can be. Coming into co-op, gaining work experience in a library setting was especially important to Lindsay, who did not have any library experience prior to entering the SLAIS program. Co-op, Lindsay points out, is all about “moving from theory into practice.” In the Summer of 2009, Lindsay worked as the Public Services Coordinator for Whistler Public Library, a work term she recalls as “fantastic.” Not having previously worked in a library before, Lindsay valued this “formative experience” that allowed her to make the transition from classroom to work place. Lindsay gained multi-faceted work experience at the reference desk, where she assisted with the library’s collections management and acquisitions and liaised with community groups like “Whistler Reads.” In addition, she gained a comprehensive understanding of the operation of a library and its organizational culture.

UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

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ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2010/2011

Employer Representatives Shawn Crawford, Project Manager, Research Unit, Aboriginal Affairs & Northern Development Canada Andrew Fabro, Head, Library Services, Pacific & Yukon Region, Environment Canada Liz Wilton-McMahan, Senior Operations Manager, Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

Faculty Member Representatives Judy Brown, Assistant Head, Senior Instructor, Department of English Allen Sens, Acting Assistant Dean, Centre for Arts Student Services

Arts Co-op Alumni Representatives Mike McGreer, Economic Development Analyst, City of Surrey Christine Gergich, Records Analyst, Law Society of BC Blair Slater, Branch Manager, Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Student Representatives Jasmine Khungorey, Political Science/ Sociology, Executive Coordinator, Arts Co-op Students’ Association Amanda Tome, MAS Graduate Student Representative Frances Wu, Sociology, Undergraduate Student Representative

UBC Staff Sheila Ashwell, Associate Director Michelle Mallette, SLAIS Student Services Coordinator Julie Walchli, Director (Committee Chair) Pictured: UBC Arts Co-op Staff

ALUMNI RELATIONS The UBC Arts Co-op Alumni Network started in 2010 and the Organizing Committee is currently made up of Phoenix Lam B.A. ‘06, Mike McGreer B.A. ‘08, Zack Lee, B.A. ‘08. They work closely with the Arts Co-op Office and the Alumni Relations office to connect alumni, staff, current students and the university.

The group has worked closely with the program, sharing professional advice with current students through bootcamps and the ACSA mentorship program.

To get involved or for more information, contact Mike McGreer at mmcgreer@gmail.com.

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UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

UBC ARTS CO-OP STAFF

Julie Walchli, Director Julie has worked in the field of co-operative education since 1997 when she founded the first co-op education program in Arts at UBC in the English Department. Since then she has helped to create an Arts-wide program that offers career training and opportunities to students through­ out all undergraduate programs and a graduate co-op program in the School of Library, Archival, and Information Studies. During 2008/09 she completed a secondment as Senior Advisor, Strategic Initiatives with the UBC Go Global International Learning Programs Office, creating a Student Safety Abroad policy and resources for UBC, and a handbook for faculty members leading Group Study Programs Abroad.

Julie has served in a number of leadership roles in the BC co-op community, and is currently Chair of the UBC Co-op Council and a board member of the Association for Co-operative Education BC. A graduate from UBC’s B.A. and M.A. programs in English, Julie taught in the English department from 1993-97 and co-edited Landmarks: A Process Reader for Canadian Writers. Recognitions include UBC’s President’s Service Award for Staff Excellence and the Association of Co-operative Education BC award for outstanding contributions.

Undergraduate Degree: B.A., English (Honours) & Political Science (UBC) Graduate Degree: M.A., English (UBC)

Sheila Ashwell, Associate Director Sheila has been working in the career education and employment services field since 1995. Starting with youth in the secondary school system, she moved on to employment coaching and workshop delivery with Career Services at UBC, but has spent the last 10 years actively involved in the growth and development of UBC’s Arts Co-op Program.

An alumna of UBC’s Psychology Program, Sheila understands the value of an arts degree. Sheila’s primary responsibilities are to oversee the under­ graduate Arts Co-op program, including the co-op student recruitment process, developing and delivering pre-employment workshops, advising students, and maintaining positive relationships with the varied employer groups. In 2007 she completed her M.Ed. in Counselling Psychology from UBC, in 2008/09 she served as Acting Director, and in 2009/2010 she took a personal leave to act as UBC’s Loaned Representative to the United Way of the Lower Mainland and to volunteer/travel in East Africa. Sheila is the recipient of the 2008 Dean of Arts Award for Staff Excellence.

Undergraduate Degree: B.A., Psychology (UBC) Graduate Degree: M.Ed., Counseling Psychology (UBC)

UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

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UBC ARTS CO-OP STAFF

Anna Jubilo, SLAIS Coordinator Anna has a wide-ranging background in librarianship, program coordination, communications, and administration; extensive experience working with and participating in international exchange programs; as well as several years of experience at UBC, working with various departments and programs in the Faculty of Arts. She first worked with Arts Co-op in 2001 during a work term as a shared Communications Assistant with the Dean of Arts Office. Her other co-op positions were as a Technical Communicator for TELUS Enterprise Solutions and as an Academic Office Assistant with the YMCA International College.

While completing her M.L.I.S. degree at UBC, Anna completed her practicum and professional experience with the Vancouver Art Gallery Library, worked as a Coordinator for VPL’s Summer Readalong Program, and as a work-study student, managing the Department of Linguistics’ Reading Room.

Undergraduate Degree: B.A., English & Linguistics (UBC) Graduate Degree: M.L.I.S. (UBC)

Heather Liau, Manager, Marketing and Industry Relations Heather’s main role at the Arts Co-op office is to expand the program through active marketing, industry outreach, and brand awareness, with the goal of significantly increasing the number of job opportunities for Arts Co-op students.

In her previous experience, Heather’s marketing initiatives have brought international attention to British Columbia’s technology industry. In 2004, she launched BC’s first International Partnering Forum at the Vancouver International Digital Festival. Through personalized business matchmaking, Heather provided an avenue for local companies to pitch the likes of international producers and distributors such as Cartoon Network, BBC, Flickr, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Most recently, Heather led product launches and interactive and print marketing for Vision Critical, makers of the world’s most adopted online research platform.

Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Commerce, Marketing (UBC)

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UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

UBC ARTS CO-OP STAFF

Merry Wang, Coordinator, Information Management Having graduated from the UBC Arts Co-op Program in May 2005, Merry has first-hand knowledge of the value of co-operative education.

Through the Arts Co-op Program, Merry learned how to apply the skills she developed as an International Relations major in a variety of work environments. Merry completed her co-op work terms at S.U.C.C.E.S.S. (as an Assistant Program Coordinator), Atira Women’s Resource Society (as a Human Resources Assistant), and TRIUMF (as a Technology Transfer Assistant). Merry hopes that through participation in the Arts Co-op Program, students, employers, and faculty members will realize that a Liberal Arts education prepares students for a wide range of career opportunities.

Undergraduate Degree: B.A., International Relations (UBC)

Roger Ling, Program Assistant As a recent graduate of the Arts Co-op Program, Roger directly experienced the invaluable challenges and rewards offered by co-operative education. He successfully completed domestic and international co-op work terms as the Business Administrator of a locally-owned coffee enterprise and as a Native English Teacher for a well-respected language institute in Japan. Through these unique opportunities, Roger understands that co-op really does work for students (just as much as students work for co-op!). He is excited to be part of the Arts Co-op Program once again and will do his best to empower Arts students for dynamic and fulfilling careers.

Undergraduate Degree:Â B.A., Sociology & Family Studies (UBC)

UBC Arts Co-op Annual Report 2010/2011

19

a

rts co-op program hire education

98

%

of employers recommend UBC Arts Co-op students

The UBC Arts Co-op Program has students available each January, May, and September for 4 or 8-month paid work placements.

Undergraduate students are studying a wide range of courses in Social Sciences, Humanities and the Creative and Performing Arts.

Graduate students from the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies are also available.

Arts Co-op Office Buchanan C121 - 1866 Main Mall 604.822.1529 arts.co-op@ubc.ca www.artscoop.ubc.ca