My name is Lana El-Hage, and I am an incoming fourth-year Psychology student minoring in Communication Studies and Behavioral Sciences. I am passionate about art, mental health, and community engagement. Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to volunteer in various listening and intervention centers, where I became increasingly interested in understanding the role that leadership and policymaking can play in affecting the well-being of at-risk populations.
This summer, I interned at the Institute for Human Development and Well-being (IHDW), a transdisciplinary unit that investigates “the role that leadership and policymaking can play in human development and well-being” (Institute for Human Development and Well-being, n.d.). The IHDW currently houses four different working groups that focus on issues of sexual violence, games and gamification for Human development and well-being, participation across the lifespan, and sustainability and well-being. Each working group aims to bring together researchers and “individuals from relevant non-research backgrounds” and create a space where like-minded individuals can come together, exchange ideas, and connect (Institute for Human Development and Well-being, n.d.).
During my internship at the IHDW, my main objective was to explore the structural dynamics and processes that could affect the well-being of at-risk and marginalized populations. I was specifically interested in learning about the systemic and structural processes that could affect positive change for marginalized groups. I was also interested in understanding and participating in the communications process within a transdisciplinary research institute.
Throughout my internship, my main responsibilities included reaching out to different members of the IHDW and its extended community, asking them to compose reflection pieces for the summer issue of our newsletter, and putting together the newsletter.
The first month of my internship mainly consisted in contacting IHDW working group leads, graduate students, and co-directors to inquire about their ongoing work. I then asked each individual to compose a reflection piece about their ongoing work with the perspective of educational sustainability, our newsletter’s theme. I then created an excel document to keep track of the status of each article (in which I indicated whether we had received a confirmation from each writer, received the different pieces, and so on). During the second half of my internship, I received the reflection pieces and began assembling the newsletter by dividing it into different subsections, adding hyperlinks and relevant images, and working on its layout.
During my internship, I also had the opportunity to attend a variety of IHDW events, such as the Cellphilm Workshop and the Cellphilm symposium. I produced reflection notes containing summaries and reflections about the Cellphilm symposium’s roundtable on cellphilming and agency, which included five different presentations. I also helped, along with another intern, transcribe the French parts of the Cellphilm festival.
Throughout my internship, I encountered two principal challenges: organizing and keeping track of a high volume of information (e.g., due dates for articles, emails, etc.) and working with unfamiliar concepts, such as educational sustainability. To overcome these challenges, I created a variety of excel sheets in which I indicated, namely, the newsletter article’s status and due dates, consistently checked in with my supervisors about my work, provided updates about the newsletter, and made sure to ask relevant questions about unclear concepts or instructions. I also carefully researched the IHDW’s past and current work to familiarize myself with the issue of educational sustainability and the usual format and content of IHDW newsletters.
One of the principal highlights of my internship was getting to meet and work with like-minded individuals and supportive and knowledgeable mentors. I especially enjoyed participating in the different events organized by the IHDW. During the Cellphilm workshop, for instance, I had the opportunity to produce a cellphilm (i.e., a short video shot on a cellphone or tablet that details a specific social issue). I found this experience extremely enriching, as it introduced me to a new and arts-based research method. Submitting the final version of the summer issue of the IHDW newsletter constituted another highlight of my internship experience. I found it especially rewarding to share the quasi-finalized version of the newsletter with my supervisors and hear their thoughts and feedback on my work.
Although I did not receive academic credit for this internship, this experience constituted an integral and formative part of my university experience. It allowed me to learn about the communication process within the academic context. This internship also allowed me to gain hands on experience in a field adjacent but different to psychology, that is, communications. I was able to apply some of the theoretical and practical skills I learned in previous communication courses, while simultaneously working on projects that align with my academic interests and passions.
Lastly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Ms. Sokoloff and Mr. Bukhman for making this internship possible. The Lev Bukhman Internship Award helped cover some of my transportation and work-related expenses and will further allow me to invest in my education and interests. I look forward to contributing to and supporting students in their academic pursuits in a similar fashion in the future.
