Talking Stick - November/December 2018 - 64

SNAPSHOT

JOSH BRIMMEIER
"The profession is about to take focus on a new
generation of students who want information even
faster than Millennials did."
What's the biggest issue for the students on your campus right now?
For my students, the issue of inclusive environments is more pressing than ever. Many of them are
coming from more diverse locations in California and arrive at the University of California's Washington,
D.C. Internship Program (UCDC) to find the demographics of the city different from where they were.
The culture is unique and, unlike that of California, in some very tangible ways including racial
demographics, political affiliation, approach to work, and so much more. In some cases, UCDC students
find there are not a lot of other people like themselves. Some find their voices are wanted and welcome
while others struggle to find their niche in their new office. Some of the students discuss this being
the first time they're really finding their identities challenged.
We have developed strategies and support for our marginalized and
underrepresented students to encourage them to be their whole selves at the
office and attempt to balance the professional and personal. By creating
support groups, providing diverse viewpoints and representation in and out
of the classroom, and encouraging students to engage in the Washington
community, we are helping our students to make meaning of their identities
and supporting them through a challenging transition.

What's the biggest issue you see facing the profession right now?
The profession is about to take focus on a new generation of students
who want information even faster than Millennials did. There is a
trend towards technology replacing face-to-face interaction, which
could have profound impacts on how colleges and universities
deliver their services, particularly on mobile platforms.
Additionally, this new generation's use of social media and
technology is higher than it was for previous generations and began
earlier in their development and socialization. The mental health field
is studying the impacts this use of technology is having on students'
well-being. Initial studies are showing higher rates of loneliness, feelings
of isolation, and anxiety. We may find that Generation Z students need
more mental health services available to them on campus, and we need to
be prepared to help them in residential settings.

What makes your campus unique?
UCDC is the University of California's Washington, D.C. Internship
Program. We house about 300 students with seven distinct move-ins and
move-outs each year. We help students to step out of the classroom and
apply their knowledge, skills, and abilities to the workplace. For many of
them, it's the first time they're experiencing the East Coast and what a fulltime career could look like for them.
We house students from the nine undergraduate University of California campuses
along with students from Notre Dame University, University of Pennsylvania, University
of Michigan, Mount Holyoke College, University of San Francisco, and an Australian study
abroad program. This blend of students creates an incredible array of diversity and pushes
all our students to learn more about people who are different from themselves. There's
truly no place like it!

JOSH BRIMMEIER is the director of student services at the
University of California's Washington, D.C. Internship Program.

TALKING STICK

Talking Stick - November/December 2018

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