Photo: Jordann Tomasek, Birch Aquarium
This week, Birch Aquarium is celebrating National Student Employment Week to recognize all the incredible student employees! Almost half of the aquarium staff are UC San Diego students, and about every department has at least one student in the mix.
Our student staff welcomes guests, helps care for the animals, assists with special events, supports our educational field trips and so much more! In celebration of National Student Employment Week, we talked with a few student staff members. In the Q&A below, they shared how they learned about the aquarium, skills they've developed, projects they’re proud of and more.
If you are a UC San Diego student interested in working at Birch Aquarium check out UC San Diego's Handshake for any current openings. Heads up, almost all student jobs at the aquarium are also on UC San Diego's Co-Curricular Record!
Meet Jazz
Jazz is a valued member of the Guest Services team at the aquarium and her favorite animal here is our rescued Loggerhead Sea Turtle! At UC San Diego she is pursuing a degree in Environmental System: Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution.
How did you find out about Birch Aquarium?
I found out about Birch Aquarium a few ways – through UC San Diego’s Instagram as well as Handshake!
What are some skills you’ve gained from working at the aquarium?
I've gained many skills while working at the aquarium! In Guest Services, I have learned a lot of skills in social and guest interactions and communication. I have also been able to improve skills in outreach, different computer systems and scheduling.
What project that you’ve worked on are you most proud of?
In my role within guest services, I love being able to help out our guests when they visit the aquarium. I also really enjoy training other students in my department!
What are you hoping to do after you graduate?
I hope to continue to graduate school. After that, I hope to work in wildlife conservation and/or research!
Meet Jolee
Jolee is a valued member of the Special Events team at the aquarium and her favorite animal here is our rescued Loggerhead Sea Turtle! At UC San Diego she is pursuing a degree in Clinical Psychology.
How did you find out about Birch Aquarium?
I’ve been a San Diego resident my whole life. I came to Birch Aquarium as a kid all the time with my mom and absolutely loved it!
What are some skills you’ve gained from working at the aquarium?
During the past two years, I have learned so much! I’ve learned how to execute and plan events for up to 1400 people, customer relationship management systems, how to communicate with clients formally, how to give site visits to potential clients and more.
What project that you’ve worked on are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the beautiful proms we host at the aquarium. While these events take a bit more planning, they are always so beautiful! It’s such a rewarding experience seeing high schoolers have a wonderful evening at the aquarium.
What are you hoping to do after you graduate?
I hope to go straight into a Doctorate program in Clinical Psychology. Then, my next goal is to become a professor and therapist.
Meet Jackson
Jackson is a valued member of the Husbandry team at the aquarium and his favorite animals here are the Porcupine Pufferfish and Purple-Striped Jelly! At UC San Diego he is pursuing a degree in General Biology.
How did you find out about Birch Aquarium?
I found out about Birch Aquarium while researching my options for college. The aquarium was one of the reasons why I chose to attend UC San Diego!
What are some skills you’ve gained from working at the aquarium?
I have learned general husbandry skills, general life support system management, how to care for jellies and more!
What project that you’ve worked on are you most proud of?
I’m really proud of helping to raise and sustain the different jelly populations at the aquarium – especially the Purple-Striped Jellies! Those jellies in particular are especially pretty.
What are you hoping to do after you graduate?
After graduating, I hope to find full-time work in the animal husbandry field.
Meet Maile
Maile is a valued member of the Volunteer team at the aquarium and her favorite animal here is the Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker! At UC San Diego she is pursuing a degree in Human Biology.
How did you find out about Birch Aquarium?
I searched for an aquarium to frequent as soon as I moved to San Diego!
What are some skills you’ve gained from working at the aquarium?
I have enhanced my ability to communicate, solve problems and develop relationships. I have also further developed my ability to lead, educate, and understand others.
What project that you’ve worked on are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the sensory and accessibility initiative I helped develop. This involved creating an accessibility kit equipped with items for guests, staff and volunteers to use if they are facing sensory challenges at the aquarium. I am proud to help make Birch Aquarium a more accessible place!
What are you hoping to do after you graduate?
I plan to continue to medical school, with the end goal of becoming a pediatric doctor!
Meet Gaby
Gaby is a valued member of the Education team at the aquarium and her favorite animal here is the Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker! At UC San Diego she is pursuing a degree in Marine Biology.
How did you find out about Birch Aquarium?
It was one of the first places I visited when I toured campus after getting accepted to UC San Diego!
What are some skills you’ve gained from working at the aquarium?
I have gained a lot of interpersonal and communication skills from interacting with a lot of guests quite often.
What project that you’ve worked on are you most proud of?
A recent project I enjoyed was picking up trash from La Jolla shores. I enjoyed the quite serene and fulfilling process of cleaning up the beach and I still try to go out and pick up trash when I can!
What are you hoping to do after you graduate?
I hope to pursue a post-graduate degree and research deep-sea biology!
Meet Bella
Bella is a valued member of the Marketing team at the aquarium and her favorite animal here is the Dragon Seamoth! At UC San Diego she is pursuing a degree in Communications.
How did you find out about Birch Aquarium?
I found out about Birch Aquarium when I was first thinking of attending UC San Diego, all the way back in 2020. I found out about the Marketing position through the Communication Department at UC San Diego!
What are some skills you’ve gained from working at the aquarium?
The student marketing position is excellent because it has allowed me to learn a wide range of new skills! Marketing encompasses a lot of different aspects. During my time at the aquarium, I’ve worked on my writing and photography as well as learned various systems utilized by marketing professionals
What project that you’ve worked on are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of my World Pokémon Day story that explored various Pokémon and their animal equivalent at the aquarium! I loved how creative I got to be with this story. Writing stories like this is important because it’s a way to help make ocean science fun and connect it to other topics that people care about.
What are you hoping to do after you graduate?
After I graduate I hope to get a job in Marketing and/or Public Relations. I want a job I feel passionate about and allows me to be creative.
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