by Taylor Ford

Organisation: Voiz
Length: 8 weeks
Location: Remote
Language Requirement: English

1. Short summary of the internship: 

Voiz is a global network of college (and high school) students dedicated to climate justice and corporate sustainability. The Sustainability Analyst program at Voiz consists of an 8-week training program where you learn about sustainable practices, how to analyze the sustainability of a product/company, and how to hold corporations accountable for their actions. This is taught through a series of classes and peer-driven discussions, where we would listen to people’s experiences with climate change and learn what corporations should be doing to help the climate crisis. We then take the information we learn and apply it to product reviews by analyzing what a product is made of, how it’s made, and who makes it in order to give consumers an effective review on the sustainability of a product so they can make informed choices.    

1. What work did you do during your internship? 

During this internship, I attended weekly classes taught by one of the founders, Diego Espinosa, as well as peer-driven discussions. We then take what we learned in these classes and write reviews on different products and corporations. I’ve always been interested in cosmetics so most of my reviews focused around the beauty industry, but we had people rating industries ranging from food companies all the way to investment funds!   

2. What did you like most about the internship?

I really enjoyed the freedom and encouragement we were given to write about topics we were genuinely interested in. There were no limitations on how our voices could be heard. This not only allowed for a wide range of product reviews in various industries, but diverse opinions on the same product as well!  

3. What did you find most challenging during the internship?

The most challenging aspect of this internship was finding my voice. When I joined Voiz, I only had experience writing academic papers, and, as a biology major, those papers were typically very structured, dense, and had no personality to them. Obviously, that’s great for a scientific paper, but not so much when you’re trying to inspire change and educate the general public on sustainability. It took me some time to break out of that habit, but I’m so grateful for the opportunity to move out of my comfort zone and explore different ways to communicate the things I’m passionate about. 

4. How did you get the internship? What is the application process/are there any requirements, etc.?

I did my application through the Voiz website, which consisted of a resume and a short cover letter detailing why sustainability matters to you. I then had an interview with one of the founders of Voiz, Yvonne Espinosa. No work experience or specific majors are required, just a passion for climate justice! 

5. What was it like to work with this organisation?

Voiz fosters passion, innovation, and freedom to explore your own interests. The diversity in experiences and opinions allows the voices of Gen Z to shine through. If you’re interested in climate justice and sustainability, I would highly recommend applying for Voiz to make your voice heard!

6. What did you do before the internship (e.g. were you studying, had you completed a degree, were you working, etc.)?

I was in my last year of school at Boston College. 

7. What did you do after the internship?

After the 8-week internship ended, I decided to stay with Voiz and joined the advocacy track: specifically, the editorial team. 

8. What did you learn from your internship that influenced your future studies or career?

This internship has helped me realize my passion for writing and educating others on science and climate change. This internship not only helped me develop my knowledge on climate justice, but it also gave me the skills I need to communicate that knowledge to inspire a wide audience. I am currently looking for jobs where I can continue to inspire change through my writing.  

Taylor is a recent graduate from Boston College with a degree in biology. She is passionate about the intersection between climate change and public health, which led her to join Voiz! Along with her work at Voiz, she also volunteers at the Chatham Conservation Foundation to help her town’s land conservation efforts.