Volunteer Opportunities
CoLAB is always looking for more volunteers! Below is a non-exhaustive list of opportunities for volunteers to get involved, with some involving more time commitment than others.
To volunteer or get more details, please complete this form!
CoLAB Club -- On (roughly) the last Thursday of every month, CoLAB club meets from 3:30-6:30. At these meetings, volunteers and the club advisor run experiments with students and guide them through a scientific investigation. During the last three meetings, volunteers help students with professional development such as writing a resume or practicing interviews. Volunteers may sign up for one club session or multiple club sessions. More information about specific meetings can be found here.
Curiosity Interviews -- Students meet with a volunteer to ask questions about their job and what they do. These can be completed over zoom. This relationship could last longer or just happen for one day. Volunteers indicate they are willing to participate in this activity and then their names are provided to students. Students reach out if they are interested.
Job Shadowing -- Volunteers agree to allow a student to shadow their job at their workplace. This can be facilitated by a mentor, a student, or one volunteer in particular. Students can work with you for an entire day or for only part of one. Volunteers indicate they are willing to participate in this activity and then their names are provided to students. Students reach out if they are interested.
Career Exploration Presentations -- Volunteers are partnered with Watertown High School teachers. They present to 1-5 of the teachers' classes. Volunteers meet with teachers beforehand (usually via zoom) to discuss where this presentation will fit into the overall course sequence, plan for a relevant and interactive portion of the lesson, and to determine timing. Volunteers create a powerpoint slide using a template. These partnerships persist throughout the years.
Field Trips -- Companies agree to host students for a field trip. While one person at the company oversees the field trip and plans for it, many other volunteers are available for interviews, lunch networking events, or to help on tours of the lab. These opportunities are facilitated by the host at the company rather than CoLAB itself.
Mentors -- Volunteers are partnered with a Watertown High School student to help them navigate high school and to find future success in the Life Science field. Volunteers spend their first semester working with students at the high school, do a day of career exploration presentations, and then meet with their mentee at least once a month. This relationship lasts for the student's high school career.
If any of the above sound interesting, we'd love to hear from you! Please complete this google form in order to receive more information about these opportunities.