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Internship Stories: Robin Aughney
Robin Aughney
Major: English
Minor: Theology
Grad Year: 2026
Hometown: Pacifica, CA
I wore many hats as the Forest and Public Lands Communication Intern for Oregon Wild, but mostly I conducted research, synthesized and analyzed it, and wrote about my findings for different audiences. I learned how to write for our members, our partners, and even politicians.
The internship position description specifically mentioned words like storytelling, narrative, and research, which I felt uniquely qualified for as a humanities student. I found out about it through the UP Environmental Internship Program, which gives interns of all majors a $5,000 stipend (about $20 per hour) and the opportunity to gain experience with local nonprofit environmental organizations. I personally could not afford to gain experience from unpaid positions, so this program was a lifesaver for me.
My internship helped me adapt my academic experience to the professional world. I learned about the structure and function of nonprofit organizations, got over some intense imposter syndrome, and learned how to contribute meaningfully to a team of much more experienced and knowledgeable people.
UP has a lot of internship and undergraduate research experiences available, even if they are competitive. My advice to UP students is to apply to everything. Know what you care about and why you care about it. If you can show that you have the drive to learn, you will find chances to prove it.
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