Hosts and Challenges (2025-2026)

Location: Amit Chakma Engineering Building, Room: 4451 London, ON, N6A5B9 

Challenge: Amplifying Black Voices in Engineering. The challenge presented for the student is to explore individual and institutional successes and challenges related to equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization (EDID) in the Faculty of Engineering, with a specific focus on the experiences of Black students by combining research, lived experience, and student-led leadership. The student would investigate how equity and inclusion (or lack thereof) shape the experiences of Black engineering students and share how Black engineering students are leading in engineering by:

• leading a student-centred initiative to mobilize peers and allies through events, dialogues, and storytelling; 
• showcasing the stories of Black engineering student leaders through multimedia; and 
• influencing culture and curriculum through advocacy of findings. 
 
Deliverables would include the development of a webpage and multimedia to share Black engineering voices and a State of Inclusion brief summarizing findings. 

Recommended Skills: The student should be open to developing their technical skills as required, depending on the student’s recommended program design and advocacy. Knowledge of multimedia and webpage design is an asset to assist with the webpage development. The perspectives and lived experiences of engineering students would be an asset ,but is not required.

Preferred hours: Flexible Monday through Fridaym 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with a weekly meeting for updates and support. 

Location: 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON  

Challenge: Across Canada, anti-Black racism, social exclusion and marginalization are common experiences that Black nursing students experience in education and clinical practice. In alignment with the strategic objectives of the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing at Western University, the Decolonization, Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression (DARAO) committee has put forth a call for the implementation of the Black Nurses and Students Allied Success (BNSAS) Mentorship Program. The BNSAS Mentorship Program was previously piloted at McMaster University and York University, and the Western University iteration will be driven by evidence that mentorship for Black nursing students significantly enhances retention, academic success, and career readiness. With support from DARAO, the Western B.L.U.E. student would be responsible for supporting the implementation of the program through tasks such as facilitating BNSAS Mentorship Program events (e.g., Film screening, Celebration of Black Brilliance, etc.), facilitating the mentor-mentee selection and matching process, and building rapport with Black nursing students and Black nurses in clinical practice. Beyond mentorship pairings, the Western B.L.U.E. student will support the development of an inclusive community space for Black nursing students at Western University. 

Recommended Skills: Given the nature of the position, the Western B.L.U.E. student would need to have strong interpersonal and communication skills to build rapport and trust with Black nursing students. The student must be comfortable with peer-to-peer engagement. Collaboration is an essential part of this position, and they would need to be willing and open to working alongside the DARAO committee and other stakeholders. Additional skills, such as professionalism and organization, are also needed. While not required, a background in nursing, health sciences, or social justice work would be an asset to this position, but is not required. 

Preferred hours:  We are flexible. We do not yet have the workshop times planned, but we can coordinate that with the student.  

Location: 10-100 Kellogg Lane, London, ON  N5W 0B4 

Challenge: The CMHF is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the health sciences by ensuring those honoured reflect the diversity of our communities. As part of this effort, the student will research BIPOC leaders in Canadian medicine and health sciences, document their contributions, and gather contact information for affiliated organizations. This work will support targeted outreach efforts and be presented to the CMHF Board and Laureate Nomination and Selection Committee to encourage more inclusive nominations. The student will also contribute to building and strengthening relationships with organizations that advocate for equity-deserving groups, such as the Black Physicians of Canada, Black Physicians of Ontario, or the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada. Additionally, the student will help update related educational content on the CMHF website, support the development of a strategy to recognize historically overlooked contributors, sit on the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, and assist with general administrative tasks as needed. 

Recommended Skills:

• An interest in health science, medicine, and/or history
• Strong research and analysis skills
• Strong communication skills
• Understanding of the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, the Laureates and the nomination process
• Knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite is an asset

Preferred hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday (7.5h x 2 = 15h) OR a 6-hour block between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, remaining 4h remotely on Monday, Thursday or Friday. 

Location: UCC 210 -1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, L6A 3K7 

Challenge: We are looking for an Event Management Student Leader, where the candidate will gain experience with planning and execution of the HireWesternU Career Fair. This is a large-scale event welcoming over 218 employers to campus and more than 7,100 students yearly. 

The Event Management Student Leader will gain project management skills, event management experience and practice their marketing strategy as they will be involved in the entire process of the HireWesternU Winter Career Fair from beginning to execution. They will help create an on-campus promotional strategy for staff and students and assist with the day of execution of the HireWesternU Career Fair. Overall, the candidate will be able to increase their leadership skills, network across campus and have a great beginning to their future career.  

Recommended Skills: Knowledge of event planning, coordination, marketing, management, organization and presentation skills would be helpful to this role.  

Preferred hours:  We are willing to work with the student’s schedule to be on-site within the office UCC 210. The hours vary between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the week to meet the hours requirement of this position.  

Location: University College, Suite 2220, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 3K7  

Challenge: Community engagement and outreach initiatives empower universities by ensuring the work of students, faculty, and staff reach new collaborators and audiences. For faculties, the positive impacts of effective community engagement are manifold: enhancing traditional scholarly research with non-traditional outputs; establishing and strengthening relationships with community partners; fostering new possibilities for stakeholder support. For students, participation in community engagement initiatives includes valuable career enhancements: networking across sectors; skills development and training; putting meaningful research into practice through respectful community consultation and collaboration.   
 
As an emergent field, community engagement is often designated to the “side of the desk,” meaning faculty and staff are challenged to devise thoughtful programming in addition to their daily workload. The Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Western seeks a student leader to assist in establishing effective community engagement scaffolds and strategies that will support faculty members and staff.  This student will engage in field review, community consultation and programming development, enhance existing public lecture series, and test run their proposed strategies in collaboration with campus and community partners.  

Recommended Skills: Creative thinking, interpersonal communication and collaboration, research acumen, community connections (and a willingness to develop connections across for-profit and not-for-profit sectors), project management.

Preferred hours: We will be flexible with the students' schedule, with the hours falling between Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Location: 1151 Richmond Street, Lawson Hall Room 3260 

Challenge: The Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies is seeking a student to help develop and implement a vibrant social media strategy that promotes all of our programs, including Gender and Women’s Studies, Sexuality Studies, and the new Black Studies program. This project will involve creating engaging content to advertise events, highlight faculty research and teaching, and raise the visibility of our work across campus and in the broader community. The student will gain valuable experience in digital communications, community engagement, and strategic storytelling, with the opportunity to shape the department’s public presence. This role is ideal for someone interested in using media to support inclusive education, celebrate diverse perspectives, and connect academic programs with wider audiences. 

Recommended Skills: A strong candidate will have an interest in social media and digital communications, along with creativity and initiative. Experience with social media platforms (e.g., Instagram, Bluesky) and online design tools (e.g., Photoshop, Canva) would be valuable. Strong writing skills and an eye for visual storytelling are important, as is an ability to communicate respectfully and effectively with diverse audiences. Familiarity with topics related to Black Studies, Gender and Women’s Studies, or Sexuality Studies is an asset, but not required. We welcome students who are eager to learn, take ownership of their work, and contribute to building an engaging and inclusive online presence for the department. 

Preferred hours:  Office hours are between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Monday to Friday), with flexibility to accommodate the student’s class schedule and other commitments

Location: 1151 Richmond Street,  London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 3K7

Challenge: This project tackles one of aviation's biggest climate challenges: contrails. These aircraft-induced clouds are responsible for 2% of the total climate impact, trapping heat in the atmosphere. Your work will directly support a novel solution to this problem by helping create the world's first large-scale, ground-truth dataset for contrail formation using a global camera network. This research is critical because effective contrail avoidance could eliminate approximately 1 gigatonne of CO2 equivalent annually, more than Canada's total yearly emissions, at an extremely low estimated cost of just $5 to $25 per ton. You will be on the front lines of developing the technology to make this climate solution a reality. 

Recommended Skills: To succeed in this project, a student should possess a foundation in several key transferable skills...

• Software and AI Development: Experience in programming and an understanding of machine learning concepts are crucial for enhancing our open-source detection software and training AI models for image analysis.
• Big Data Analysis: The ability to process, analyze, and interpret large, complex datasets is essential. You'll work with geospatial data, flight tracking information (ADS-B), and satellite imagery to validate observations.
• Project Management & Collaboration: You'll learn to manage tasks using Kanban boards and collaborate on code development through GitHub, gaining experience in a professional, team-oriented research environment. 

Preferred hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Later hours are flexible if there is a conflict with classes. 

Location: 2544 Advanced Ave, London ON N6M 1E1 

Challenge: EMOWPDB hosts the Local Job Hub (LJH)—a job board aggregator that simplifies the job search process by pulling postings from over 50 different job boards. In addition to streamlining access to opportunities, the LJH collects and analyzes data to track local job demand and identify occupational trends. This information is available free of charge to both job seekers and employers in the region, helping to bring much-needed clarity to the local job market. Despite the potential benefits this site can offer job seekers, it is underutilized and unknown to many of the people it could support. We are looking for someone to dedicate efforts to improve the user experience and increase the awareness of these tools. 

Recommended Skills:

• This project is rooted in User Experience (UX), web development, and marketing.  
• Knowledge of user research and usability testing and website evaluation, and development.
• Digital Marketing, including SEO, graphic design. 
• Innovative, non-traditional approaches to promotion are encouraged. 

Preferred hours: Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Location: Ontario Hall, Room 3C10, 230 Sarnia Road, London, ON N6G0N2 

Challenge: We’re looking for a student to help us improve the myHousing Portal, which is the online system students use to apply for residence and manage their housing experience. This project will focus on making the portal easier to use on mobile devices and more intuitive overall. You’ll explore how students interact with the portal and suggest ways to make it more user-friendly and visually engaging. You may also support other exciting projects with the Housing Admissions team, such as organizing data, exploring new tech tools, or helping test new features. Your ideas will directly shape services that impact your peers and future students—making this a great opportunity to build skills and make a real difference. 

Recommended Skills: An interest in digital tools, websites, or apps—especially how they look and feel to users—would be a great starting point. Some experience with design thinking, user research, or platforms like Canva, Figma, or even PowerPoint could be helpful, but is not required. Curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to ask questions and try new things are just as important. Strong communication and collaboration skills will also help, since the student will be working with staff and possibly gathering feedback from other students. No advanced technical skills are needed—just a desire to improve student experiences and make campus services more accessible and engaging. 

Preferred hours: Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. with flexibility for earlier or later start and end times. 

Location: 201 King Street, London, ON N6A 1C9 

Challenge: Since 2002, the London Black Heritage Council (LBHC) has been dedicated to its mission to provide programs and services that increase public understanding of the diversity, history, and contributions of London’s Black communities. Through educational programs, collaborations, and strategic partnerships, we strive to uplift Black heritage, amplify the contributions of Black Canadians both past and present, and support Black individuals and organizations to thrive. Following formal incorporation and restructuring in 2024, LBHC currently has opportunities for part-time leadership experience for Black students in the following areas: 
 
1. Program development. 
2. Research and documentation. 
3. Outreach and partnership development. 
4. Report generation. 
5. Developing and updating of program communications – fliers, brochures, website, social media, etc.

Recommended Skills: 

• Marketing and community engagement skills
• Business development
• A strategic mindset 
• A commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

Preferred hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Time allocation will be worked out with the students, taking into consideration their course commitments at Western.

Location: 136-1481 Limberlost Rd, London, ON

Challenge: We are on a mission to ignite a passion for learning and open up futures filled with possibilities for the youth in our low-income communities. So many of our kids have incredible potential, but without seeing examples close to home, post-secondary education and career training can feel like a distant, unfamiliar door. That's why our focus is urgently on pushing literacy, creating supportive study hubs, and guiding them toward their career dreams. We provide not only academic resources but also the mentorship and encouragement needed to help them believe in their own capabilities. Another huge part of the project is helping families to access financial support like the Canada Learning Bond (CLB), making the dream of college or trade school a tangible reality. We are so excited for our Western BLUE student to lead this effort, building on the "Future Dreams" program to inspire our youth with creative promotional content, offering campus tours, mentoring, and academic support to high school youth. Together, we can light the path forward and show every child that their future is bright and within reach.

Recommended Skills: Innovative problem-solving; Building relationships; Awareness of mental health, interpersonal and cognitive skills; Developmental support for children and youth; Knowledge of poverty-related challenges and equity-focused practice; Understanding of trauma-sensitive approach  

Preferred hours:  Preferably a 2 to 8 p.m. time frame to maximize time with children and youth. One day per week could be with adults, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. time frame.

Location: 800 Commissioners Rd E, London, ON N6A 5W9 

Challenge:  The Nursing Clinical Extern Program at LHSC provides nursing students with valuable hands-on experience in patient care. We are seeking a Western B.L.U.E. student to help enhance this program by designing a structured shadowing component that allows Nursing Clinical Externs to explore different clinical areas aligned with their interests. The student will research best practices in clinical shadowing, consult with stakeholders, and develop a proposal for a sustainable and equitable shadowing model. They will also explore ways to strengthen engagement with our clinical units to identify unit showcase opportunities. This project will directly contribute to improving student experience, professional development, and workforce readiness within the healthcare system.

Recommended Skills:

• Strong research and analytical skills
• Interest in healthcare systems, education, or program development
• Ability to engage with diverse stakeholders through interviews or focus groups
• Project management and organizational skills
• Clear written and verbal communication
• A passion for equity, inclusion, and improving student experiences

Preferred hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Location: Victoria Hospital & Children's Hospital, 800 Commissioners Rd E, London, ON N6A 5W9 

Challenge: At LHSC, we are committed to advancing equity and improving the care experiences of Black patients. The student will take on an exciting project focused on capturing and analyzing Black patient stories and experiences through interviews and existing data. These insights will be used to create impactful educational content e.g. videos, posters, and presentations, that support anti-Black racism training for staff. The project combines storytelling, research, and creativity to help drive cultural change in a large acute care setting. This is a unique opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the equity work of the Black Health team and develop practical skills in data analysis, content creation, and inclusive communication. 

Recommended Skills: To successfully tackle this project, the student would benefit from strong communication and interpersonal skills, particularly in conducting sensitive interviews with empathy and professionalism. A background or interest in equity, diversity, and anti-racism work, especially related to Black health, will provide important context. Skills in qualitative data analysis, content creation (e.g., using tools like Vyond for video creation or Microsoft PowerPoint), and storytelling will be valuable. Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite and basic research methods will also support the development of engaging and informative education materials. The student should bring a respectful, open-minded approach to advancing equity in healthcare. 

Preferred hours:  Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, there is flexibility as needed to support the student's academic or other commitments.

Location: 800 Commissioners Road East, London, ON 

Challenge: The LHSC Policy Office would be open to hosting a student who could work on reviewing and updating policies from an EDI perspective and perhaps more broadly, e.g. create an equity tool for policy review and/or put strategies in place to streamline review for departments like EDI who are included on many reviews. 

Recommended Skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Ability to complete research and environmental scans

Preferred hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Location: 800 Commissioners Rd E / 750 Baseline Rd E, London, ON

Challenge: LHSC / LHSCRI is taking steps to advance research capacity and activity among nursing and all other health disciplines, from all levels within the organization. As part of building research culture and capacity, we are developing a comprehensive organizational virtual research pathway. This is a very significant piece of org-level work with many different aspects to it that can be divided into different projects, and a student within the B.L.U.E. program could fully take on an aspect of the work. Another potential opportunity would be for a student from the B.L.U.E. program to develop a proposal and recommend areas of research focused on Black Health that LHSC could roll out over the next 5-10 years.  

Recommended Skills: Interest in and experience with research would be very beneficial, as would the ability to plan for and promote organizational/system capacity-building and change. The ability to engage collaboratively with others would also be helpful. 

Preferred hours:  On-site hours can be anytime between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with some fluctuation.

Location: 800 Commissioners Rd E, N6A 5W9, London, ON

Challenge: We invite a motivated student to lead an initiative focused on improving cancer care outreach and resource accessibility for Black communities in London. The student will assess barriers to care, engage with local patients and families, and help co-design culturally responsive educational materials addressing cancer prevention, screening, treatment navigation, and support services. The project will involve qualitative research, collaboration with healthcare professionals and community advocates, and the development of a toolkit grounded in lived experiences and best practices. By the end of the project, the student will provide a set of actionable recommendations and a pilot version of the outreach toolkit. This opportunity offers hands-on learning, community impact, and leadership in advancing equitable cancer care. It will build on progress from a past student project on the Ontario Lung Screening Program outreach. 

Recommended Skills: Strong research skills, experience or interest in health promotion, cancer care, or community engagement, and effective written and verbal communication abilities will be valuable. Knowledge of health equity issues or a background in health sciences, social sciences, or related fields would be beneficial, but a willingness to learn and collaborate across differences is most important. Familiarity with digital tools (such as Canva and MS Office) and project management would also help the student succeed. 

Preferred hours:  Monday through Friday, approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (times to be coordinated with mentor) 

Location: 111 Waterloo Street, Suite 101 London, ON N6B 2M4 

Challenge: Co-develop strategies of Youth Outreach and Engagement. The purpose is to develop programs and services to support At-Risk Youth in the Muslim and communalist communities in London, Ontario.  
These programs seek to prioritize youth facing challenges like poverty, violence, or lack of access to resources.  

Recommended Skills: 

• Commitment to practice based on values and ethics and to exercise ethical decision-making; ability to manage complex and sensitive issues
• Knowledge of family development, functioning and dynamics, violence prevention, immigration and settlement experience
• Experience developing and implementing outreach strategies to a culturally diverse community that includes a culturally integrative framework 
  Knowledge of issues of immigrant communities related to successful integration
• Demonstrated abilities in anti-oppressive practice skills and the ability to communicate appropriately with people from diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences
• Demonstrated experience in the delivery of culturally appropriate and sensitive services
• Project planning, development, implementation and evaluation experience while working with a diverse/multicultural team

Preferred hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m

Location: 980 Wilton Grove Road, London, ON, N6N 1C7 

Challenge:  We invite a student to collaborate with Nestlé on an exciting project focused on converting traditional training materials into engaging digital formats using tools like the Synthesia digital program. This initiative aims to enhance employee engagement, address knowledge gaps that cause factory downtime, and improve compliance training. Participants will gain hands-on experience in digital content creation and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on our workforce's performance.

Recommended Skills: Knowledge of adult learning principles, Microsoft Office tools, communication skills, evaluation and feedback skills, strong organizational skills 

Preferred hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m

Location: 980 Wilton Grove Rd, London, ON 

Challenge: Nestlé London’s Ice Cream Manufacturing facility is looking for a Western B.L.U.E. student to support a project focused on enhancing hygiene culture and food safety.

The student will:

• Collaborate closely with the Factory Hygienist Supervisor and cross-functional teams.
• Lead the development and implementation of a hygiene engagement initiative.
• Support our commitment to being audit-ready every day.

Project Goals:

• Improve awareness and understanding of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
• Encourage peer-to-peer accountability and feedback.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement across the factory.

What Makes This Opportunity Unique:

• The project will have clear objectives, but also flexibility to adapt based on factory needs and insights gathered before and during the placement.
• The student will engage with a wide range of stakeholders and departments.
• This is a hands-on opportunity to contribute to meaningful cultural change in a dynamic manufacturing environment. 

Recommended Skills: 

• Strong digital and verbal communication skills
• Basic understanding of food safety or a willingness to learn
• Creativity and initiative in campaign design
• Ability to collaborate with diverse teams 

Preferred hours:  Monday through Friday, between 5 a.m. and 3 p.m 

Location: Clinical Skills Building, 3rd Floor, Western University 

Challenge: We hope to mentor a student interested in educational development, community engagement and digital media design focused on equity, inclusion, anti-racism, decolonization and social accountability. The Office of EDI-D at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry has a broad faculty-wide mandate with very unique needs and challenges. We work in collaboration with all departments, faculty, learners and staff to support embedding equity and inclusion principles within all aspects of the school. This opportunity will involve working with the team in the Office of EDI-D (and other collaborators within Schulich) to develop and adapt educational materials using digital media programs. We also collaborate on community engagement activities related to EDI-D, which is another opportunity for participation in projects in this role. 

Recommended Skills:

• A strong foundational understanding of equity, inclusion, anti-racism, social accountability and decolonization
• Experience working with digital media and design software (an asset but not required, having an interest to learn is most important).
• Strong self-directed learning skills and an eagerness to take initiative on projects
• Open to collaboration, dialogue and flexibility as this work is always iterative

Preferred hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m

Location: Room 5150 Support Services Building, 1393 Western Road, London

Challenge:  The student will play a key role in developing and administering the Western Research Grants Repository, a growing collection of successful grant applications designed to support researchers across all disciplines in developing competitive funding proposals. This hands-on role involves building relationships with grant recipients to secure document sharing agreements, managing the systematic review and redaction of sensitive information to ensure compliance with confidentiality standards, and maintaining organized tracking systems for all repository activities. A particularly exciting aspect of this project involves collaborating with subject-matter experts to explore and develop semi-automated approaches to the document redaction process, balancing efficiency with the rigorous data security standards required for handling sensitive research materials. The student will contribute directly to a resource that democratizes access to successful funding strategies, helping level the playing field for researchers at all career stages while gaining valuable experience in research administration, stakeholder management, and process improvement. 

Recommended Skills:

• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills are essential.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication abilities will support building relationships with grant recipients and coordinating sharing agreements.
• The ideal candidate should be comfortable learning new software systems, with a collaborative approach towards new challenges.
• While familiarity with academic research would be beneficial, the most important qualities are curiosity, adaptability, and a positive attitude - all technical skills can be developed through mentorship.

Preferred hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Location: Room 250, University Community Centre, Western University 

Challenge:  Radio Western is looking for someone to help shape and elevate its cultural identity through an engaging social media presence. We’re seeking a creative and organized student to lead this effort, developing content that engages our audience, showcases our music programming and events, and highlights the communities associated with Radio Western. This project offers the opportunity to curate compelling video and graphic design content for platforms like TikTok and Instagram, provide live coverage of broadcasts and events, and foster a strong online community that reflects our alternative atmosphere. The student will also train and guide volunteers, collaborate closely with hosts and the Marketing Director, and stay ahead of trends to keep our content relevant. If you’re a student who is passionate about music, culture, and community, we’d love for you to join the Radio Western team!

Recommended Skills:

• Experience with creating & curating content for various social media platforms 
• Experience with Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro video editing software 
• Experience with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Lightroom software 
• Copywriting and communication skills
• Organizational skills 

Preferred hours:  Monday to Friday, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Location: Ontario Hall - 230 Sarnia Road, London, ON 

Challenge: Residence Life & Education is looking for support from an undergraduate student to ensure that we are providing the best possible student experience in residence to all our students. The Residence Curriculum Committee meets weekly throughout the academic year and will be a close connection point for the work. We are looking to focus more on assessment and how to tell our story about the experiences and learning that students gain from living in residence. The student will review the Community Development Model, attend Residence Curriculum Committee meetings, gather information and research in a variety of ways to make recommendations back to leadership in Residence Life & Education on suggested areas of focus, improvement, and growth. 

Recommended Skills: 

• Interest in research, student affairs, housing, residence life, residence education 
• Ability to apply knowledge and understanding to a variety of topics 
• Critical thinking and problem solving 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills 

Preferred hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m

Location: 201 King Street, London, ON

Challenge/Project #1: Food Box Distribution Coordinator 
 
Our organization is seeking a passionate and driven student to coordinate our bi-weekly food box distribution program, which serves over 500 Black, Caribbean, and African (ACB) families in London. This student will take the lead in planning, scheduling, and overseeing volunteer support to ensure smooth and timely distribution. They will also liaise with partner organizations to coordinate food pickups and ensure equitable access to culturally appropriate foods. The ideal candidate is a team player with strong organizational and leadership skills, eager to contribute to food security and community wellbeing. This hands-on role offers valuable experience in community engagement, logistics, and nonprofit operations. 
 
Challenge/Project #2: Knowledge Mobilization & Stakeholder Engagement Assistant 
 
We are looking for a motivated and detail-oriented student to support the planning, marketing, and implementation of a health sector knowledge mobilization event. This event, in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada, TAIBU Community Health Centre, and Black Mental Health Canada, will highlight our race-based data collection tools and engage stakeholders in dialogue around culturally responsive care. The student will assist with outreach, logistics, content creation, and day-of coordination, helping to ensure a professional and impactful experience. This opportunity is ideal for a student interested in public health, community-based research, and communications, with a desire to contribute to equity in healthcare systems. 

Recommended Skills for Challenge #1: To excel in this role, a student should have strong organizational and time management skills, as they will be responsible for coordinating logistics and volunteer schedules. Leadership and teamwork abilities are essential for managing volunteers and working collaboratively with partner organizations. Familiarity with community service or food security initiatives is an asset, along with basic knowledge of Excel or other scheduling tools. A passion for community engagement and a commitment to equity and inclusion are critical, as the work directly impacts over 500 ACB families. Strong communication skills and the ability to problem-solve in fast-paced settings will be key to success. 

Recommended Skills for Challenge #2: This role requires excellent written and verbal communication skills to support outreach, promotional materials, and coordination with health stakeholders. Experience with event planning, social media marketing, or public relations would be highly beneficial. An understanding of race-based health disparities, public health systems, or data collection practices would provide valuable context for the work. The ideal student will be detail-oriented, proactive, and comfortable working both independently and as part of a team. Cultural humility and a passion for health equity will help them navigate the sensitive and impactful nature of this project.

Preferred hours:  Wednesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

Location: 1151 Richmond Street,  London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 3K7

Challenge:

• Coordinating the creation of an audiobook of the newly published book, Family and Disability Activism 
• Research related to the experiences of nonwhite autistic people and people with intellectual disability and their families
• Program development concerning disability access at Western and other universities
• Program development and coordination for the Latin American and Caribbean and Brazilian Studies Groups and the Ethnolab (We-Collab)
• Developing, finding, and organizing inward and outward-facing resources for the Anthropology EDIDA committee
• Organizing anthropology materials and programs for prospective majors and secondary school students 

Recommended Skills: Some level of expertise in the social sciences and humanities (better yet, anthropology) would be great. However, someone with experience with websites and Brightspace and an interest in informatics/library science and a passion for EDIDA issues would also be great.  

Preferred hours: Wednesdays and Fridays, hours to be coordinated with mentor.

Location: 1151 Richmond Street,  London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 3K7

Challenge: Determine the nutritional composition of sample Nootropic Foods using Mass Spectrometry, Chromatography and food metabolomics.

Recommended Skills: Interest in food as medicine and brain health, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, nutrition, statistics, informatics, bioinformatics, or metabolomics.

Preferred hours: Flexibility and accommodations can be arranged with the mentor to support class schedules.