In this Q&A, we're spotlighting the meaningful contributions of Work Learn students at Innovation UBC. UBC's Work Learn Program supports and subsidizes meaningful work experiences on and off campus, offering current UBC Vancouver students the opportunity to develop their professional skills in a real work environment.
We're incredibly lucky to work alongside students who bring fresh perspectives and new energy to everything we do. In this feature, we're excited to introduce Tendaii Makena (she/her), who was our Engagement Assistant during the Summer 2026 term.
Can you describe your role and responsibilities during your Work Learn position with Innovation UBC?
As part of the Engagement team, my role centered on strengthening mentor engagement across our programs. This involved listening to mentor feedback after sessions to understand what was and wasn't working and using those insights to improve their overall experience.
A big part of my time went into piloting new initiatives to build out our mentor network including a newsletter to keep mentors in the loop, a Mentor Spotlight series to recognize and showcase their contributions, and a Mentor Connect series to support mentors’ professional development.
I also worked on developing more efficient systems for managing the mentor network overall, including migrating our processes from Gmail and Google Sheets to Monday.com, which made tracking and coordinating mentor engagement much more streamlined.
Reflecting on your time with Innovation UBC, what was a key learning moment or insight you gained?
One of the biggest insights I gained was just how wide-ranging and diverse the work happening in the tech and science world really is. Being exposed to so many different mentors, ventures, and projects opened my eyes to fields and problems I hadn't encountered before.
The Lunch and Learns were a highlight in this too, they gave me a window into so many different areas of innovation and consistently left me with something new to think about.
Of the projects or experiences you were part of, which one stands out as the most meaningful or your favorite, and why?
Bringing back the Mentor Spotlight series was by far my favorite project. I really enjoyed getting to speak directly with mentors during the interviews, they were all so lovely and it was a great opportunity to give them the recognition they deserved for the time and expertise they contribute. Seeing the impact afterward was also very rewarding: mentors sharing their spotlight on their social medias and hearing how genuinely appreciated and seen they felt because of it.
Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to future Work Learn students to make the most out of their time with Innovation UBC?
Attend the events! There's so much happening at Innovation UBC and every event is a chance to learn something new. Talk to the mentors whenever you can, they're incredibly generous with their time and insight and you'll walk away having learned something from nearly every conversation.
Keep an open mind too, especially if you don't come from a business background like me - you'll pick up more than you expect just by staying curious and engaged. And on top of all that, I got to work with Andrea and Smruti, who are awesome and made the experience even better!
We're hiring — apply by August 12
Are you a current UBC student looking to gain hands-on experience? Innovation UBC is hiring 3 Work Learn students for the Winter terms! Each role offers exciting work from day one: designing research procedures, running community programming, and receiving hands-on mentorship and more autonomy as the term continues. If you're curious about startups or how research commercialization actually works, this is your chance to join our team.
We're reviewing on a rolling basis, so apply early! Find the details below:
🔗 Programs Team: WL W26 Programs & Research Assistant
🔗 Engagement Team: WL W26 IP Education Development Assistant
🔗 Engagement Team: WL W26 Mentor Community Assistant
