UCSB + impactmania mentorships From awards and grants, to lifelong relationships, and landing dream jobs, the following report encapsulates the meaningful impact impactmania internships have had on University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) students, faculty, staff, and collaborators.
From 2018 to 2021 impactmania formally collaborated with 250+ students and faculty members from the Colleges of Creative Studies, Engineering & Letters and Science to create groundbreaking student mentorship and global learning experiences.
UCSB Materials Research Lab (MRL) + impactmania ORIGINAL CONTENT CREATION + COMMUNITY BUILDING
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With the goal of making research more accessible, impactmania orchestrated a community event for the Materials Research Lab at the New Vic Theatre, SB in 2015.
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Full house - 290 Santa Barbara community and business leaders engaged with scientists covering research and solutions for the marketplace.
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MRL Co-Directors, Chair, and students presented their work to the public-at-large.
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impactmania interviewed and connected a number of PhD students to community leaders and organizations, who in turn provided support for students receiving research grants.
Professor Tresa Pollock
impactmania began its relationship with UCSB through an informal engagement with MRL. Invited to initiate a connection between graduate students and the community at large, impactmania was also tasked with giving students access to a relevant global network.
impactmania's interview with Prof.Tresa Pollock was cited in the book "Women in Aerospace" that features six women trailblazers in aerospace by Springer Publishing.
Women of Impact
2018-2019
impactmania's Women of Impact program interviewed 130 women change-makers from 30 countries, prior to opening up the project to UCSB, offering student involvement and a unique networking event.
AD&A Museum Exhibition and Event This exhibition attended by an audience of 200+ people from 8 U.S. cities and 5 continents also featured a panel discussion on July 19th with 30+ women profiled in the project. The Program was supported by 4 UCSB Trustees.
Women of Impact Participants A selection: Anne Smith Towbes, UCSB Trustee; Jean Kilbourne, Women Hall of Fame inductee 2015; Teresa Herd, Intel’s senior vice president Global Creative Direction; Laura Jana, M.D.; Aliza Shvarts; artist and Whitney Museum Fellow; Jodie Grenier, Marine Corps Veteran; Teresa Goines, executive director; Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree, UCSB Trustee, CEO and Chair of Pacific Air Industries; Emmy-winner, Carla De Landri, former senior producer '20/20' and ABC News, Marla McNally Phillips, Theatre Producer, Miyoung Chun, scientist, Thais Barros Beldi, Facens University, from Brazil and Brittany Teei, Founder and CEO, KidsCoin from New Zealand, Yanling Duan, former Beijing Design Week curator, and Georgina Miranda, mountaineer, etc.
HUMAN MIND AND MIGRATION The impactmania program Human Mind and Migration in collaboration with the Neuroscience Research Institute; Department of Religious Studies; and Art, Design & Architecture Museum (UCSB) consists of an interdisciplinary internship program with global partners to deliver a suite of interviews, interactive presentations, and performances.
2019-2021
Digital Nomads
Summer 2019
impactmania’s Human Mind and Migration Program resulted in a 40+ page magazine representing 20+ nationalities accompanied by an online exhibition featuring work by UCSB students launched on May 18, 2021.
Considering the present historical moment and its sociopolitical and environmental cocktail of issues related to migration—from the consequences of climate change to public policymaking around issues like forest fires, rising housing prices, and ongoing threats of human warfare—it is more urgent than ever to provide platforms for meaningful broad-base engagement to take place.
We want to help translate and bring into sharper view the rich insights and knowledge being produced in more remote corners of the intellectual/artistic landscape, so that the 7 billion homo sapiens presently living (and migrating) on earth can imagine the most optimal and realistic future for themselves and the planet.
The impactmania internship program at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) 2019-2020 project Digital Nomads is available here!
Students co-create with peers and experts across borders To accomplish this project, we held global monthly calls, sub-group calls, and ongoing student support. The COVID crisis inspired us to open up our students’ worlds to include high school and university students abroad. A total of 60 students particpated.
The students were all tasked with conducting research and uncovering findings by interviewing researchers, writing, collaborating, and presenting their work in a magazine, video, music, and online.
The Human Mind & Migration Program introduced and connected students to a twotime Emmy award winning investigative journalist, former Senior Producer of ABC TV News; Chair of the Department of Religious Studies; Migration Initiative Director; architect, neuroscientists, artists, authors, and other professionals.
International Impact Italian students who participated in the Human Mind and Migration program shared their experience with the Italian newspaper Messaggero Veneto: a circulation of 40,000+ subscribers and 140 + schools.
"It’s an opportunity to start thinking in a more concrete way, a working method that has never been taught to us in school, we have the chance to meet people and experts in our area of interest, how did they face the problem on which we are investing and also we grow a great selfesteem by talking in English with people we never met before." Margherita Scialino, Student Messaggero Veneto Scuola
"Personal enrichment, collaboration and enthusiasm are the key words to express what this collaboration represents for me." Chiara Zanella, Student Messaggero Veneto Scuola
In their Words
A number of students have remained in touch with impactmania over the years — for advice, job references, mentorship, and continuous access to our global professional network.
“impactmania has been a unique, personalized internship like no other. I felt like a true team player in this program contributing to its mission. This experience has been highly valuable and prepared me to take on the world!“ – Saehee Jong - Alex Moon Psychology, UCSB, hired at Tesla
Global Studies and Art History and Professional Writing Hired at MCA, SB
“I was inspired by the organization’s dedication to enacting change in the world while including young people such as myself. Oftentimes, it is difficult to gain hands-on experience researching and building large, influential projects. I feel incredibly grateful that impactmania has created space for young minds to contribute our ideas and perspectives to this effort.” – Tess Reinhardt History of Art, Architecture and Economics – UCSB
In their Words
Thanks to Paksy and all the people who made this project happen. During these problematic times for our young people, the impactmania internship turned out to be a unique opportunity of personal, cultural, and professional growth, in addition to being offered the ability to be in touch with new people during a pandemic." - Gabriella Scrufari Coordinator editorial staff of Messaggero Veneto Scuola, Italy
"I could not have predicted how the skills acquired in this Program would prepare me for our postpandemic world. The nature of the Program required that I learned to communicate and collaborate with my team mates virtually, practice self-discipline and goal setting, and quickly adapt to sudden changes. My time in the impactmania Program has been both meaningful and challenging, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside such great people for something bigger than all of us. - Natalie Gomez UCSB, English.
“Cultural exchange will foster better understanding and support that in turn will strengthen all of our work. impactmania’s Women of Impact has brought a number of people and projects together who have continued to make a difference in their communities while connected to a global network. We are honored that the U.S. Consulate in New Zealand has recognized the importance of this work and will host an opportunity to connect impact makers from New Zealand and beyond.” - Katelyn Choe U.S. Consul General, Auckland, New Zealand
In their Words “Working on impactmania's Women of Impact project is inspiring me to think differently about my own work and empowering me to make my own positive impact on the world." - Virginia Reynolds Badgett, PhD Currently at Boston Athenæum
“It was a really large project, not all of us were used to connecting with people from all around the world and managing interviews. We met a lot of important people." - Marco Moro Student, MV Scuola, Italy
“The internship has helped me form lifelong relationships and connections with people in various fields who are willing to help me pursue my career. Everyone involved in the Program wants nothing more than for you to grow professionally and academically. It was an amazing experience and I would do it a thousand times again. If you are given the opportunity to be part of the AD&A Museum impactmania internship program, do not pass it up! - Marirose Meyer Anthtoplogy, UCSB. Hired by Edison. Traveled with impactmania to New Zealand.
“impactmania 's Human Mind and Migration was one of the most excellent opportunities I had as a student. I initially, and honestly, started this Program to boost my resume, but it ended to be so much richer than that. I was able to lead personal side passion projects and turn them into something that I could share with the world. It was also very collaborative, which strengthened relationships among my peers and mentors creating great friendships. The Program was a great autonomous, unique, and independent learning experience that is applicable far beyond any lecture or classroom setting. For the doers and dreamers, this Program is for you! - JoAnne Mun UCSB alumna. Hired by renowned design firm in NYC
Words of Appreciation “Double Bravo for the discussion meeting: I was impressed with the people who have joined up, the ones who showed up, and the ones I personally know whom you introduced at the dais. You obviously have tapped into some special energy system … keep it up … no one can do it better. You are onto something really exciting.” - Prof. Emeritus Duncan Mellichamp UCSB Trustee
Awards + Recognition U.S. EMBASSY PUBLIC DIPLOMACY GRANT 2019 Five participants, including an impactmania - AD&A Museum UCSB student and UCSB Chair of the Art Department, were invited to meet the U.S. Consul General and a number of change makers in New Zealand through the awardwinning impactmania Women of Impact program.
PUBLICATIONS & CITATIONS Student interviews, findings, and articles have been republished and cited by notable experts and researchers such as a MacArthur Fellow. In addition to coverage in numerous international newspapers and academic publications including: Harvard Business School, Valencia Polytechnic University, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Duke University Press, The U.N. and U.S. Consulates. Women of Impact 266-page book with 130 interviews (2018) Website Human Mind and Migration (2019) Digital Nomads 40-page magazine (Summer, 2020) Online exhibition Human Mind and Migration (2021)
PSFK selected impactmania as one of the 29 leaders at the leading edge of their sector.
FUNDING impactmania raised $25,000 + over two years for AD&A Museum (10% to UCSB) to support the Programs that impactmania initiated, implemented, and realized. This is in addition to the countless pro bono hours by Paksy Plackis-Cheng, volunteers, and mentors, which would result in a minimum of $68,000 for personal meetings with faculty and students. This excludes the copious hours of interviewing, transcribing, proofreading, reviewing and publishing student work, and continuous student support, including providing job references and more.
Students Lifelong Impact UCSB students participation in impactmania internships resulted in impactful and immeasurable benefits to their burgeoning professional careers and networks. Even in the midst of COVID, all students found meaningful employment.
100% All students who participated in the year-long internship program found employment at companies such as Apple, Tesla, Kiva, MCA SB, The Independent, SB Newspress, a design firm in New York, UCSB, and more.
More than half a dozen undergraduate and graduate students were hired and paid for projects during their studies (filming, editing, proofreading, etc.).
Over the years, impactmania has mentored 100+ UCSB undergraduate and graduate students.
Thank You
"Paksy and her team join the vast web of women and men determined to bring balance to the media and historical record. - Pat Mitchell, First Female President and CEO, PBS
Our heartfelt thanks go out to the pioneers who have valued and supported these unique and innovative learning experiences. The lifelong connections and career opportunities for our students will stay with them for a lifetime. 1
Women of Impact program in New Zealand At the invitation of the U.S. Consul General
Our work will continue on www.impactmania.com and with our innovative partners around the world!
We thank UCSB Trustees Eva Haller and Duncan Mellichamp, Prof. Emeritus Bruce Robertson, Elyse A. Gonzales, Prof. Fabio Rambelli, Dr. Ken Kosik, and others at UCSB who have helped mentor the students in the program and championed the crosscultural learning, professional skill building, and meaningful experiences brought by the internships.
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The final program Human Mind and Migration was launched on May 18, 2021 with an online exhibition. Even during a global health pandemic were we able to mentor, support, and place all students in continuing education and even meaningful jobs.
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Work created: Human Mind and Migration online exhibition (2021)
Students' projects overview (2021) Digital Nomads magazine (2020) Human Mind and Migration project & public survey (2019) Women of Impact book, exhibition, and event (2018)
Paksy Plackis-Cheng, founder of impactmania, develops and runs strategic community-building programs that accelerate cultural, social, and economic impact for organizations and corporations globally. She was awarded the U.S. Embassy Public Diplomacy grant in 2019. Her original content and programs on responsible and sustainable businesses have been cited in international media, a number of university presses, the UN, and US Consulates. Paksy formerly headed partner relations and marketing in EMEA for a technology company that IPOed for $6.9B and is a past President of the Board of the Santa Barbara Symphony. She has worked in 12+ countries, formed a global impactmania network of executives in 30+ countries, and interviewed 300+ change-makers across sectors and industries on meaningful solutions tackling our world's toughest challenges.
www.impactmania.com paksy@impactmania.com June 2021