April 7, 2021

This spring, the Drexel Libraries welcomed seven co-op students to its staff for the spring-summer 2021 co-op rotation.

The University’s Co-op program, launched in 1918, is a key component of a Drexel University education. Through the program, students rotate between months-long job placements and full-time classes to graduate with a resume filled with professional experiences.

This year, the Steinbright Career Development Center (SCDC), which manages the co-op program, sought help from Drexel’s colleges and schools to find new ways to provide students with co-op opportunities, as COVID-19 once again forced the cancellation of all international co-ops and even some domestic co-ops.

Ann Yurcaba, the Libraries’ Director of Administrative Services, noted that “The Libraries responded and were eager to create professional workplace offerings for our Dragons, and in the end, program managers developed seven new positions. It’s a win-win opportunity: students gain valuable work experience and add to their skills, and the Libraries benefits from the extra support and the chance to mentor the future workforce.”

These new co-op positions are interdisciplinary and bring undergraduate students with many different backgrounds and specialized skill sets to the Libraries, adding to the diverse and inclusive culture it is building.   

This term, the Libraries is proud to have successfully hired students with academic backgrounds in marketing, interactive digital media, history, software engineering, and a student-designed major for the following co-op opportunities:  

• Digitization Assistant: Assists with the Libraries' project to digitize its large collection of print theses & dissertations submitted over the years by Drexel graduate students
• Marketing & Communication Assistant: Plays a vital role in supporting internal and external communication strategies that increase the Libraries’ visibility within Drexel University and beyond
• Archival Metadata Assistant: Supports University Archives staff with a variety of archival management tasks
• Usability Assistant: Assists with testing and understanding usability and accessibility of tools and resources the Libraries makes available to its clients
• Animation & Visual Effects Assistant: Responsible for designing and producing video animations for tutorials aimed at the undergraduate audience 
• Technology Assistant: Provides technical support for staff and Libraries clients and assists with documentation and knowledge management projects
• Climate Resources Assistant: Support the Libraries’ efforts to contribute to Drexel University and the Academy of Natural Science’s Climate Year initiatives