Learning by Doing

At Catalyst, learning through experience is a huge part of what we do, from our youngest learners to our most senior staff. We’re proud to share that one of our centers has been recognized by University of California Irvine as an Outstanding Undergraduate Practicum Site! This award honors our Turtle Rock center as an excellent place for undergraduate students to get hands-on education. 

The award was accepted by Marsha Anne Linquist, a longtime Catalyst Staff member. Marsha has managed the Catalyst side of the UCI partnership since 2007. UCI students can earn course credit by working at a partner childcare location for 100 hours.  

Each semester, we select a handful of interns from a larger pool of applicants to partner with us. We train the interns and assign them a staff mentor and a schedule. Over their 100 hours, students experience all sides of working in childcare, from facilitating playtime to filing paperwork.  

Marsha says that while the idea of mentoring an intern may sound daunting at first, most staff members find the rewards of mentorship to be incredibly valuable. Children, staff, and students all benefit from the program. She encourages interested centers to look for partnerships at local colleges and universities.  

“Marsha has been a long-time amazing leader with Catalyst,” says Courtney Nolan, Regional Director. “Additionally, due to her partnerships with UCI we have also been able to hire a number of these interns as well as establish a research partnership with UCI!”  

Thank you to UCI for this award! We look forward to our continued partnership!