In 2018, the ABE Classroom Visit Volunteer Program was launched in the Greater Los Angeles area. Since that time, it has expanded to numerous Amgen and ABE locations. Our hope is to ultimately expand this program to all interested ABE program sites worldwide.
The program offers opportunities for Amgen staff in participating locations to work with ABE teachers and visit their ABE classrooms to discuss their career pathways to biotech.
The program has been paused while we focused our attention on updating our online assets. This will allow volunteers to personally search available teacher-posted classroom opportunities for in-person or virtual visits. Our planned launch date for the new system is January 2027. This launch will involve the following locations: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Kentucky, Central Ohio, Tampa, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Australia, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
If you are a program site or a teacher in any of these locations, you should hear from the ABE Program Office in the next few months with more information on how to get involved.
Program Goals
The volunteer program makes a positive difference in the world by aiming to reach the following goals:
- ABE students gain access to a diverse set of role models for a range of biotech careers, real-world context for science content in the classroom, and opportunities to develop scientific literacy related to authentic biotech applications
- ABE teachers gain supports and resources that reduce barriers to student participation in biotech
- Amgen staff increase their awareness of ABE and its local, regional, and global impact
Learn more about the program’s volunteer options through these blog posts and career profiles:
- News: Amgen Foundation President Shares Biotech Career Journey with ABE Students
- Blog Post: Real-World Biotech Experiences to Broaden the Narrative
- Blog Post: ABE Volunteer Program: Bringing Biotech Careers into the Classroom
- Career Profile: Hillary McLoughlin, Amgen Thousand Oaks
- Career Profile: Krista Dong, Amgen Massachusetts
How to Volunteer
Amgen Employees
If you work at Amgen in any capacity in the locations noted above, click below to learn more and sign up to participate.
Not from Amgen but Want to Volunteer?
If you are a professional from an organization other than Amgen and you would like to volunteer to share your career story through classroom visits with ABE students, please contact the ABE program site closest to you.
Testimonials
“It's such an energizing and inspiring experience to be able to share my career trajectory and have a chance to talk to teachers and students! And I am amazed at the level of sophistication these students exhibit when discussing their research projects! It's humbling in a very nice way and kindles a sense of optimism about the next generation!”
– Amgen Volunteer, Amgen Thousand Oaks
“I liked how [the volunteer] was able to answer questions on a broad spectrum. She was very open to answer any question we had whether it was about school or her job, or even our future career.”
— Student, ABE Massachusetts
“I appreciated that [our volunteer] shared her school story and how she got to Amgen, pointing out that she had changed her major and that it was okay to do that! The students felt some relief they did not have to 'know what they needed to be when they grew up' right now. She was very relatable and I look forward to a continued relationship with her in the years that follow! ”
— Teacher, ABE Rhode Island