Comcast’s Team UP and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) recently joined forces to create STEM kits for local students in the Portland metro area. The event brought together over 60 volunteers, including Sonja Muchen, Senior Analyst, Solution Design, and one of Comcast’s most active volunteers in the Pacific Northwest region.
Sonja has been a Comcaster for 14 years, and her passion for volunteering has only grown over time. She has participated in a variety of Comcast volunteer events, from beautification projects and kit building to letter-writing campaigns and more. In 2018, she was a founding board member of Comcast’s Black Employee Network, an Employee Resource Group that aims to strengthen the relationships of Black employees with each other and the wider Comcast community. Sonja’s commitment to giving back to the community is truly inspiring.
When asked about her inspiration for volunteering, Sonja shared that her love for volunteering started back in high school, where she served as a counselor for a semester during the outdoor school program. When she joined Comcast in 2010, she was thrilled to discover Comcast Cares Day, a designated day of volunteering. “It really spoke to me how much our company values our communities, and it made me want to champion these opportunities any way I could,” said Sonja.
Sonja’s involvement in volunteering has only grown since then, and she has found new ways to give back through various Comcast events. She has been a part of the Team UP program since its inception, giving her even more opportunities to volunteer year-round.
The recent OMSI STEM kit-building event was particularly special to Sonja, as it was a way for her to inspire future generations to discover their love of STEM. Sonja’s daughter loves giving back and helping out, so they volunteer together whenever there is an opportunity to bring family. During the pandemic, Sonja and her daughter worked together to create the STEM kits at home. “When spring break rolled around that year, we saw so many 4th and 5th grade students from her school leaving with them,” said Sonja. “She was so excited to tell her teacher she helped create [the kits]. Knowing I have a part in helping another child discover their love of STEM like my daughter is rewarding.”
The STEM kits included activities that focus on different components of STEAM, such as a catapult that students can make using popsicle sticks, rubber bands, a spoon, and pompoms. Students were also given a straw rocket activity that encouraged them to use their art skills to decorate and build a rocket and then measure how far it can fly and what factors might influence how far it goes. The kits also include a ticket to OMSI and a Project Zero comic book, courtesy of Portland General Electric.
Sonja’s favorite part of volunteering is inspiring the future of tomorrow to continue to serve and connect with their communities. She believes that everyone should find a project that speaks to them and go for it. “From supporting family nights at Boys & Girls Club of Portland to assisting with the Portland Film Festival Future Filmmakers event, each opportunity I attend is to provide a positive role model for kids in the community. The way kids love seeing your face when you show up for them is incredible. There is truly no way to describe it.”
In 2022, we introduced a company-wide program called Team UP to provide year-round opportunities for Comcast employees to make a difference in local communities. This includes volunteering in person or virtually, serving as a nonprofit board member, making a charitable donation through our matching gift program, or supporting our network of partners. Team UP builds on our legacy of community service with flexible, always-on programming that also provides an outlet for our employees to take part in Project UP.
