Wikipedia:Online Ambassadors/Apply/The Interior

The following discussion is preserved as an archive of a successful Online Ambassador application.

Unopposed. Sorry you had to wait so long, but welcome to the Online Ambassador Team! Nikkimaria (talk) 02:00, 2 February 2012 (UTC)[reply]

The Interior

The Interior (talk · contribs)

Why do you want to be a Wikipedia Ambassador?
Getting on three years of WP involvement, I've learned a few of the ins-and-outs. I've also learned how daunting the learning curve can be for new users. University students are in an excellent position to contribute to Wikipedia - they have access to computers/internet, access to excellent libraries and journals, and they understand the basics of good writing. I'd like to help Canadian uni students become more Wikipedia-savvy.
In three sentences or less, summarize your involvement with Wikimedia projects.
I spread myself out quite a bit, but the areas I'm most involved with right now are Did You Know, Biographies of Living Persons, the Conflict of Interest noticeboard, new user help, and general maintenance. In the past I've worked with the Guild of Copy Editors, WP Disambiguation, and WikiProject Vancouver. I enjoy working in the Commons, uploading my own images and categorizing existing ones.
Please indicate a few articles to which you have made significant content contributions. (e.g. DYK, GA, FA, major revisions/expansions/copyedits).
- Adams River (British Columbia) - Dear to my heart, one of my favorite rivers. I brought this through DYK and GA, and still entertain ideas about FA.

Krampus - just brought this through DYK over the holidays.
The Bugaboos - Amazing bunch of peaks in southern BC. Expanded this from a one sentence stub to DYK.
Pacific Salmon Commission - Still needs expansion, but brought it through DYK

How have you been involved with welcoming and helping new users on Wikipedia?
I was involved with the WikiGuides initiative begun last spring. I am watching the developments of the Feedback Dashboard and hope to contribute with that. I regularly welcome new users, and make time to answer their questions. Though DYK, I meet new writers and do my best to help them through the article-writing process. I'm currently informally mentoring User:Msruzicka, who has become quite the editor!
What do you see as the most important ways we could welcome newcomers or help new users become active contributors?
On a personal level, it's really important to have real, non-template-based interaction with new users. Let them know that there are real people willing to answer questions, and always have patience. It's important to be able to spot potential in noob accounts and make sure that they get some positive reinforcement. On an institutional level, it's much more complicated, but some things I support are reform of our user talk template system, more high-quality yet simple tutorials, and ways of getting new editors in touch with experienced users within the topic area of their interest.
Have you had major conflicts with other editors? Blocks or bans? Involvement in arbitration? Feel free to offer context, if necessary.
I've been involved in some short-lived content disagreements, but nothing major. I don't really edit in many contentious areas (BC geography is so lonely there's no one to fight with even if you wanted to). Through my work with conflict of interest cases, there is sometimes some unpleasantness (my experiences with User:Jespah were not always pleasant, and, in the end, not very fruitful). But otherwise, I'm pretty drama-averse.
How often do you edit Wikipedia and check in on ongoing discussions? Will you be available regularly for at least two hours per week, in your role as a mentor?
I'm on here often (logging in at least 2-3 times a day), and manage a 5000-item watchlist, so I can definitely keep track of what's going on and answer questions in a timely manner. I'm in school myself, so mid-terms and finals will mean I'm less available, but two hours a week will not be a problem.
What else should we know about you that is relevant to being a Wikipedia Ambassador?
I have a bachelor's already, and am working on a second degree. So I'm familiar with the scholastic environment. It looks like UBC has a program going, that's my alma mater. I'm also a patient person and easily approachable. The Interior (Talk) 00:23, 12 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Discussion

Support The Interior communicates well with people and usefully contributes to WP with general knowledge of what is going on here. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 01:36, 12 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]