Three Impact Mini-Essays, 1200 characters each
Three Impact Mini-Essays
This year, my team took on a rotational associate during a very busy period. Unfortunately, his manager did not have much time to provide training and loop him into projects. As understanding as he was, I could tell he felt undervalued, so I decided to include him on some of my projects. I was in his shoes less than a year ago, participating in the same program, and I vividly remembered the excitement and nerves I felt as the youngest team member. I wanted to ensure that he gained as much as possible from his rotation.
Over time, we built a strong mentor / mentee relationship. I helped him prepare for interviews to land a full-time offer after the rotational program and have been a sounding board to guide him through various decisions. To this day, I am still great friends with my mentees, including interns from previous rotations, and I cannot help but smile whenever I hear stories of them mentoring junior team members. I hope that our actions have a ripple effect through the future classes of associates in our program, fostering a stronger community. I would not be here today without the guidance and support of my mentors, and I plan to continue paying it forward.
During my freshman year, I was excited to have been selected as one of forty Cal student Orientation leaders. This orientation solidified my belief that UC Berkeley was the right college for me despite having committed without ever setting foot on campus. Before the first session after weeks of long training sessions, the Director of New Student Services informed me that I was selected to lead one of the first parent orientations. I stayed up many nights reviewing the materials as I was worried the parents would bombard me with questions.
I was greatly mistaken; instead of focusing on campus resources and classes, the parents simply wanted to hear about my first year experience. I shared stories of cheering on the Cal Football team on Saturdays, studying for exams in the residence halls with my floormates, and lounging on Memorial Glade in between classes. Over the three days we spent together, I saw the looks on the parents faces change from worry to relief. At the end of the week, the parents gave me a group picture signed by each of them as a thank you gift, and knowing that I eased their concerns in the slightest made this first session the most meaningful one of the summer.
One of my 2021 New Year's resolutions was to support people who have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. After weeks of searching, I came upon The Learning Exchange, whose mission is to empower adults through improved literacy. My first tutee spent decades as a hairdresser, but unfortunately, the pandemic shut down her salon. As a single mom, she took on various jobs to support her family. A few months into the lockdown, she decided to go to nursing school to help fight the pandemic.
I was inspired by her courage in the face of adversity and was determined to help her pass her math entrance exam. We woke up early Monday mornings to review math problems together before work, and after many weeks of studying, she passed her exam with flying colors. We decided to continue our tutoring sessions over the summer to help her brush up on additional skills before school starts. She has repeatedly thanked me for my time and tutelage, but I am just as grateful for this rewarding experience. It has been a privilege being a part of her journey and witnessing her resilience has energized me to pursue my dreams with conviction, and I cannot wait to hear about all that she accomplishes.