Wow! Six weeks have gone so fast. I am at a loss for words considering how fast my internship here at UC Berkeley went. I feel like it was just yesterday when I first walked into the office and met the wonderful staff of the LEAD Center. Six weeks have gone by, and I have learned a lot from this experience. I have grown both professionally and personally.
Professionally I have learned networking skills, and what it will take to succeed in my chosen field. Personally, I have had to push myself out of my comfort zone to learn about the unique culture at Berkeley. Berkeley is one of the schools that I have dreamed about attending. However, that wasn't a possibility for me when I was doing my college search. Now I am lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to intern for six weeks at one of the most prestigious public universities.
I am sad that my time here at Berkeley is coming to a close but happy that I had the opportunity to work with some amazing, professional staff. I am excited to go back to Pacific and have a conversation with the student affairs professionals using all of the new knowledge I have gained during this experience.
Berkeley has taught me that student life is very different at every campus, which, in turn, has taught me to cherish the student life we have at Pacific. Coming to Berkeley, I expected to find similarities between the campuses but found more differences instead. This caused me to question why Berkeley operates the way that it does. I was able to sit in on meetings regarding student organizations, fraternity and sorority life, and other important structures. I have been able to build relationships with staff members who enhanced my Berkeley experience tremendously. The LEAD Center has been like a family to me during the time I've been here.
The opportunity to personally connect with staff has opened my personal networking connections, as well. The one-on-one conversations I have had with staff members has helped solidify my career path. I now know that after my undergraduate career is over I want to go into student affairs. I want to serve students and help enhance their college experience.
One of the best experiences for me was having the opportunity to work with my fellow intern, Arnelle. She has played a huge role in me wanting to attend graduate school. In many of our conversations, I am taken aback by how she views situations and how she wants to create sustainable change in the profession. Hearing her student affairs story has motivated me to go to grad school and reach for those opportunities myself.
I can't wait to go back to Pacific and share my experience with my Pacific family. There are many different ideas that I have learned here at Berkeley that I want to bring back to the Pacific community. I am sad to leave Berkeley in less than seven days, but this six-week experience has been one of the best summers that I have had in years. See you later Berkeley. I'll be back!
