We asked Hibah to reflect on her LEI experience, see what she had to say!
Name: Hibah Hammad
Major & Minor: Sociology and Spanish
Internship Position & Site: OSPIRG Intern, OSPIRG
What was your internship title and organization, and what were your responsibilities?
As a part of the LEI Program, I was able to secure the role of “Hunger and Houseless Campaign Coordinator” for UO OSPIRG! OSPIRG is a student-led and funded political activism and advocacy group at the University of Oregon, and the Hunger and Houseless campaign was one of the three big campaigns of the year. As the H+H Campaign Coordinator, I planned weekly gardening events at local grassroots gardens, raised $1000 for local mutual aid organizations, created and distributed a hundred care packages of sandwiches and period supplies, and more. Furthermore, I took on other leadership roles, such as leading a lobbying group, tabling and petitioning to get student signatures that would help to secure our funding, and more. My experience at OSPIRG was so formative and fulfilling that even after the end of the internship, I stayed and ran for a leadership position! I am now the 2023 OSPIRG Chapter Chair and am excited to continue working with the awesome and passionate people that I had met, as well as continue to make a change in our community.
What attracted you to the LEI program?
Because it was my first year at the University of Oregon, I was feeling very lost when it came to figuring out ways to get involved on campus and find a community. The LEI Program seemed like a great way to not only get some work experience and life skills, but also connect with people in the UO and Eugene community and build the relationships I was hoping to build in college. I can proudly say that my goal was accomplished! The program helped me break out of my shell and I now have met many amazing students at the University of Oregon, many of which I am continuing to work with during my final year at UO!
What was the project/campaign you led or contributed to that you are most proud of?
I think my favorite H+H project was our Days of Service events! It was a two-day event where we actively worked to help the houseless community in the Eugene area and learn more while also working alongside UO’s Operation Period and local Eugene organization The Way Home. On the first day, we created over 100 PB&J sandwiches to distribute to the houseless community. On the second day, we worked with Operation Period and The Way Home to pass out sanitary supplies and sandwiches to houseless folks on the streets or in tent cities, and then held a discussion focused on the decriminalization of houselessness in Oregon.
Were there any surprises? What were they and why?
Before this internship, I had considered myself very shy and not at all a leader. Working with OSPIRG, as well as in my LEI Cohort, I realized I’m not as shy as I thought I was! This experience gave me the confidence to begin taking charge in situations and learn more about my strengths and passions. I very much suffer from imposter syndrome and find it difficult to see myself in a positive or deserving light, but this opportunity has allowed me to begin exploring those doubts and see that I am much more than I give myself credit for. After the internship ended, I did things I had never thought I would. I ran for Chapter Chair for OSPIRG, and won. I applied for the position of ASUO DEI Secretary, and got it, and I even had the courage to run for and receive leadership positions in SACA (South Asian Cultural Alliance) and WOCC (Woman of Color Coalition). I never would have had the confidence to apply for these roles had it not been for the LEI Program showing me that I am capable of doing and being so much more than I think.
How has this internship set you up for success? What knowledge and skills did you learn that you can use in the future jobs?
I think the coolest thing about the LEI Internship is it gave me the opportunity to learn a lot about the work space. Not only did the internship itself teach me a lot about the skills it took to be working in nonprofit and activism work, but the LEI workshops taught me a lot about how to navigate the workspace and set myself up for success. Before the internship, I rarely used LinkedIn. After an LEI workshop and some assistance, I finally began using my LinkedIn and have even been able to do some amazing networking through it! I had my first informational interview and even got a job offer for a non-profit in Portland (that for now I had to deny but is definitely something I will look into again post-graduation). Overall, I think the program did an amazing job at teaching a diversity of skills and providing lots of opportunity for reflection and growth.
What potential career paths have the internship opened your mind to? Has your internship influenced your future goals/direction and if so, how?
Originally, I thought I wanted to be a lawyer. While I still am considering law as a career path, I am also now heavily interested in doing non-profit or DEI work. In fact, this internship inspired me to apply for a business minor, so that I may begin learning the skills necessary to have in case I wanted to work in an organization, or even start one of my own.
What advice would you give to students interested in the LEI program? What should they know before applying?
Just do it!!! The worst that could happen is that you don’t get it, which actually happened to me! Originally, I had not received admission into the LEI Program, which really did bum me out, won’t lie. However, my interview with the OSPIRG staff at the time went so extremely well that I wasn’t ready to give up. After finding out there was a group on campus passionate about everything I’m passionate about, there was no way I was not going to be a part of that organization. After the rejection letter, I emailed the OSPIRG staff member I interviewed with and asked if I could still have a leadership position in the club, or at the very least be a general member. Not long after, I had gotten an email from LEI saying I have been admitted to the program! Those two things don’t actually go hand in hand, in fact, the real reason I was admitted post rejection was just because the other person who got it over me left, however, this is to show that even if you don’t get in, you might still learn and find something you’re passionate about just during the application and interview process! Seriously, LEI is an amazing opportunity and I strongly encourage anyone and everyone to apply. There is no harm in trying!
How did participating in the LEI program impact your experience at UO?
Without the LEI Program, I think it would’ve taken me a much longer time to find my confidence. Especially after spending the first year of my college at home doing online classes, I was overwhelmed being back in person. I didn’t realize how shy I had become, and how much worse my self-esteem had gotten. Being forced to pursue a leadership position, although intimidating at first, was a push in the right direction. It surrounded me with fellow passionate and hardworking peers, and allowed me to begin working on building relationships and learning skills that would help me feel more prepared for real life work and leadership. It also allowed me to work on my self-esteem and gain the courage to become an active member of clubs I had originally been too afraid to join. I think during Winter term, I had met 5x the amount of people I had met in Fall term! It is crazy to me how impactful this internship had been not just with experience and job skills, but also the impact it had on my social life and overall experience at UO.
