Name: Teresa Tseng Major & Minor: Operation Business Analytics, Computer Information Technology Internship Position & Site: Space Planning Intern, Bigfoot Beverages
What was your internship title and organization, and what were your responsibilities?
My position was space planning intern at BigFoot Beverages. My main responsibilities were reorganizing coolers at Corner’s Market and building beverage data into the system.
The Fresh Corner Market in the Erb Memorial Union, University of Oregon
What attracted you to the LEI program?
LEI program is a place where they support diverse backgrounds of students and try their best to align internship opportunities with suitable students. It is a program that considers students a lot.
What did you like about working with your supervisor(s) and colleagues?
My favorite part about working with them was being able to communicate with them. I could always absorb new knowledge about work information and life experiences while chatting with them. I like the chances to share and listen to different stories.
Were there any surprises? What were they and why?
Instead of only sticking with my position, I was surprised that I could experience multiple categories of work in a company where I got hands-on in the print shop and met customers with sales. It was such a unique experience for junior students like me.
How has this internship set you up for success? What knowledge and skills did you learn that you can use in the future jobs?
Negotiating with competitors and winning over customers by building relationships with them are the two main techniques that I learned during the internship. I believed these two skills would set me up for success in future jobs because these were the essential back scenes that most people would not mention.
What potential career paths have the internship opened your mind to? Has your internship influenced your future goals/direction and if so, how?
This internship broadened my career paths which inspired my interest in the supply chain. What’s more important is that it built my confidence in exploring my future career because there were so many options and I just needed to develop.
Inside Bigfoot Beverage’s facility
What advice would you give to students interested in the LEI program? What should they know before applying?
Always be open-minded about what we are going to do! Never be afraid to show our characteristics so we can find the best suitable position.
How did participating in the LEI program impact your experience at UO?
The LEI program helped me connect with UofO closer because all the internship positions are highly related to our community. I have learned about Eugene a lot through this experience while realizing that many people support us in their ways.
Name: Samantha Kar Major & Minor: Advertising and Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Sociology Internship Position & Site: Oregon 2022 Community Engagement & Experience Coordinator, City of Eugene
What was your internship title and organization, and what were your responsibilities?
My internship title was Oregon22 Community Engagement & Experience Coordinator, and the organization was the City of Eugene. In preparation for Eugene to be the Host City for the World Athletics (Track & Field) Championships Oregon22, I managed the social media for the Eugene Riverfront Festival, a free 10-day event that coincided with the Championships. Engaging with the community and visitors, I received the festival website inquiries as well. I was also involved with creating programming themes for the festival through an equity lens.
What attracted you to the LEI program?
Additional mentorship, professional experience, and community building attracted me to the LEI program. Plus, you’re able to apply for multiple internships all at once. Being comfortable in my COVID-19 shell and operating remotely, I was eager to interact with a new community and boost my confidence as an emerging professional. The opportunity to gain insight into the project manager role through my desired internship with the City of Eugene stood out as well. Internship & Program Experience:
What did you like about working with your supervisor and colleagues?
I feel so lucky to have worked with my amazing supervisor, Stephanie Scafa! From encouraging questions to maintaining strong communication and more, Steph was consistently supportive and motivating. The ease of connecting with staff across departments for informational interviews demonstrated a culture of learning. My experience with the City showed me how a cohesive and dynamic team promotes personal and organizational growth.
Samantha and her internship site supervisor, Stephanie Scafa
What was the project/campaign you led or contributed to that you are most proud of?
I am most proud of leading social media for the Eugene Riverfront Festival, which required planning, creativity, and management. Building relationships and interacting with people aligned with festival goals of celebrating community, culture, and connection. I took on this challenge of a project that could go in a bunch of directions, and I am thrilled with my growth of hard and soft skills.
How has this internship set you up for success? What knowledge and skills did you learn that you can use in other jobs?
I feel more prepared and confident going into future work opportunities. In my internship, I was able to build off of the skills I’ve learned in the School of Journalism & Communication to deliver authentic ways to engage the community. In other jobs, I’m looking forward to using improved skills of networking, personal leadership, and marketing (from running social media).
The Eugene Riverfront Festival’s Instagram page
What potential career paths have the internship opened your mind to? Has your internship influenced your future goals/direction and if so, how?
Being involved with this once-in-a-lifetime event opened my mind to so many professional paths. I got insight into our local government, event production, event sustainability, and more. Communications can be applied to pretty much any organization! Working closely with the project manager of Oregon22 (Steph) helped shape my idea of project management and what it takes to be on top of things.
What advice would you give to students interested in the LEI program? What should they know before applying?
I would encourage interested students to apply to the LEI program if any of the available roles seem intriguing. No matter the internship, there will be tons of opportunities for growing as a future professional. Take any opportunity you get, and maximize all that you can learn! Before applying, students should recognize their commitments and be prepared to balance school and work.
Did participating in the LEI program impact your experience at UO? If so, how?
For sure! Meeting weekly with the LEI cohort provided a supportive space for deeper conversations and reflections on navigating school, work, and life in general as BIPOC individuals. I’m grateful for the connections made with Ruth, the LEI program leader, and the Career Center. In terms of my specific internship, I’ll definitely apply what I’ve watched and learned to my upcoming role as a project manager at Allen Hall Advertising, the student-run agency.
Read about Chandlor’s LEI experience in this blog post.
Name: Chandlor Henderson Major & Minor: Journalism, African Studies, Computer Information Technology Internship Position & Site: Museum Education Program Assistant, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art
What was your internship title and organization, and what were your responsibilities?
My internship title was Museum Education Program Assistant at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art. My responsibilities varied. In the Winter term I worked with a program called NewArt Northwest Kids. My role was receiving emails from young artists (K – 12) and working to get them displayed in the museum. In the Spring term I worked with World of Work. There I interviewed High School students to get experience in the museum space as interns.
What attracted you to the LEI program?
I was sent the internship opportunity from my boss at the museum, as I was working in a different department in the museum. I was attracted to it because I wanted to gain more experience in the museum, and I saw this as a perfect opportunity.
How did your internship relate to your professional/academic/personal goals and/or values?
This internship in many ways changed my career prospects. Before this internship I didn’t see a way to work in museums, or in the creative space. Now I only see myself working in the creative space, while still using my primary skill, which is writing. I’ve always loved museums, and I’ve always wanted to work in them. I didn’t see myself ever having the possibility, so this internship opened my eyes and heart to a world that I thought was closed to me.
What did you like about working with your supervisor(s) and colleagues?
I really like Sherri Jones. She’s super kind, smart, and caring. Almost like a second mother, or an aunt. I’m very fortunate to have worked with her and made a lifelong friend in the process.
Chandlor Henderson and his internship site supervisor, Sherri Jones
What potential career paths have the internship opened your mind to? Has your internship influenced your future goals/direction and if so, how?
Because of this internship I see museums as being a possibility for me. There is no saying that I will actually get a job at a museum, but I will definitely try.
How did participating in the LEI program impact your experience at UO?
The LEI program helped me find a space I can call my home, in the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art. I never felt cozy on campus, and now I do. I know my college experience, and as a result my life in general has been changed in a positive way because of this internship.
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.
