LEAF Scholar: Cindy, UC Berkeley
Role within LEAF
LEAF Scholar, Career Exploration & Discovery (CED) Scholar
Achievements
Cindy’s proud achievement was finding her community on campus and being able to support the creation of a community for incoming and continuing students at UCB. When she first began her college journey, she had a hard time feeling like she belonged there. She would return home for the weekend and rarely spend time on campus. Due to that lack of belonging, she felt like her acceptance into Berkeley was a mistake. But then she began to step out of her comfort zone and began to intern with Raices, where she was able to help with programming for current, prospective, and admitted students of Berkeley. This has been a rewarding experience for her because she has connected with individuals like herself!
Journey
“My journey within higher education has been marked by continuous growth, challenges, and a deep commitment to personal and academic development. Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Data Science at the University of California, Berkeley, I've maintained a GPA of 3.8 while actively engaging in various extracurricular activities and community service initiatives. Throughout my academic journey, one of the most significant challenges I faced was balancing my coursework with my involvement in campus organizations and community service projects. Juggling multiple responsibilities taught me invaluable time management, organization, and prioritization skills. Overcoming this challenge not only strengthened my ability to manage my time effectively but also reinforced my dedication to making a positive impact both academically and socially. Furthermore, transitioning from high school to university life presented its own set of challenges, including adjusting to the rigorous academic demands and navigating the complexities of campus culture. However, through perseverance and seeking support from mentors and peers, I was able to adapt and thrive in this new environment. These experiences have shaped me into a resilient and adaptable individual, capable of overcoming obstacles and embracing new opportunities with confidence. In terms of personal growth, my involvement in leadership roles and community service initiatives has been instrumental. Serving as a mentor and intern at UC Berkeley Raíces Recruitment & Retention Center for Latinx Students and as a communications coordinator at Brown Issues has allowed me to develop strong interpersonal skills, empathy, and a deep sense of social responsibility. These experiences have not only broadened my perspectives but have also instilled in me a passion for advocating for underrepresented communities and promoting equity and inclusion in all facets of society.”
“Last summer, I had the amazing opportunity to intern for Sacred Heart in San Jose, CA. My responsibilities encompassed administering TAP pass sales, managing participant eligibility lists, contributing to the development of program documentation, and conducting a thorough analysis of program datasets. Through this opportunity, I was able to not only gain insight into what entailed program management but also how I could best support diverse populations. Something that I really enjoyed about this internship was its exposure to the world of data analytics. As mentioned earlier, I had never imagined myself in a technical field due to my limited exposure. During this internship, I practiced data entry and was in charge of tracking and managing multiple Excel sheets. The massive amount of data being collected demonstrated how important data is to showcase the impact of these programs and to secure further funding. Realizing the significance of data, I began to explore ways to integrate it with my current undergraduate education. I felt called and motivated to pursue a major that would complement my overall career aspiration: to develop a program that provides resources for early education, fostering exposure to higher education and other relevant tracks.”
Milestones, awards, and key experiences
A few milestones that I am proud of are my acceptance into the Management for Leadership Program. I am excited to be part of a program that will further allow me to grow professionally, exposing me to different industries.
Earlier this year I was accepted into a program called data scholars at UC Berkeley. This program is meant to provide more tailored support to students taking the courses Data 8; this program offers advising and workshops surrounding the field of data science. Through this program, I was able to get to know more individuals pursuing a similar degree.
Lastly, I am eternally grateful for getting the experience to be part of a research group that focused on social movements that pertained to education equality here in Alameda and Contra Costa County. It pertained to looking at social movements as a response and action. I was specifically part of the contextualization team; as part of this team, I learned how we tracked the information and annotated the resources found by previous research interns. This experience allowed me to further gain exposure to different career post-graduation and be in an atmosphere that reflected comunidad.
