CCE Intern Blog
Welcome to our Civic and Community Engagement (CCE) Intern Blog! Read more about our student interns, events, and commentary on all things related to our program!
Community Event: Boulder Competition at Mashouf Wellness Center
Author: Parker Rose Shepard, CCE Intern
Publish Date: May, 23, 2024
Campus Recreation put on a bouldering competition on May 10th, 2024 at Mashouf Wellness Center to give SFSU climbers an opportunity to experience competing without the high stakes of a professional competition. As I walked into the Mashouf Wellness Center, I could already feel the uptake in energy than you usually feel. This was probably the most people I have ever seen at the wall.
The competition was in full swing, with a lot of people standing in and around the wall waiting for their turn. How the competition works is when a climber wants to try a route, they give their scorecard to one of the staff to watch and document if they flashed (finished in one try without falling) or if they fell. You might think with it being a competition, the climbers might have some animosity towards each other, but it was quite the opposite. Everytime someone finished a route, the crowd cheered.
Even though each person looked tired and defeated after every fall, they kept going, not to beat their friends, but for themselves. I talked to one of the employees working the event, Sophia, about what she thought about the community aspect of these kinds of events. She said, “The climbing wall is already such a community. And when you’re competing and cheering each other on, and supporting one another, it can be really fun. I feel like everyone likes competition, friendly competition is great.”
The routes that were set for the event were all set by students who work at the wall, so I noticed that every time someone would climb something and fail, they would not so subtly send glares towards the setter. It’s all friendly of course, and being able to climb your peer’s routes builds connections and community with friendly teasing, as well as praise for the hard work they put into the competition. Nearing the end, everyone started to leave and seemed satisfied with their scores. One climber, who I interviewed near the end, named Forest, said, “For anyone who’s reading this, come to the wall! It’s always a fun time.”
Community Event: Students for Gaza Encampment
Author: Mikayla Trujillo & Sabrina Lucana, CCE Intern
Publish Date: May, 17, 2024
With the continuous protests that are spread across the entire world involving the war between Israel and Palestine, San Francisco State University’s students chose to also make a stand for Palestine. Students have taken over the quad area of the university, the most central part of campus, in order to set up an encampment in solidarity with Palestine. The encampment includes events occurring everyday, ranging from guest speakers, walk-outs, or meetings discussing next steps. Tents and canopies cover the entirety of the central grass patch and continue to multiply as the weeks progress. The group has made a consistent effort to stay peaceful by completing a series of de-escalation training and has a designated booth of representatives to speak to the media about their mission. All of the students involved have sacrificed their time, comfort of their homes, home-cooked meals, and academic commitments in order to stand in solidarity with others at the encampment. Two students from their media booth agreed to speak with us about their goals for the entirety of the protests.
One explained their goals and involvement at San Francisco State University’s encampment by stating, “We have four demands. Our first demand is for SFSU to disclose what investments it has in military of United States and the parts that are contributing to the genocide in Gaza. The second demand is we want the CSU system as a whole to divest from said high-risk securities, which they so far have disclosed some of what those investments are and those include companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin and Qualcomm, so we definitely want the CSU system as a whole to divest from that. The third demand is for this administration to defend the Palestinian Arab and Muslim student in the body from hatred of any form, and the fourth demand is for the genocide in Gaza to stop”. Their most urgent demand, they summarize, is for SFSU to recognize that what is happening in Gaza is a genocide, and to divest from any company that is supporting Israel’s attacks on the Palestinian people and land. The goal of the encampment is to make these demands harder to ignore while also bringing attention to the actions in Gaza that have been occurring since October 7th.
Another student discusses the sacrifices they’re making. “Besides the comfort of my bed.. you don't have a lot of time to do homework. You don't have a lot of time to go to class, but I think what's nice about this is a lot of organizing. You sacrifice friendships with your own time. But here, we're building friendships. We're building a community here.” The student further explained their next steps and goals, “We are currently setting up a bargaining meeting, an open bargaining meeting, with President Mahoney to see if our demands will bemet, to disclose financial investments related to the Israeli occupations to help divest the occupations from the genocide in Gaza,to declare that the Israeli occupation is an illegal occupation and the genocide is a genocide. The next step will be decided collectively, so we don't know what that will look like just yet because here we believe that all the people have a say - and at the end of the day, all the people should decide what we do next.”
The days following our interviews, students organized walk outs and paid respects to the Palestine children who have lost their lives because of the conflict. At the time of this publication,they have communicated with President Mahoney who has accepted the Students for Gaza’s initial agreement and agreed to work together to discuss the needs and changes that need to be done. They have received a commitment to divest from weapons manufacturing, to disclose clear accounts of where SFSU is investing its money, and to publicly defend the right to protest.
Students discussed how the community has been donating resources in support of their work, including food, water, and portable chargers. Through this they hope more students will join their movement.
Community Event: Mahal Kita, Lola
Author: Stephanie Yau Barria, CCE Intern
Publish Date: May, 15, 2024
Pilipinx American Collegiate Endeavor (PACE) promotes academic wellness, community, culture and political consciousness. A way they do this is through Pilipinx Cultural Night (PCN) where they showcase their history and culture. Pilipinx Cultural Night is an annual student-run production showcasing Filipina/o and Filipina/o American cultures primarily though performing arts. PACE at San Francisco State University holds the longest-running consecutive PCN in the nation at a collegiate level.
This year was their 52nd Pilipinx Cultural Night (PCN 52) production entitled “Mahal Kita, Lola” with the theme of self-acceptance and self-love. The storyline follows the character Nicole and her relationship with her Lola (grandmother). Lola played a significant role in contributing to Nicole’s insecurities through numerous side comments making their relationship to drift apart. Lola talks about how the family is never together anymore and that she wishes to see the whole family reunited. Thus, her son Mario later on book a summer trip to the Philippines for the whole family.
As the family travels to the Philippines to reconnect with their roots, the tensions between Nicole and Lola escalate. Lola’s comments about Nicole’s clothing and appearance weigh heavily on her causing her to withdraw from her grandmother. However, an opportunity for reconciliation arises when Lola falls ill, and Nicole is forced to confront her hurt feelings directly. Nicole expresses how Lola’s fixation on her appearance has emotionally wounded her, feeling unloved and unappreciated for who she is. Lola, in turn, reveals that those are the same comments she had to live with when growing up and thought it was normal. Lola also reveals that her critical comments stemmed from fear of Nicole drifting away, culturally and emotionally. Through open and honest dialogue, they reach an understanding and acceptance of one another. Tragically, Lola illness catches up to her and pass away. In her final days, Lola makes amends, affirming Nicole’s beauty inside and out. Her passing serves as a catalyst for Nicole to embrace her cultural heritage while simultaneously accepting herself unconditionally.
As the story progressed, multiple cultural dances were performed such as the Pansak Bau Bau demonstrating an intricate woven fabric strip used to deter birds from crops, this dance highlights agricultural traditions. Tumahik, using the spear and shield, trusted weapons of the Yakan, one shows their courage and capabilities in protecting their loved ones. Malagueña, originating from Old Spain, this traditional dance with songs was brought to the Philippines over 300 years ago. It involves swirling, and kicking to incredible music. Sublian & Subli a ceremonial worship dance from Batangas provice, Sublian pays homage to the Holy Cross. Other dances performed were Hip-Hop and Contemporary, this freeing style mixes modern, jazz, lyrical and traditional American ballet influences. It’s an interpretive dance form used to convey emotions and tell stories through fusion of genres.
They showed resilience, joy, and ultimately healing through the exhilarating dance performances, seamlessly woven into the narrative. The contemporary and traditional dance forms conveyed a range of emotions, from the anguish of feeling unaccepted to the liberation of embracing one's authentic self. It was a performance that moved the whole audience, fostering a profound sense of community engagement as they witnessed the transformative journeys of the characters on stage.
The narrative illustrates the transformative power of open communication, cultural understanding, and self-acceptance across generations. Through Nicole’s journey, the story reminds us that true beauty radiates from within, and that self-love is a precious gift to be nurtured. This production allowed the audience to feel deeply connected to the Filipino culture and the universal experiences of family, identity, and self-discovery. They did this through rich storytelling, blending heartfelt drama with vibrant cultural dances and traditions while exploring resonant themes of generational divides, body image, and the path to self-love. By sharing this deeply personal yet universally relatable story, the production served as a poignant reminder that within every family and community, there is an opportunity to bridge divides, find common ground, and celebrate the multifaceted beauty that exists within us all.
Community Event: How to Be a Good Guest
Author: Yadira Castaneda, CCE Intern
Publish Date: May, 17, 2024
On April 20, 2024, the San Francisco Public Library’s Ocean View Branch held a workshop called Decolonized Kitchen with guest speaker Maribel Garcia. Maribel held an hour-long workshop introducing us to a native plant and shared with us the importance of connecting and caring for the plants in our community. Maribel Garcia is an environmental educator specializing in native plants and ethnobotany. She’s from the Ohlone lands in Oakland, CA. Her Purepecha roots are from Michoacan, Mexico. Maribel feels that knowing and connecting to your roots is a significant part of knowing your place in your community and honoring those who came before you. As I learn more about being involved in my community through my internship at the ICCE, I saw this as an opportunity to continue my civic growth in my community by reconnecting with my cultural roots and learning more about plants.
The workshop had three parts: a discussion, a presentation, and a cook along demonstration. I enjoyed how interactive the workshop was. The first activity of the workshop was to write our name and draw any plant that we wanted on the piece of paper that was on the table. I chose to draw a sunflower because I find it extremely beautiful, but it also reminds me of a fun memory I have back in middle school. In middle school, I did some gardening in the school garden. This was a way for the school to get the students involved in some extra-curricular activities and build a sense of community. Afterwards, I was given sunflower seeds to plant some of my own at home. Unfortunately I lost the seeds and was never able to plant them but I was left with a cherishable memory of my time contributing to the school garden.
After we all drew our plant, Maribel asked us to share what we drew. We then engaged in the second activity, which was to examine two pictures of a plant that was placed on the table. She gave us three sentence starters, I noticed, I wonder, and This reminds me of, we had to finish these sentences with our thoughts that came during the observation. I wrote, I noticed that the plants look a little similar, in both pictures the leaves were fuzzy with similar shapes. For the last two prompts I wrote, I wonder how these plants smell, each plant has a distinct smell to it and lastly I wrote, This reminds me of all the plants I see when I go camping, I see so many interesting plants when I go camping that I don’t know about. After some people shared their thoughts, we learned that the plant is called a Stinging Nettle.
I had never heard of a Stinging Nettle before and I don’t think I had ever seen one before either, I probably had but didn’t realize it was the Stinging Nettle. During the workshop I learned some interesting facts about the plant. The Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) is a California native plant. It can be used in a variety of ways. For example, native tribes used it for medicinal purposes. The nettle’s leaves contain little frizzles that can inject some chemicals to us, they’re called hypodermic needles. Some people have used it as a treatment for arthritis, helping soothe the area that does not have enough blood flow. It can also be consumed for its nutritional value, providing us with potassium or vitamin A and vitamin C are just a few examples of the nutrients it provides. It can be harvested throughout the year, but Spring is the best time of the year to harvest it. Best of all, you can harvest it yourself in your own backyard or find it at your local farmers market! One important thing to note is to use gloves when cooking or handling the Stinging Nettle because it’s strong but once it’s cooked it will be safe to touch. Immersion in cold water can also help neutralize it.
After a brief overview of the many benefits of Stinging Nettles, Maribel cooked us a dish with the nettles as the main ingredient. An important question she asked that stood out to me was “How can I be a good guest today?” She then continued saying, “What is one way we can give back to this plant that gives us so much.” One way we can be a good guest is through the care and support of our plants. Native tribes have always been at one with nature and have always had respect for the natural world. The meal was delicious, the nettle was full of flavor, it felt fresh and it wasn’t too strong.
Although this workshop talked about one specific plant, this outlook in life applies to all of the natural world. One important thing I learned from this workshop is that another way to give back to our community is to have an understanding of the value of the natural world. It’s an essential resource that has multiple functions: throughout history, living organisms and their environment have provided shelter, it’s full of nutrients, it contains healing resources, and something that we all need to live, oxygen. The natural environment is a place for community building. Communities are brought together to admire its beauty, value its resources, and find ways to protect it.
At the end of the workshop, we were allowed to take a book that was related to what we had discussed. I chose Remember by Joy Harjo, a picture book that encourages readers to reflect on the significance of their family and nature. A great quote from the book that sums up the whole event is, “Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their tribes, their families, their histories, too. Talk to them, listen to them.” We must protect and conserve our natural world for ourselves, our community, and for our future generations. As a community, we can come together to connect with and preserve the natural world. It has much to offer and together we can learn the importance of being good guests.
Meet Samantha Pimentel!
Author: Ely Ramirez, CCE Intern
Publish Date: May, 17, 2024
Meet Samantha Pimentel, 24, the ICCE’s College Corps Student Assistant! Samantha is in her final year and will be graduating this spring with her Bachelor’s in Child and Adolescent Development and a minor in Special Education. Samantha is originally from Los Angeles, California but moved to San Francisco to attend SF State. She joined the ICCE in October 2023.
As a College Corps student assistant, Samantha is the right-hand of our College Corps Program Lead, Meagan Prasad. Samantha is constantly in the loop with students in the program and other departments, including sending communication messages and keeping records of important documents. “I applied because I wanted to be more connected to the campus and involved in different areas.” Samantha has learned administrative skills such as file management and scheduling, but she has also strengthened her personal qualities. “Being in the ICCE has helped me gain confidence in my communication abilities and leadership.” Samantha states her role as a first-point of contact for fellows has strengthened her professional demeanor, as she is more thoughtful about how she represents the office and the program. As a student assistant, she has also gotten comfortable taking initiative and being independent with her tasks.
Apart from working at the ICCE, Samatha is also the president of the Child & Development Club and involved in a number of organizations that align with her identities. “As a first-generation Latina woman, I want to be part of organizations that recognize and strengthen our identity”. One factor she liked about working in the office was the opportunity to network with a diverse population. “I meet students and professionals with completely different backgrounds than me, I feel like I’ve made many meaningful connections here”. She shared that her time at the ICCE has also piqued her interest into a new field- non-profit community-based organizations. Thank you Samantha for all your work!
Samantha has officially accepted a promotion as a full-time College Corps Coordinator for the office. She plans to continue her work under Meagan as they prepare for College Corps’ third SFSU cohort for AY 2024-2025. Congratulations, Samantha!
Meet Jamie Hayduck Jones!
Author: Parker Rose Shepard, CCE Intern
Publish Date: May, 06, 2024
Jamie Hayduck Jones may seem like he is already in college by how ambitious and accomplished he already seems. However, he is only a senior at Oceana High School in Pacifica. Jamie was accepted into UCLA for next year for Labor Studies, though he contemplates switching majors to Business Economy or Accounting.
Despite no concrete post-college plans, he is excited to find out where life will take him. Jamie was introduced to the Institute of Civic and Community Engagement (ICCE) in 2021 by his mother’s friend, Jen Gasang, our executive director.
Jamie embraced an internship opportunity there, so that he could boost his resume and engage in community work and civic engagement. Even though he hasn’t physically been in the office, he feels connected to the community here, and he finds his work fulfilling.
His role as intern included advertising for the ICCE in 2022 when campus had opened back up after the pandemic, and connecting students and faculty to different resources on campus, such as assisting in creating a community events calendar. Jamie’s favorite part about this internship is how fulfilling he feels the work is, and believes that this was a really important opportunity that his peers don’t always get access to.
Meet Michelle Maloy!
Author: Ely Ramirez, CCE Intern
Publish Date: April, 26, 2024
Introducing Michelle Maloy, a Community-Based Intern in the ICCE’s Community Work-Study Program! Michelle is currently working at the Schurig Center for Brain Injury Recovery in Marin County, California. As a final-year Public Health student at San Francisco State, Michelle brings 26 years of experience from her previous private message practice and is now applying her skills in the Public Health field. The ICCE partnered with the Schurig Center thanks to Michelle, allowing her to work within her community while earning Work-Study funds.
While browsing for positions on Handshake, Michelle stumbled upon the ICCE’s Community Work Study Program. “I read through it and that interested me, to see what I could do with my career… just to get more experience and get my feet wet again into the career field”. As she was also looking at an internship at the Schurig Center, she reached out to Tati, her ICCE supervisor, and the Schurig Center’s director for the possibility of a partnership. “I asked the Schurig Center if they could create [a community partner placement] for me, and I talked to Tati [CWS supervisor] and that’s how it came about”. Her efforts resulted in a new community partner for the ICCE and the perfect placement for her.
The Schurig Center for Brain Injury Recovery is a non-profit that offers therapeutic, educational, and supportive services to aid brain injury survivors and their families. Michelle’s role involves assisting clients with therapeutic activities, promoting socialization, facilitating sessions, and other responsibilities. Michelle expressed her interest in pursuing a career with individuals with neurological disabilities and hopes to secure a permanent position at the Schurig Center. “It has exposed me to working with clients… I would like to keep working with people with brain injuries or do something similar”.
Michelle learned that her time as a Community-Based Intern taught her to advocate for herself and seek opportunities aligned with her goals. She reflects, “That’s how things are in the real world… things switch and change, and you just have to adapt”. Michelle’s work not only granted a new passion for Public Health but also expanded the ICCE’s community partnerships.
Meet Milagros Perez!
Author: Elsy Hernandez, CCE Intern
Publish Date: March, 18, 2024
Milagros Perez is a Graphic Design Student Assistant at the ICCE. She’s also a fourth year visual communication design major with a minor in Business Administration. Milagros joined the ICCE team four months ago in December of 2023.
Through this ICCE job, Milagros has gained valuable hands-on experience in designing various materials – a task that aligns with her degree and future career plans. She spends her time in the office creating original material from posters to stickers to social media graphics. Milagros elaborates,“Working at the ICCE has been essential in helping me clarify my career goals…The hands-on experience and exposure to various design projects have been crucial in shaping my professional aspirations and confirming that a career as a designer is the path I want to pursue.”
Graphic design is a complex world with both creative and theoretical aspects – a lot of thinking and planning go into creating a cohesive image. Milagros believes that the ICCE position has enabled her to greatly develop her skills as a designer. She details, “[I] am able to explore layouts, typography, color theory, and composition.”
Of course, like any other jobs there is always a learning curve and for Milagros, this has been finding the right balance of creativity and preciseness in the completion of her tasks. With a few months of experience under her belt now, however, she feels she has been able to conquer this challenge, “To overcome this, I've been working on communication with team members, and seeking feedback to ensure my designs align with the project goals.”
Working with others has improved her ability to communicate, collaborate with her peers, and practice time management. The designing experience she’s gained from this job has further developed her design skills but also her understanding of design software.
Overall, working at the ICCE has been a dynamic experience for Milagros as she gets insight into what her future jobs could resemble and what it means to be a team member.
Meet Nina Pierremont!
Author: Jazlyn Wong, CCE Intern
Publish Date: March, 18, 2024
Meet Nina Pierremont, 22, a Community Engagement & Partnership Student Assistant at the ICCE! Nina is an undergraduate in her senior year at SFSU, majoring in communication studies and minoring in marketing, so she fits right in with this position in the ICCE! She’s responsible for maintaining communication channels and contracts with partner organizations, curating social media content and planning strategic marketing initiatives—most specifically for Gator Votes throughout this semester.
Nina’s favorite part of working with the ICCE are the people, the involvement with her community and furthering her career development. She said that her role has definitely given her insight on her future. “Right now I’m definitely learning a lot more and getting a little bit more experience in the realms of social media, especially with Gator Votes. A lot of projects are coming, which is exciting and will allow me to learn more about education and the marketing aspect of that. There’s so many different sectors and I feel like this is a really good stepping stool,” Nina said.
Throughout her time as a Student Assistant, something she initially had trouble with was getting used to the ICCE’s rules, regulation and system. “I think the biggest challenge has been learning how to effectively understand the regulation. I’ve never worked for the marketing side of university,” she said.
Aside from adapting to the marketing side of university, Nina said that her role with the ICCE is a great learning experience, especially regarding all the standards that SF State abides by. “I have to always make note of that whenever I’m curating content or just coming up with ideas or questions for our students to be able to be informed of specific events and information on campus, and making sure I’m in line with the values here,” she said. Nina is an integral aspect of the ICCE’s Civic & Community Engagement team, whether it’s for her outgoing personality or her meticulous work.
Community Event: MELA de San Pancho's May Day
Author: Elsy Hernandez, CCE Intern
Publish Date: June 3, 2024
On May 1st, known internationally as May Day, MELA De San Pancho hosted their annual celebration of SFSU’s farm workers mural in Jack Adams Hall. The student organization collaborated with the Richard Oakes Multicultural Center and La Raza to make this event possible. This year, the celebration featured the line “From the Fields to Palestine: A celebration of the power of interconnected struggle”. This was a fitting title for the celebration as it featured various speakers touching on agricultural labor and how it connected to greater struggles internationally.
Two student speakers from the organization GABRIELA – an organization dedicated to supporting Filipino women and their struggles internationally – presented to the audience. Their presentation covered the struggles of Filipino farmworkers in the Philippines, explaining how imperial powers and interests perpetuate these harmful conditions. Additionally, the speakers highlighted how these conditions affect women in unique ways that often go overlooked such as the toxic chemicals used in agriculture that can cause infertility.
Another student touched on farmworkers in Latin America, El Salvador to be specific. The impact of the civil war on Salvadorans and the ways it facilitated the exploitation of coffee bean farmworkers was the focus of this presentation. Most of this exploitation, as the speaker stated, was perpetuated by a class of wealthy plantation owners, and the coffee was received in our ports for American consumption. As civil war raged in El Salvador during the 80s, local unions here in the Bay decided to take a stance by refusing to unload any Salvadoran coffee beans. The speaker highlights how organizing efforts by those in our community, many of which were SF State students, helped to form a blockade of a local port. This student connected the struggles of Salvadoran farmworkers to solidarity efforts from local workers and organizers in a very educational manner.
Another key speaker during this celebration was SFSU’s Rama Ali Kased, a Race and Resistance Studies assistant professor. As a person of Palestinian origins and an active organizer with AROC (Arab Resource and Organizing Center), she provided intricate and crucial insight into the Palestian struggle and resistance efforts. In her presentation, she touched on the connection Palestinians had to their land and referenced the international solidarity that has been present these last few months in the form of boycotts and protests. Her words gave hope to the audience that Palestinian liberation is possible within our lifetime. Additionally, she also referenced the encampment put on by SFSU students that was occurring at the time of the mural celebration.
The night concluded with a collaborative activity. MELA provided a large blank fabric canvas and a plethora of paints and brushes. A student quickly set out to trace a slogan onto the fabric that read “El Pueblo Estudantil Esta Con Gaza” which translates to “The Students Stand United with Gaza” Various students, presenters and audience members alike” joined in to fill these letters with vibrant colors and sparked many lively conversations amongst one another. The activity helped to build community amongst the attendees who shared a passion for fighting for justice. A student in attendance who wished to remain unnamed said the following when asked about the event, “It was great to hear from out SF State peers who spoke through the night. As well as have the opportunity to participate in an activity with them”
Community Event: ERC Flea Market 2024
Author: Ely Ramirez, CCE Intern
Publish Date: May, 17, 2024
As an event for San Francisco State University’s Earth Week, Associated Students Environmental Resource Center holds an annual flea market, featuring student business owners and hobbyists. This year’s flea market was held on Wednesday, April 24th in the Jack Adams Hall of the Cesar Chavez Student Center. The event allows for students to showcase their products, and encourages fellow students to support their local vendors. It also promotes sustainable practices with many vendors’ products being repurposed and/or handmade. I chatted with two vendors at the event to learn more about their products and inspiration behind their businesses.
Handmade nails, crocheted hats, and art from recycled media were part of the array of products available. One table I saw held elaborate handbags and clutches. GB Collection (@_gb_collection_) is run by a first-year business student, Ganya Batti. Her products include potlis- a traditional Indian pouch bag, elaborated clutches, and hand-embroidered handbags. GB’s products is a family-supported business, with her father joining her at the market and her mother the co-creator of their products. Ganya Bhatti was proud to share accessories popular in her culture. Ganya also shared that she was running for Business Student Representative for the 2024-2025 academic year, stating there was a need to improve the business program for students. At the time of this publication, she has won!
Another vendor, Kylie (@butterflybeb.btq), displayed colorful pendants and stone rings, among other jewelry. They also had a selection of products, like stickers and keychains, that featured the phrase “FREE PALESTINE”. On their accompanying sign, she noted that the funds from these products would directly go in support of families affected. They shared that they frequently use their selling platforms to educate others about what goes on in the community. Kylie shared her appreciation of the support from their fellow college students, and often buys from small businesses themselves.
The student vendors at this event not only displayed their talents, but their dedication to topics that mattered to them. I enjoyed seeing how their interests and passions showed through their creations. It was a fun experience, and I left with a fulfilled shopping haul of handmade products from the SF State student community!
Meet Genesis Genelle Saenz!
Author: Giovanni Alejandre, CCE Intern
Publish Date: May, 06, 2024
Genesis Genelle Saenz with a minor in marketing and a major in apparel and design, she blends creativity with expertise to her endeavors. Since November, she's been guiding students towards their aspirations, providing invaluable assistance and support every step of the way.
For Genesis, the heart of her work lies in the profound impact she makes on her students’ lives, offering guidance and empowering them to see endless possibilities. Reflecting on her experiences, Genesis shares, "It made me see a different perspective working with numerous students across the state because of their background, race, or living situation. It made me realize how different everyone's goals are and what they want in their life." Her journey at Upchieve has deepened her understanding of diversity and reinforced her dedication to inclusivity in education.
Beyond her role at Upchieve, Genesis remains deeply rooted in her community and heritage as a proud Latina from San Francisco. She actively explores Latino studies to contribute meaningfully. Genesis reflects on her journey with Upchieve, saying, "UPchieve has helped me figure out different paths because I want to create something that helps others. Basically helping students so they can stay focused and graduate college."
As Genesis continues to tread the path of mentorship and service, her journey serves a strong testament to the transformative power of compassion and dedication. With each student she empowers and each dream she nurtures, she leaves a strong mark on the world, illuminating the path for others to follow in her footsteps.
Meet Melissa Nhi Ly!
Author: Nyla Jones, CCE Intern
Publish Date: April, 26, 2024
Melissa, a 21-year-old general biology major at SF State University, is in her second-year as a STEAM Counts Intern with the ICCE, returning out of her love for the work!
At the Stonestown YMCA, her typical day begins at 3 P.M. making announcements to the kids about homework and dinner. Melissa then spends the rest of her shift leading enrichment activities and collaborating with other group leaders to help with their homework. Melissa describes the experience as a “breather” between her classes and homework.
Something that challenged Melissa during her time here was practicing patience and time management. Working with groups of children can be difficult to manage - however, with the help of her co-interns, the work is manageable. “Patience is key,” she said. “Working together as a team really helps to not only keep ourselves in check, but also helps us [manage] a group of kids.” Since each child has their own unique personality, it helps to collaborate with other interns about the best ways to meet the students’ needs. Working with the co-interns provides a space where they can share ideas, divide tasks, and most importantly, support one another.
Melissa’s favorite part of working with the YMCA—and one reason why she decided to return—is hearing about the kids’ lives outside of the school, and seeing the great friendships that were created from being at the YMCA. Being a part of a team and bonding with new people who become valuable partners in life helps the job be easier and more fun each day. The work pays off, she claims, even on days she doesn’t work; occasionally seeing the students outside of the classroom and hearing them call her ‘Ms. Melissa’ puts a smile on her face and gives her a warm feeling the rest of the day.
Working with the ICCE gives her a great start towards her childhood dream of working as a nurse. Since she’s already gained experience working with older people doing clinicals at a nursing home, she now gets to gain experience working with a younger demographic to help get a full preparation for her future career.
Meet Estrella Villalobos Espinoza!
Author: Elsy Hernandez, CCE Intern
Publish Date: March, 18, 2024
Estrella Villalobos Espinoza is a first-year Student Assistant here at the ICCE who is majoring in Business at SFSU. She was influenced by her major to look for entry-level office jobs to see what her future career prospects could be like and has since learned a variety of skills. Additionally, Estrella has gained valuable information about what she wants in a career from working at the ICCE.
The typical work day for Estrella depends on the current ICCE project. Earlier this semester, she was busy helping organize our Gator Votes “Vote-A-Tines” event, but she now is focusing on reaching out to lecturer-faculty about classroom presentations. These tasks have helped her get familiarized with Microsoft tools like Excel Spreadsheets – a skill she says will be very helpful in future jobs. Just like the rest of the Student Assistants, Estrella works in person at the ICCE office, which she enjoys. “I actually like having my own space to work, but I also like the idea that there's more people I can talk to. Whenever I walk in there’s someone who’s already smiling.” While the ICCE offers a quiet space to focus and work in, the workers here create a welcoming environment that helps everyone feel comfortable.
Estrella notes Gator Votes as her favorite project she’s worked on while at the ICCE due to being able to engage with various students in our community. According to Estrella, the event helped her grow more confident interacting with others, “Whatever job I had [before] I didn’t really like being seen – like setting it up and having people talking to me – but that event showed me: why am I so afraid?”
As any full-time student, Estrella is busy with classes, but on top of her ICCE job, she also works off-campus. Being in this position has encouraged Estrella to find effective time management strategies and healthy self-care techniques . For handling all of her assignments, she says, “What helps is if I do my work when it is given to me. That way I have the weekend to just relax.”
Working at the ICCE has helped Estrella grow in various professional and personal areas, and it’s an opportunity she recommends to other SFSU students. “I would say just apply if you’re looking for a first job on campus. It teaches you a lot of things like communication skills with professors and students and ideas for setting up events. It’s preparing you for a ‘real world’ job.”
Meet Marianne Flores!
Author: Jazlyn Wong, CCE Intern
Publish Date: March, 18, 2024
Meet Marianne Flores, 19, a Community Engagement & Partnership Student Assistant at the ICCE! Marianne is an undergraduate in her junior year at SFSU with a major in International Relations and a minor in Political Science, making her a great fit with her role in the ICCE! Marianne is responsible for assisting with administration, office duties and her internal tasks of supporting students and organizations with the ULink processes. Marianne was initially challenged with getting familiar with the office and tasks, especially regarding ULink.
“When I first started working here, [an initial challenge] had to have been working with the system that was already in place and here and trying to figure it out. ULink is not the easiest platform. I’m still learning about every single detail and program with the ICCE, so a challenge was for sure trying to remember all that I’m reviewing,” Marianne said.
Almost two years in with the ICCE, Marianne has learned a lot about professional development and polished her confidence. She’s now comfortable with her daily office tasks and is grateful for what she has learned here. “One of the biggest pieces of advice that my coordinator Jen has given me was about finding my voice and sticking with it, and being confident in that,” she said. “I always try to do the best I can and not be afraid to ask for help, because if you don’t, you might end up doing something wrong and have to struggle all over again.”
Marianne has gained both experience and relationships with the ICCE. “I love everyone here. I’ve gained a lot of insight from everyone in the office as well as future career experience. Everyone is super nice and it feels like a big family sometimes,” she said. Marianne is a diligent student assistant with the ICCE’s Civic & Community Engagement team, taking care of both external office tasks and internal connections.