Fall 2020 Interns

Interns make up a large part of Cal Rotaract’s internal functions. They have worked countless hours to bring you promotional and marketing materials for club events and help increase efficiency of club operations. Whether it be the photos you get tagged in, the banners on Facebook, planning the behind the scenes of Benefit Show, or even parts of the newsletter, interns offer so much to our club, and we want to recognize them as part of this special edition of Humans of Cal Rotaract. These are some of their experiences.

Directory

Rotary Liaison Intern

Design Interns

Treasurer Intern

Rotary Liaison Intern

Semele Hargis | Junior

Major:  MCB and Toxicology

About Me: 

Hi! I'm Semele I'm and I'm a junior here at Cal! I love reading (you can catch me reading at all times of the day or night), hanging out with my dogs, hiking, paddle boarding, and pretty much anything else that will get me outside. I've also been really into crafts lately, and I'm currently teaching myself how to crochet. I aspire to one day go into medicine, and in my free time, I like volunteering with Rotaract, SHEP, and, prior to the pandemic, in soup kitchens in the bay area. I'm so glad I joined Rotaract, I always feel very welcomed with everyone in the club.

How would you describe your overall experience as an intern this semester?

I had so much fun being an intern this last semester! I wasn't sure about applying because I was worried about the time commitment, but it ended up being completely doable and allowed me to make some good connections with people within the club and with Rotarians. I even ended up becoming an officer for the upcoming year, so I'd definitely say that I enjoyed it!

What was your favorite memory/funniest moment during your internship experience?

Part of my duties as an intern was going to Rotary's weekly meetings as a guest. I always loved going to these, as I got to speak with the Rotarians, who were always excited to have a new young face in their midst, and they had so many amazing speakers that they brought in to give presentations! My favorite one was toward the end of my internship when they brought in a news reporter who had been reporting on the 2020 presidential election- the talk incited so many questions and debate, and it was so exciting to be a part of!

What did you learn about the specific office/position that you are interning for? Anything you would like to say to your officer?

I learned about the specifics of trying to get Rotaract and Rotary more connected. I think before I was under the impression that our relationship with the club just magically happened, but as I planned the events we did with them and went to their meetings, I got to see firsthand just how much goes into their meetings and everything they do, and how much effort goes in to creating collaborative events together. Thanks to my overseeing officers, we were able to create some very fun and helpful events for the club and got to get more Rotarians involved, which was really great to see

Design Interns

Cynthia Shi | Sophomore

Major: Molecular and Cell Biology

About Me:

I'm currently a sophomore studying biology! I enjoy(ed) being outside and my current hobbies include drawing and minesweeper.

How would you describe your overall experience as an intern this semester?

I was able to get more experience with design and get to know the people in Rotaract better!

What was your favorite memory/funniest moment during your internship experience?

The Extra Life stream + working on banners!

What did you learn about the specific office/position that you are interning for? Anything you would like to say to your officer?

I learned just how many designs need to be created in a semester and how to organize all the work. I'm really grateful for all the work Emily does to keep things running smoothly!

Forrest McCann | Sophomore

Major: Math

About Me:

Hey there! My name is Forrest! I am a sophomore studying mathematics. When I’m not doing homework, I enjoy getting outside and helping people. Some things I do include hiking, backpacking, photography, and skiing. I’m originally from South Lake Tahoe. Hopefully we can all get outside again, sooner or later; sucks being stuck inside. Feel free to hit me up with any questions!

How would you describe your overall experience as an intern this semester?

Amazing! I learned more about graphic design and made some cool designs!

What was your favorite memory/funniest moment during your internship experience?

Accidentally uploading a Facebook banner late because I forgot to hit "save".

What did you learn about the specific office/position that you are interning for? Anything you would like to say to your officer?

Thanks Emily! I learned how to use Canva.

Treasurer Interns

Duy-Anh Dang | Freshman

Major: Intended CS/ Data Science

About Me:

If you bring me a taco, I will do anything you ask.

How would you describe your overall experience as an intern this semester?

It was very insightful on how the position works behind the scenes.

What was your favorite memory/funniest moment during your internship experience?

I really liked the hands-on approach of filling out receipts, which helped me learn a lot.

What did you learn about the specific office/position that you are interning for? Anything you would like to say to your officer?

Thank you for supporting us and teaching us through these odd times.

Zannelle Iwen | Junior

Major: Sociology

About Me:

Hello! I am a Montana native who has been living in the Bay Area for the last five years. I'm majoring in Sociology and when I'm not in class I love to learn new things. Over quarantine I've tried to pick up sewing, baking, painting, and playing the trombone, but mostly I just end up watching reality TV. Joining Rotaract this semester has been such a great experience and allowed me to meet a ton of great people at UC Berkeley, I can't wait to see what next semester brings.

How would you describe your overall experience as an intern this semester?

Being an intern was a great experience! I feel like I got to see what goes on behind the scenes of a semester of Cal Rotaract. Even virtually I feel like I learned a lot about the financial and budgetary aspects of the club. Nick and Jennifer were super great teachers and I loved getting to learn from during this internship.

What was your favorite memory/funniest moment during your internship experience?

My favorite part of the internship experience was getting to know my fellow interns and chairs. It gave me a chance to get to know people in a smaller group setting throughout the whole semester. Rotaract is such a welcoming club and it was great to have an opportunity to both socialize and learn important skills.

What did you learn about the specific office/position that you are interning for? Anything you would like to say to your officer?

Thank you both so much for your time and hard work this semester! 🙂

Mika Huynh | Junior

Major: Molecular and Cell Biology

About Me:

I'm a premed student, but I try to balance work and play by sacrificing my sleep schedule. Whenever I find free time, or even when I'm not actually free, I love playing music, whether that be on piano, guitar, or singing. I find a lot of comfort in food, so I'm down to try anything with anyone!

How would you describe your overall experience as an intern this semester?

Being an intern was something that allowed me to feel like I was making more of a difference during this online semester. I truly wanted to get more engaged throughout the semester, not only in Rotaract, but also at Berkeley, especially this being my first semester and it being online. I appreciated the experience that I earned and the treasurers' willingness to teach, as it all made me feel more welcome and involved within the club

What was your favorite memory/funniest moment during your internship experience?

The funniest moments throughout the semester were all due to the wonderful Zoom. Whether it be the unstable Internet connection making us freeze mid-sentence, or the discovery of the remote control option, it was all an amazing journey that made the experience as best as it could be.

What did you learn about the specific office/position that you are interning for? Anything you would like to say to your officer?

I learned the dedication and hard work that it took to be an internal officer. Nick and Jennifer were both amazing, kind, and patient and took the time to walk us all through essential processes when we could've instead been thrown in head first. It's safe to say that their time and efforts paid off and make me feel more confident in becoming one of the new treasurers.

Nicholas Hy | Sophomore

Major: Intended Environmental Economics and Policy

About Me:

My name is Nicholas Hy, and I am a pre-dental student. In my free time, I enjoy playing basketball and volleyball, exercising, skating, longboarding, and collecting sneakers.

How would you describe your overall experience as an intern this semester?

Being a treasurer intern this semester was very insightful because I was able to be more involved by doing treasurer duties. Nick and Jen were also patient with the interns despite the virtual setting, so I felt comfortable in learning more about Rotaract and the treasurer position.

What was your favorite memory/funniest moment during your internship experience?

My favorite memory was being able to control Nick’s computer using my own computer using Zoom’s remote feature. It was absolutely mind-blowing, in my opinion. Filling out reimbursements virtually became much easier!

What did you learn about the specific office/position that you are interning for? Anything you would like to say to your officer?

One specific task that I learned was to fill out reimbursements which was very tedious. It really encouraged me to carefully input information so that there were no errors. Thank you Nick and Jen for being wonderful treasurers and mentors. I am looking forward to reading your finance handbook.