About Me

Lifeguard ( Summer 2017-Fall 2019)

• I started working at the local pool when I was 15 after being certified for CPR, first aid, and waterpark safety (those certifications have expired, this is my most recent). I worked as part of a team of -lifeguards who rotated positions every 15-20 minutes and would work together in the event of an emergency. An important part of working on this team was making sure our individual tasks were completed so we could continue as a whole, and making sure we were respectful of each other's time. Because we worked in rotations, the person on break needed to head out a bit early to insure the person behind them got their full break. In the event of an emergency, we had to make sure we communicated effectively and were aware of procedure. A common theme with my internship is that my tasks are a part of a whole-I need to make sure that I accomplish what I need to do so that others can do the same, and we move forward as a unit.

Student Volunteer/Assistant (Fall 2020)

• As a highschool student, I assisted a teacher for setting up her class, grading assignments, and cleaning up after class. This required attention to detail, as it was a lab-based class with sensitive components, as well as the fact that I was inputting grades into the school software, so any errors would affect the student's grades. I have to apply that same attention to detail in my internship when checking over reports to catch any last minute errors.

Red Cross Blood Drive (Spring 2017)

• For this blood drive, I greeted donors and helped them fill out the necessary paperwork. This was my first experience with customer service. It gave me insight into how to approach the general public in an official setting. I would argue that you use customer service skills every day of your life when interacting with others. It includes approaching people with empathy and a willingness to work together to solve problems.

Kiwanis Stand at local fair (Summer 2017-Summer 2018)

• This volunteer experience taught me how to juggle responsibilities. At the time, I had my first job and was also on two sports teams, which meant I had to use a lot of time management skills that I hadn't needed before. The actual duties of the volunteer experience (running a cash register, customer interaction) were useful skills of course, but the time management that I had to exercise to even be able to volunteer was the more valuable skill, and it is one I continue to use while balancing school and my internship.

Feed My Starving Children (Fall 2016-Fall 2018)

• This volunteer experience actually happened once a year at my school for a while. The Honors Scholars raised money via various fundraisers throughout the year to be able to host and put on this event for the organization, and the community was invited to help us in packaging food for those who needed it. It was incredible to see everyone come together for this purpose, and to see how well this organization was set up. The event ran like a well-oiled machine, and the insight I took from it was that organization can go a long way in helping with productivity. The event was only three hours long, but we were able to pack incredible amounts of food in that time frame. I now try to be as organized as possible in all areas of my life, whether it be cleanliness, assignments, or scheduling.

Portland Food Pantry (Summer 2020)

• This happened when a young woman from a nearby county restarted the local food pantry. She had approached several churches and organizations, but we were one of the few who responded. It taught me that you can't always wait for someone else to do a task, because sometimes there is no one else. Initiative is something that can be used in many aspects of life, not just my internship.

Sunday School Instructor (2016-Present)

• I have been doing this for quite a while, and I continue to do it when I come home over the weekend. I would say that my biggest takeaway from this is that sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone. I have never been overly comfortable with kids that I was not related to, and I am not always a great teacher because of difficulty with rewording things. However, this helped me to be more comfortable interacting with kids, who really just need to be approached with the same kindness and empathy you approach anyone with.

IUPUI Vaccine Clinic Volunteer (Spring 2021)

• During this clinic, I greeted and screened patients, as well as working as a scribe to input data for the dosage, type, and location of the vaccinations. I also recorded the vaccination with IU. This experience improved my adaptability, which was often needed when helping schedule future appointments or calming nervous patients. Adaptability is used in any volunteer or job experience, as we always have more to learn.

PREPs STEM Career and Internship Fair (Fall 2021)

• At this experience, I greeted visitors, checked them in, helped them fill out their nametag, and assisted business owners to locate the event from the parking garage. This event was different from other experiences due to the dress code, which was business attire. It was very apparent that it was important how volunteers both acted and presented themselves. This is important because in any volunteer experience or job, you are representing a business or organization, and it is your responsibility to do so well.

Attention to detail / Quality Assurance

• I enjoy proofreading, checking over reports and projects, and generally making sure everything is well put together before it leaves my hands.

Time management

• Because of my organizational skills, I am fairly good at time management (when assisted by an agenda).

Organization

• I prefer to be well organized in regards to my environment and approach to school and my internship.

I DO enjoy...

• Compiling information, data entry, organizing, and researching.

I DON'T enjoy...

• Tasks where I am unclear about my responsibilities, and am therefore unsure of the final product's quality.