APIA Scholars Programs Team Newsletter #1

WEEK OF OCTOBER 10, 2022

Welcome to the Programs Team Newsletter!

Question of the Week!

Drumroll Please!!

What's Spicy?

Weekly Priorities

What's Coming Up?

Upcoming Timeline of Events

Working Styles Check-In

Cultivating Gratitude & Joy: Letters of Love

Give/Receive Shoutouts

Share Any Memorable Pics!

Question of the Week!

Changes Every Week! :)

What is your favorite snack/treat to have for Halloween festivities? If you don't participate in Halloween, what would be the ideal snack/treat during this specific season? (click me)

Cindy Luo:

"dark chocolate peanut butter cups; green tea kitkats; egg tarts; apple pie; pumpkin & sweet potato pie"

Ryan Nguyen:

"White Fudge Pretzels, Pumpkin Pie with extra whipped cream, homemade rice krispies"

Shyam Gadwal:

"when it comes to candy - Reese's peanut butter cups all the way!"

What's Spicy Right Now?

List your top 1-3 priorities for the week!

If not applicable, share a few thoughts (positive/negative) about current and ongoing tasks.

Getting Priorities Straight! (click me)

Cindy Luo:

GMS Renewal Closeout (~80 Scholars)
Onboarding & welcoming Michelle Khlot
Mapping out the rest of the year; send in Q2 Workplan

Ryan Nguyen:

Reevaluate internship goals & Complete Q2 Work Plan
Take high-level notes for Cross-Department Collab Meetings
Outline Design of Social Innovation Fellowship with Shyam

Shyam Gadwal:

Complete my Q2 work plan
Prepare for NSPA conference
Set myself/team for post NSPA conference

Christina Lambert:

Emergency Fund and survey review coaching processes!
Welcoming Melvin to the team
Peer Mentor program management

What's Coming Up?

What's on the APIA Scholars calendar for you this week and next week?

Any important announcements and/or meetings?

Are there relevant updates within the current/upcoming month such as planned conferences, vacations, or PTO?

Upcoming on Your Radar! (click me)

Cindy Luo:

Oct 13th: Cindy - PTO
Oct 27-30th: GMS/ITM Conference

Ryan Nguyen:

Oct 11th - Distribute Newsletter #1 to Programs Team
Oct 17th - Distribute Newsletter #2 to Programs Team (Melvin and Michelle Onboarding)
Oct 17th - Complete and Submit Q2 Work Plan to Shyam and Andrea

Shyam Gadwal:

Oct 17: Q2 Work plans due to supervisor and Andrea
Oct 17-Oct 21: NSPA conference (with Scholarships team, Catherine, Sierra, Maggie)

Christina Lambert

Weekly Working Styles Check-In (click me)

How would you rate your success at work this week?Net Promoter Score.

Here, success is defined by you! On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being entirely unsuccessful and 10 being completely successful, please provide a rating that best describes how you feel.

*Note from Ryan - Given the transition into the 4 day workweek, I designed this question in efforts to better understands the needs of our Programs team!

Cindy Luo:

5
It was great to meet with Christina in person last week (Sept. 29-30) to talk through Q2 and update my workplan. I'm working on multiple projects and want to make sure that I'm giving enough attention to each of them.

Ryan Nguyen:

7
These past 3 weeks have shown me what my working styles is actually like and I know I am slowly, but surely gaining confidence working and living here in DC.

Shyam Gadwal:

8
No comment.

Christina Lambert:

6
There's a LOT coming up in October that is exciting, but it's a lot of moving parts to put together.

Cultivating Gratitude & Joy: Letters of Love

Check out the shout-outs/appreciation-notes and fun/memorable moments with members of the Programs Team!

This is nice space to reflect, share, and celebrate the small/big wins achieved for the week!

Christina Lambert

"Christina - I want to extend my thanks to you for your openness and warm welcoming to the Programs team! I am really enjoying the Programs meetings, especially with your icebreakers and funny commentary. Always great vibes and looking forward to all the meetings to come!" - Ryan

"Christina: I love the time we get to spend together and find our conversations so invigorating. Thank you for all the work you're doing to rebuild our programs and reimagine student success. I really appreciate your energy and attentiveness, and I'm so excited for this team to grow :)" - Cindy

"Christina -- thank you for dialogue this week, really excited to for what is to come for the team!" - Shyam

Cindy Luo

"Cindy - Happy early birthday!! I wanted to say thank you for your patience and kindness in helping me get situated into the Programs team - I really appreciate our conversations and truly looking forward to so much more. Also, thank you for your recommendations on all the things to do here in DC!" - Ryan

"Cindy -- I hear there is a new Hasan Minaj special out, can't wait!" - Shyam

"Cindy-I seriously had so much fun during our working session and during Fall Fest, thank you for hanging with me despite the fact that we missed out on the good bagels at call your mother! - Christina"

Melvin Nguyen

Michelle Khlot

Ryan Nguyen

"Ryan: Thanks so much for your questions and for the different ways you've engaged with our team so far (and for bringing this team newsletter back!). I hope you've been settling nicely into DC, and I look forward to more conversations with you!" - Cindy

"Ryan -- congrats on kicking off one of your projects for your internship, this is just the start!" - Shyam

Shyam Gadwal

"Shyam - This is such an exciting opportunity for me to intern and work directly with you in the Programs team. Thank you for your undevoted patience, honesty, and overall support these past weeks. It has been a huge learning curve working full time and being in a completely new environment, but you have made it so rewarding and filled with so much learning. I do not take it for granted and so looking forward to upcoming projects!" - Ryan

"Shyam: I'm excited for you to attend (and speak at) the NSPA Conference with the Scholarships Team. I'm looking forward to hearing how it all goes!" - Cindy

"Shyam-appreciate the fun we have when we chat. We can be talking about the most serious things but also find some joy/fun as well. Thanks for always keeping it grounded!" - Christina

All that is Good and Great!

See what the Programs Team has been up to!!

A safe space to share photos of what was aesthetically pleasing, captivating, inspiring, and interesting this week or last week!

Cindy's Vibes

"I went canoeing on the Georgetown Waterfront before the weather turned frigid :) I wanted to get in the mood for fall, so I went to a cidery and had apple cider that tasted just like apple juice. LOL."

Ryan's Vibes

"Last week, I was able to go on the Capital River Cruise with the UCDC cohort and even though it was raining a lot, it was so cool to hang out with new friends and see the city :) I also went to Eden Center to get Vietnamese groceries and eat a dish called Bun Bo Hue (Beef Noodle Soup) - so bomb and cured my homesickness. And recently, along one of my trips, I stopped to join community for Iran protestors at Farragut Square!

Shyam's Vibes

"Pics when we went to a pumpkin patch in New Jersey. It's a win if she looks into the camera, lol."

Christina's Vibes

"I really like pancakes as some of you know... this past weekend we made a Dutch baby pancake which is supposed to be a fluffier kind of pancake? It was delicious!"

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