~HAPPY HOLIDAYS~
Important Updates/Reminders:
Harassment Prevention Training (on-line)—be on the lookout for an email from noreply@trustmineral.com with your training link. You will have until Thursday, Dec. 22nd to complete your training.
December 23-January 2: The office will re-open for our hybrid work beginning January 3, 2023.
NEW for 2023: Michelle K. & Gulnara have been working on a new way of tracking our vacation/PSSL hours in Paychex. Starting in early 2023 staff will be requesting vacation/PSSL hours via Paychex. Stay tuned for more information from Michelle K. & Gulnara about this transition as we get closer to 2023! The transition will provide the following benefits:
Staff can access their vacation/PSSL balance at any time by logging into Paychex.
Ability to see all vacation/PSSL submitted for all staff at a glance through the calendar in Paychex, which will provide ease of planning.
This portal will also include tracking of timesheets for interns.
As you plan for vacation over the next few weeks, please remember to add your approved vacation and PTO time to the shared Vacation/PTO calendar. If you have issues accessing this shared calendar let Andrea know.
Drumroll Please!!
Weekly Priorities
Upcoming Timeline of Events
Working Styles Check-In
Give/Receive Shoutouts
Share Any Memorable Pics!
Changes Every Week! :)
Michelle Khlot:
"Mean girls if that counts"
Christina Lambert:
"I really love that animated that came out a few years ago, Klaus."
Melvin Nguyen:
"The Polar Express"
Ryan Nguyen:
"CHRISTMAS IS NEAR. Its always been a tradition of mine to watch the Home Alone series and enjoy too many mugs of Abuelita hot chocolate"
Shyam Gadwal:
"Not very much a movie person, I'd say the show I'm currently on, this year it's The Americans on Hulu"
Cindy Luo:
"Oooh, I love the holiday season. I don't really have one, but when I was younger, I really enjoyed The Polar Express. Over this Thanksgiving, it was Ratatouille all the way."
List your top 1-3 priorities for the week!
If not applicable, share a few thoughts (positive/negative) about current and ongoing tasks.
Christina Lambert:
Prepping for a Programs retreat in January! Wrapping up Emergency fund for this term.
Melvin Nguyen:
- Setting ASANA training and platform to be piloted by programs/scholarships team
- Speed networking and IES event planning
- Post-IES follow-up
Shyam Gadwal:
Dec 5-7: Closing out tasks, sharing knowledge, making partnership connections, social innovation fellowship
Dec 14: transferring files onto server
Dec 15: celebration lunch and equipment hand-over
Cindy Luo:
1. High Priority Scholar Calls
2. Emergency Fund Calls
Michelle Khlot
1. GPI Forms
2. GMS Mailbox
3. Handbook
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?
Cindy Luo:
Dec. 12-22: Cindy OOO
Shyam Gadwal:
12/5 and 12/6 -- APIA Scholars Board meeting
1/2-1/13 -- Noel, Stacy, and Florie will be visiting Hawaii and Guam
Christina Lambert:
I will be OOO from Dec. 7-Dec. 14th.
Melvin Nguyen:
N/A
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:
6
N/A
Ryan Nguyen:
7
There was definitely a time crunch for my final week as an intern, but I received so much support from everyone on the team to get me through it!
Christina Lambert:
5
Lots of meeting this week!
Melvin Nguyen:
5
N/A
Shyam Gadwal:
8
very helpful to get clear on what meetings I need to be a part of
Michelle Khlot:
5
N/A
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 - Your presence was missed last week. Happy that you are back, and looking forward to rounding out this year with you!" - Cindy
"Shout out to Christina for being an amazing tech support for IES." - Melvin
"Christina: thanks so much for your support before my departure was announced to the larger teams!" - Shyam
"Christina! It has been a great pleasure to work with you over these past few months and actually getting to see each other in-person as well! I really appreciate your continuous encouragement and have always looked forward to the Programs team meeting with your warm introductions. I would love to connect with you back in California whenever the chance arises!" - Ryan
"shout out to Christina, I think you are very funny and thank you for making me laugh and being so cool" - Michelle
"Cindy-the support you communicate via gif is superb, thanks for reviving them with me!" - Christina
"Cindy: thanks for sharing awesome opening questions this week at our meeting, the end is just as important as the beginning!" - Shyam
"Cindy! Your check-ins with me have been so valuable and I appreciate it each time! It helps me to ground myself and reflect on my time. Thank you so much for your recommendations in DC and your acts of kindness not only to me, but everyone else on the team as well!" -Ryan
"shout out to cindy for being a great listener and acknowledging my growth! I couldn't grow so awesome without y o u being so amazeballs!!" - Michelle
"Melvin-Incredible job with our first IES session! I am really excited to see how these continue to evolve!" - Christina
"Melvin - I feel like your advice never fails. Thank you for your calm yet chaotic energy :)" - Cindy
"Melvin! I wanted to give you another shoutout on the IES -- it was a beautiful conversation with the right panelists! Thank you for sharing your personal experiences with me during our chats and also allowing me to witness your growth in making awesome drinks! The content and delivery is really cool to see and I'm always looking forward to your posts!" - Ryan
"Melvin: first IES in the books, woo-hoo, what an awesome panel you put together, and I appreciated how they built on each other's answers, that takes behind-the-scenes planning!" - Shyam
"Michelle-Thank you in advance for jumping in to help support Cindy with GMS calls, and for your continued support of all things Programs!" - Christina
"Michelle: Thank you for your openness and the ways you have consistently asked for feedback. I appreciate your presence on this team and the support you've given for survey review and scholar outreach!" - Cindy
"Michelle! Thank you so much for your authenticity and drive to maximize your energy as a student -- it is truly inspiring. I am so grateful to have met you given that we are both UCDC alum and now are connected through APIA Scholars. I hope you take it easy at Berkeley and goodluck in all that you do!" - Ryan
"Michelle: So excited for our call next week and equally inspired by your approach to being a student beyond four years, I think more people should do this!" - Shyam
"Ryan-Thank you for all of your hard work each week putting this together, you will be greatly missed!" - Christina
"Ryan - Happy birthday week :) Hope you had a marvelous Thanksgiving. Thanks so much for your presence on the Programs Team throughout these past few months. Wishing you all the best back at UCI!" - Cindy
"Shout out to Ryan for all the work, positive energy, and thoughtfulness he has brough to the team this semester!" - Melvin
"Ryan: so much to say about your leadership and partnership during our internship, looking forward to all the things when we grab lunch and celebrate, happy belated birthday! thank you so much Ryan for creating this virtual space for our team!" - Shyam
"Ryan, I am so grateful to have been interns with you at the same time! Thank you so much for creating all of the valuable newsletters each week. Your work really shifted the energy to be able to grow and connect with one another! You are very kind and I want to acknowledge how your work really helped to humanize each other and made me feel safer and included in this space." - Michelle
"Let's get back home to loved ones! Time to celebrate small and big wins :)" -Ryan
"Shyam-Thank you for your constant, unwavering leadership through everything that's come up. You have made such a difference to so many, and I am very grateful to have worked with you." - Christina
"Shyam! Thank you so much always making space for me to reach out to you and supporting my learning process of making mistakes and thinking outside of what I am comfortable/familiar with. Our conversations have always ended on a note that makes me feel refreshed and curious about what is next. Shoutout to you for all the incredible work that you have made possible for APIA Scholars and goodluck on all your future ambitions" - Ryan
"Shyam, team 1 for life (Halloween Trivia). *bragging rights* I am so fortunate to have met you and worked on the same team as you. Thank you for always being considerate and helpful and for all of the very meaningful and impactful work you do in supporting students in college and career success. You truly excel at what you do and we are really losing someone special. I appreciate your positive vibes and intelligent thoughtful contributions always." - Michelle
"Shout to the whole program team for joining IES and being in community with our scholars and panelists." - Melvin
"~Wishing you all a toasty, healing, and festive holiday season and last month of 2022~" - Cindy
"I believe in each of you, I love you!" - Shyam
"I am very sad to see you both [Shyam & Ryan] leave and will miss you both but truly honored I had the opportunity to enjoy being a part of the same team and I'm wishing you both the best of luck on your futures and please please stay in touch! :) - Michelle
"woot woot go team xD" - Michelle
"Thank you so much Programs team for your dedication to this iteration of the newsletter. It was fun to put it all together and I hope that all of you continue to find reflections in all that is good and great :) I also wanted to give a special shoutout to each of you for the time, patience, and support that has allowed me to be successful in my internship. Have a wonderful holiday break and I wish everyone the best of luck in ending this year strong!" - Ryan
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
"It's Rocky Road for a rocky life, but especially grateful this season after discovering Trader Joe's vegan ice cream."
"Mary Oliver's words serendipitously found me this week when I really needed them. Passing this along to you all."
Christina's Vibes
"Ok THESE are the photos of River in his rain jacket. He still hates it."
Melvin's Vibes
"Thanksgiving dinner recap :-)"
Shyam's Vibes
"I'm training my niece Geeta to be a spy, we're coming after you dora!
Ryan's Vibes
"I really wanted to experience Winter in the DMV, but I was fortunate to catch some fun beginnings of the holidays here before I head back to Orange County. Definitely gotta come back soon and check out different events throughout the year. Until next time!"
Michelle's Vibes
"my cat friends"