Summer 2020: Reflections
Scholar and employer reflections on a summer of virtual internships and self-initiated enrichment.
Teayanna Leytham '21 (remarks from Joanna Hunter, Dairy Management Inc)
Christina Dulal '21 (remarks from Professor Patrick Clauss, Summer Scholars, University of Notre Dame)
Shamar Cousin '21 (remarks from Kinshasa Fowlkes, Camp Dogwood)
Carlondrea (Lala) Petty '23 (remarks from Kinshasa Fowlkes, Camp Dogwood)
Teayanna Leytham '21
Teayanna Leytham interned over the summer for DMI, working specifically on projects for the Office of the CEO. Teayanna was able to quickly understand the complexity of the dairy industry and translate it into actionable results for DMI to implement. One of the projects that Teayanna helped spearhead has become a pilot for the DMI to test reaching a new audience, Gen Z, in an engaging and relevant new way. Teayanna’s professionalism and critical thinking skills brought value to her projects, pushing to bigger thinking and ensuring that each project had a holistic point of view.
Joanna Hunter
Executive Vice President
Communications
Office of the CEO
Dairy Management Inc
Christina Dulal '21
In July of 2020, I had the pleasure of working with Christina Dulal in my Summer Scholars Debate and Public Speaking course. Christina served as a Resident Counselor, responsible for, among other duties, serving as a liaison between the students and me. She helped with tasks large and small, including designing and leading practice sessions and fun activities outside of class. Just several days into the two-week class, Christina was able to sense what needed to be done and took the initiative to do it. Several times, for instance, an activity or task would occur to me, and when I'd ask Christina about it, she'd tell me that not only had she also thought of it too, but that she'd already taken care of the item. Her contributions were numerous and invaluable. Overall, working with Christina was a great experience! She was personable and professional, and it was clear that all of the students appreciated her excellent work, too.
Professor Patrick Clauss
Pre-College Programs, University of Notre Dame
Shamar Cousin '21
Shamar served as our resident “big brother” this summer. His knack for building relationships with our campers, even in a virtual setting, was amazing to watch. Always the team player, he was a huge part of his teams success and I look forward to working with him in the future.
Kinshasa Fowlkes
Camp Director, Camp Dogwood
AnBryce Foundation
(This was Shamar's second summer with Camp Dogwood. In 2019, Shamar won the Brad Chotiner Spirit Award, as counselor of the year.)
Rachel Dinh '22
This summer, I got EMT certified by taking a four-week EMT course. We learned about the human body and what to do in the case of cardiac arrest, a baby delivery, allergic reaction, amongst many other things. At the end of the four weeks, we had to do a clinical simulation where we were presented with a patient dummy and given an emergency situation by the proctor. Coming into the course, I knew that one of my weaknesses was thinking on my feet, especially in stressful situations, but I ended up treating the "patient" successfully! The course further reinforced my desire to be in the medical field and taught me that with practice, I can learn to act under pressure.
Pamela Alvarado-Alfaro '22
Despite the turmoil of events that occurred this past summer, I was fortunate enough to be able to intern at Rising For Justice, a non-profit organization that provides legal assistance to residents of the District of Columbia whose income falls below the federal poverty line and are in grave vulnerability. For the span of my time at RFJ, I worked alongside the attorneys of the Eviction Defense Service sector, offering civil legal assistance to individuals facing eviction in the district. As the intern responsible for interviewing clients during the intake process, I was fortunate enough to meet a multitude of people -- all with different backgrounds and lifestyles. While it was immensely beneficial to experience this type of legal and pro-bono work for my academic trajectory, I found it especially rewarding to have had the opportunity to interact with the community and learn just how important it is to address the economic and social disparities that exist in our society today.
Moving forward, I hope to be able to help the low-income and most vulnerable individuals of our community. My goal is to be able to represent them socially and legally and demand that their voices be heard. From my experience at RFJ, I have learned that while inequalities and disparities exist, we are all human beings who deserve opportunities and rights regardless of socioeconomic status.
Carlondrea (Lala) Petty '23
This Summer Lala received our Rookie of the year award. Her presence, creativity, and positive attitude were huge assets to our virtual camp programming. Her campers loved her, the staff loved her and I cannot wait for her to join us for another camp season.
Kinshasa Fowlkes
Camp Director, Camp Dogwood
AnBryce Foundation