The semester is simmering down to an end, and I can only hope that I performed well in all of my classes. Beside classes, my job as the Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion’s marketing coordinator is also coming to an end. For a year, I planned and implemented marketing strategies to encourage residential students to engage in the Champlain community. This office is new this year. Champlain has never before had an office that is designed specifically to help and improve the experience of minority at an institution where diversity is low. Even though my job’s description was all about marketing and advertising, but I was given the chance to do more than that working with Angela Batista, the office’s Director. With a personality that has an appetite for networking, I soon jumped on the bandwagon of outreaching. Reaching out to students who long for a sense of connection but do not know how to go about in achieving this. I know I’m capable of show others how to connect with the campus life, because I have been through it once. I was told that there is no better way to teach someone to do something than by having a person who’s been there and done that to guide that person through it. I am no expert at teaching anyone anything (we have professors for that), but by guiding someone, it gives both the opportunity to learn from each other.

My time here at Champlain will always be savor deeply within me. The people I’ve met, the achievements I’ve contributed in making, and the joy in seeing myself grow is astounding. I’d never expect to get this type of experience when I was writing my essay and filling out my college application.

This year, I’ve met countless people that had impacted in my personal growth as an individual. Two Champlain staffs that I would have loved for them to continue to stay close with me, and guide me through the process of learning how to make the best decision for myself, but it turned out that they couldn’t. One left Champlain to further her career, and the other one left under a not so ideal circumstance. I was confused, and my mind was troubling when they both exit my life. I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know whom to turn to for advice, and I felt like I just lost an ally but then I learned something new. I learned from a staff here that even though they’ve left and move on, but it doesn’t mean that they will stop watching me grow. It doesn’t mean that they’re out of my life. It doesn’t mean that they can’t partake in influencing my future’s decisions. They’ll always be there for me. This is the difference between the staff at a high school and the staff at a college or university. They’re not just a staff at the institution, but they’re also your friends.

Posted by Hau Le at 8:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I finally could catch my breath! I meant to update everyone on my Alternative Spring Break trip much earlier but as soon as I got back, I was swooped into this whirling pool of urgent tasks. I had to finish up the Darrly Hunt, Office of Student Diversity banquet, and the Center of Service and Civic Engagement dinner designs. I had to prepare myself for a Residential Assistant interview and a Peer Advisor interview.

The RA position is not an easy position to acquire because of the high number of applicants and limited positions available. They look for someone who can demonstrate leadership skills, someone who’s responsible, someone who’s willing to raise a voice for another and someone who understand that diversity is vital in building a strong community. I’ve always been an active member in the Champlain community, but sitting in that room, it was hard for me to sell myself. My interviewers know who I am, and going into the room, they knew of the stuff I’ve done around campus. For me at least, it was awkward to treat those people as though they don’t know who I am and of the stuff that I’m involved with. So with a marketing mindset, I tried to re-market myself. I tried selling them me again, but in a whole new way, which was why it was difficult. I wanted to tell them the things they already knew about me in a different perspective, a perspective that they might have not seen before. You know, just trying to spice things up a little. March 31, 2008 is the day when I will know if my re-market strategy works or not. Wish me luck!

As for the Alternative Spring Break trip, it was AMAZING! Why? Well I’ve acquired 16 new friends, a connection with a group of women from Noah’s Wish, altered the way that college students were portrayed in a group of gentlemen (who were very reluctant to meeting us), contributed to building a house for a family in need, and something very important—that is I’m gained a little bit more muscles on my arms. The car ride was not the highlight of the trip, but it gave us time to bond with one another, to get to know each other in a whole new way. By the end of the trip, we treated everyone like family. It wasn’t just love in this family, we had little tiffs, we were stressed out, and we might have passed some blames (by accident of course) but in the end, we came back still loving each other and continued to hold onto the friendships we forged.

I realized that this is getting a bit too long…but I have so much more to say. I really don’t know where to start and how to condense everything down without losing the essence of the experience. I guess if you ask me specific questions, you’d get more out of it that way.

Posted by Hau Le at 9:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)