The H.O.P.E. Organization (Healing Our People Everywhere)
Thomas Carlyle once said, “He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope has everything.” All around the world, there are so many health issues that need to be addressed. Now, is the time to step up to heal our people and work towards creating a healthier, disease-free world.
MISSION
To create a world where everyone has the health care needed to live life to his or her fullest potential. The H.O.P.E. Organization strives to spread hope to people all over the world through the positive impact we make on the health of the people we are serving.
WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT WE DO
As a Global Health and Global Medicine majors, I have had the opportunity to learn about the numerous diseases and health disparities that exist around the world. Seeing this made me want to go out and do something to reduce or even get rid of these health issues. At the H.O.P.E. Organization, we deliver medicines and supplies, as well as provide volunteers and medical training wherever needed. We also work hard to promote wellness, in addition to responding to disasters and health crises around the world. We are passionate about what we do because we are committed to healing the people of our world, so they can live healthy lives full of hope.
WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE
The H.O.P.E. Organization focuses on three main areas:
Disasters and Health Crises
In the case that a disaster strikes or a health crisis is to arise, the H.O.P.E. Organization is ready to respond with our emergency response team who will then work with the local health facilities to provide support.
Infectious Diseases
There are still infectious diseases out there affecting populations around the world. However, the H.O.P.E. Organization is here to try and implement different programs that will focus on prevention and treatment. We will put more focus on neglected tropical diseases that tend to be ignored, but are still creating a problem.
Chronic Diseases
Similar to infectious diseases, chronic diseases are also very persistent and continue to grow as a problem. We want to create programs in different countries that can provide education to the public on how to better take care of themselves and manage their diseases. We plan to do so by providing medical training to local healthcare professionals so that they are better equipped to care for the people.
REASON WHY ANIMA MUNDI DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS SHOULD SUPPORT US
Anima Mundi Development Partners should support the H.O.P.E. Organization because we are dedicated to providing long-term solutions to the various health problems around the world, as well as spreading hope to people everywhere. By supporting the H.O.P.E. Organization, AMDP can help us further expand to other countries in need, and provide even better medical help.
With this upcoming week being the last week of summer classes, this weekend I was busy studying for finals and preparing for presentations. However, I decided I deserve a break from all that studying and ended up going to Koreatown with a friend for dinner on Saturday.
One of my favorite foods is fried chicken, especially Korean fried chicken. Because of this, my friend and I went to The Gangjung, which is a small restaurant with really delicious Korean fried chicken. I think I’ve been to this place so many times and have tried almost all of the different flavors they have for their fried chicken. However, when my friend and I went this weekend, we were struggling to decide on what to order. Somehow, we ended up getting the Original Gangjung with rice cakes. In my opinion, this is one of the best flavors since you can never go wrong with the original.
After dinner, we still had room for some dessert and ended up getting boba. Once our tummies were full, we headed for MacArthur Park to go see the KX Festival. This was a small music festival where a lot of local artists got the chance to come out and perform and show what they've been working on. It was a very fun experience for me since I got to see some of my favorite artists, as well as discover new ones that I would like to listen to more in the future. All in all, I had a fun study break! :)
One of the reasons I decided to become a Global Health major, as well as do a progressive degree in Global Medicine is because I’ve always been interested in the health of others around the world. I originally wanted to go into the field of global health in order to learn more about the diseases and illnesses around the world, as well as the health disparities that may exist. I want to be able to help communities in different countries to address the disparities they may face and make efforts to establish programs and such to counter or reduce these disparities. I think through the opportunity to take various global health/medicine classes, I’ve gained more knowledge about this area. Just last semester, I took a class on child and maternal health. After taking that class, I realized how vulnerable this population was. Because of this, I knew I wanted to do something about all the various health issues mothers and their children face, whether they are from the U.S. or another country.
Next semester, I plan to take a class on clinical nutrition. The reason I decided to register for that class is because I wanted to learn more about nutrition. Being here in Los Angeles, I realized how hard it is for people to get access to the fresh, nutritious food that is necessary to be healthy. Part of the reason is because L.A. is a food desert. One way I saw people try to tackle this problem is by creating an organization that goes into local elementary schools and plant gardens. In doing so, they are teaching the children about nutrition and how to eat healthy, as well as providing them with nutritious food to eat. Essentially, my vision for the future is a world in which there are no more health disparities around the world, essentially a healthy, disease-free world. Regardless of knowing that such a vision is very far out there and maybe even unattainable, I am still very motivated to go after this vision. My dream is to one day create a non-profit organization that will bring more awareness to the various health disparities and global health problems, in addition to providing basic health necessities to all the countries in need.
Wow, I can’t believe summer is almost over. This is my first time staying in L.A. for the summer, and I guess I can say it was totally worth it! From taking classes and working at the USC Bookstore to interning in Downtown L.A., it’s been a summer full of fun experiences. When I first told people that I would be taking four classes over the summer, everyone’s reaction would be full of shock. Four classes… 16 units…. all in one summer. Basically, I was taking a semester’s worth of classes in just 2 ½ months. I was a bit nervous at the beginning of the summer, but now that I’m reaching the end of all my summer classes I don’t think it was as bad as I originally thought. I was able to learn some valuable things that I feel will help me a lot in the future. And, on top of that, I got the chance to meet so many new people through all my classes. I think my favorite part about this summer would have to be my internship. I’m currently interning at Studio 5A (ST5A) or 5A LABEL located in Downtown L.A. ST5A is a recording and mixing studio. You’re probably wondering why someone with a Global Health major is interning at a music studio, right? Well, why not? I was hired as one of the summer interns to help write new bios for their artists. In addition to that, I get to learn a little bit about music production, which is something I’ve always been interested in. So far, my experience as an intern has been so cool! I’ve had the chance to meet so many amazing people that I’ve only seen online. And not to mention, the studio’s dog, Elroy, is the most adorable dog ever! I’m excited to see what’s to come for the remainder of my internship this summer.
*By the way, go check out Justin Park’s and Demie’s music on YouTube! (They’re amazing!) :D
Although not really having the chance to carefully read the entire second half of Born on Third Base by Chuck Collins, I still liked the messages he was discussing. I really like how Part VI – “The Invitations” was a call to action for all the readers. Collins starts this section of the book with 10 elements that are necessary to implement a program that could tackle the inequality issue. After having spent most of the book addressing the wealthiest 1 percent, he goes on to address the 99 percent and provide recommendations that could help reduce inequality and increase their power. I also like the message about “the 1 percent that lives inside us”. It’s important to take a step back and realize that while we do have problems of our own here in the U.S., most of us still have privileges and advantages compared with others around the world. I think society should be more open-minded and realize that there’s more problems out there than just the ones we are dealing with. I feel like in doing so people can better appreciate what they already have, even if it’s not the most. Last, but not least, Collins message to “proceed with empathy”. He brings up a good point that the wealthy often appear to have so many perks, privileges, and comforts, which makes it hard for society to see the “wounds” that may lie underneath. In order to work together to solve this problem of inequality, people must learn to share their stories and listen to the stories of others. “It is hard to hate someone when you know their story” (229). That is why it’s important to build connections with one another. In addition, it might take some different strategies to fix this problem of inequality.
TO: Clark Hansen, CEO, AMDP FROM: Paula Nguyen, Research & Development, AMDP DATE: July 11, 2018 SUBJECT:Investment Opportunity: SoapBox Soaps
As a member of the Research and Development Department of AMDP, my duty is to identify potential companies for AMDP to invest in. At AMDP, we look for companies that are committed to doing business in a socially responsible, environmentally sustainable, and profitable manner. After extensive research, I recommend investing in SoapBox Soaps. As a mission-based personal care company, I believe that SoapBox Soaps aligns with our core values. This won’t just be an investment in another company, but rather an investment in a movement.
AMDP Standards
Before I discuss any further about SoapBox Soaps, I want to briefly go over our standards here at AMDP:
Triple Bottom Line
Triple bottom line consists of the three P’s:
People: Ensuring that all the activities and operations within a company benefits the employees as well as the community.
Planet: Avoiding any activities that could potentially harm the environment, along with finding ways to further reduce any negative impact on the ecosystem.
Profit: Having a clear, long-term strategy focused on sustainable growth and maximizing a company’s profitability.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Proactive behavior by a company for the benefit of society. Corporate social responsibility allow companies to take responsibility for the social and environmental impacts of their business operations.
Social Enterprise
Companies that are involved in selling goods and services, but with underlying social objectives that serve as its primary purpose. Essentially, social enterprises aim to balance activities that will provide financial benefit with goals that will benefit society.
Carbon Footprint
Carbon footprint is a total of all the greenhouse gas emissions you produce through your everyday activities. The reason it’s called a carbon footprint is because the main greenhouse gas involved is carbon dioxide or CO2. To measure carbon footprint, we look at the tons of CO2 equivalent, since there are other gases in addition to CO2 that play a role in global warming. It’s important to take note of our carbon footprint, since it shows how much we contribute to global warming and can help us in figuring out ways to reduce our impact on the climate. Additionally, monitoring and reducing our carbon footprint can help us to become greener.
SoapBox Soaps
Background
David Simnick first founded SoapBox Soaps in 2010 with the simple mission of wanting to encourage people to change the world through every day, quality purchases. After working for a USAID subcontractor on water aid projects, Simnick was inspired to use the power of business to drive social good. That was when the idea of SoapBox was born. Simnick made his first ever batch of soap in his college apartment kitchen during his time at American University. SoapBox quickly grew into a team of motivated individuals, all of whom are dedicated to providing their customers with quality products that place giving into their daily routine. For each SoapBox product purchased, a bar of soap is donated to someone in need either within the U.S. or abroad, along with proper hygiene education. According to SoapBox Soaps, “Access to soap can change a life, which is why we believe that Soap = Hope”.
People
SoapBox Soaps goal is to only help, never hurt. As mentioned before, for every SoapBox Soaps product purchased, a bar of soap is donated to a person in need through their partner, the Global Soap Project. To create more of a connection, the Hope Code was created and started appearing on their products in 2015. The Hope Code is an alphanumeric code that’s printed on each label. When consumers enter the code on the SoapBox website, they can see the project the donation is going towards, along with photos. While SoapBox Soaps isn’t the first company to have a “buy-one-give-one” mission, it has implemented many ways to improve sustainable giving. For instance, it has collaborated with local organizations in the countries where they give to and provide funds to start soap-making businesses. This helps support the local economy and provide a culturally familiar personal care product. SoapBox also gives soap bars to food banks and homeless shelter. About 50% of soap bar donations are within the U.S., where it goes towards providing health and hygiene to people from all kinds of communities. In addition, SoapBox Soaps also funds research that The Carter Center and the F.I. Proctor Foundation at UCSF are conducting on how water sanitation and hygiene education can help reduce trachoma infections. SoapBox Soaps also takes care of their employees. They don’t require 60-80 hour work weeks from their employees. All that they expect is that each employee does the amount of work that needs to be done while having fun and loving what they do, since that is how they have been able to make such a tremendous impact.
Planet
For SoapBox Soaps, the ingredients that goes towards producing the soaps are very important. With the use of naturally derived ingredients, all soaps are free of gluten, parabens, and other chemical preservatives often used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. On top of that, all soaps are made ethically, so palm oil is not used in an effort to limit the destruction of natural habitats in Southeast Asia. As for the soap bars being donated, these are made from recycled soap bars from hotels that have been shaved down, sanitized, and reformed to make a brand new bar. Donations of soap bars are also paired with hygiene lessons. By working together with nonprofits that not only make and distribute the bars, but also teach hand-washing etiquette through their hygiene ambassador programs. According to Matt Vasilogambros from The Atlantic, “This soap could save the world…The results have been impressive…The humanitarian relief has affected countries from Thailand and Kenya to Ecuador and Haiti.” To date, 6,000 hygiene lessons have been taught, and over 3 million lives have been impacted. SoapBox Soaps works hard to help reduce deaths from diarrheal diseases and respiratory infections that can be prevented by the simple act of washing hands at necessary times.
Profit
SoapBox Soaps hit $1 million in sales at the end of 2014, and has tripled in growth every year since 2010. It currently has distribution in Target, CVS, Whole Foods, and other various retail stores across the country, as well as online. As stated by Linda Casey from BXP Magazine, “SoapBox Soaps wants to be the change”. Moreover, as a socially minded brand, SoapBox has evolve its marketing and branding strategy, which will help with sustainability.
Recommendation
SoapBox Soaps has demonstrated rapid growth for being a startup, and shows signs of even further growth in the future. With its present business model of supporting local economies while providing soap and hygiene education, SoapBox Soaps can be seen to be different from other “buy-one-give-one” companies. What it needs now is AMDP’s support to continue its commitment of spreading hope. I highly recommend investing in SoapBox Soaps and joining the movement towards making a positive difference around the world.
References
"Brand Spotlight: Soapbox Soaps." Influenster.com. N. p., 2017. Web. 2 July 2018, https://www.influenster.com/article/brand-spotlight-soapbox-soaps Commerce, SoapBox. "Soapbox Soaps: Clean Strategy Making A Global Difference." U.S. Chamber of Commerce. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, https://www.uschamber.com/above-the-fold/soapbox-soaps-clean-strategy-making-global-difference "Hope Code Helps Soapbox Connect Customers To Its Mission - Technical.Ly DC." Technical.ly DC. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, https://technical.ly/dc/2018/03/29/hope-code-helps-soapbox-connect-customers-mission/ "How We Give." Soapbox. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, https://www.soapboxsoaps.com/pages/how-we-give Promotions, Bank et al. "What Is Your Carbon Footprint - How To Calculate & Reduce It." Moneycrashers.com. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, https://www.moneycrashers.com/carbon-footprint-definition-calculate-reduce/ Radcliffe, Brent. "Social Enterprise." Investopedia. N. p., 2014. Web. 2 July 2018, https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-enterprise.asp Responsibility?, What. "What Is Corporate Social Responsibility?." Business News Daily. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4679-corporate-social-responsibility.html "Soapbox Soaps | B Corporation." Bcorporation.net. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, https://www.bcorporation.net/community/soapbox-soaps "Soapbox Soaps Hits $1M In Sales And Expands Product Reach." Elevation DC. N. p., 2015. Web. 2 July 2018, http://www.elevationdcmedia.com/innovationnews/soapboxsoaps_05012015.aspx "Soapbox Soaps Wants To Be The Change." BXP Magazine. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, http://www.bxpmagazine.com/article/soapbox-soaps-wants-be-change Vasilogambros, Matt. “This Soap Could Save the World.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 2 Dec. 2013, www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/12/this-soap-could-save-the-world/437697/. "What Is A 3P Triple Bottom Line Company?." Smallbusiness.chron.com. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/3p-triple-bottom-line-company-4141.html
From what I have read so far from Born on Third Base by Chuck Collins, I have started gaining a new perspective on social inequality. I found what Collins had to say about the relationship status between U.S. people and the super-wealthy was quite interesting. People “feel enraged, admiring, and wish to be the object of…[their] own anger” (9). This quote really stuck out to me for some reason. Society tends to fawn over those who are rich and even worship celebrities and such with great fortunes. Yet, society also sees those that are most endowed as being greedy and selfish, and even hold resent towards the rich. But why does it have to be that way? I think it’s important for both sides to gain a better understanding of the other side, in order to work together to reduce social inequality. This is why I think Collins makes a good point when he brings up this concept of empathy. In order to bring about change to this issue of inequality, there is an empathetic barrier to change. In my opinion, society’s attitudes need to be changed. This current mindset that society has was acquired from historical systems of racial and class advantage, as well as from huge economic and political distortions in the economy. In order to solve this issue, everyone needs to work alongside one another to attain economic justice. I have enjoyed reading this book. I think some of the concepts discussed in the book are things I have seen in real life, but now it is put into words in a way that I can understand the impact that it’s making. I’m looking forward to seeing how the second half of Born on Third Base will be, and what other things Collins will discuss about.
Just yesterday I got to go home for the first time since the summer session started. Home for me is Sacramento, CA, which is a bit far and makes it somewhat harder to go back as often. One of my favorite parts about coming home is seeing my dog. She's a small, 9-year old shih tzu named Gucci, who's been living with my family for almost 8 years now.
You're probably wondering why she's named Gucci, right? Well, to answer the question you probably had in mind, she is named after the brand Gucci, but that wasn't the name my family gave her. We actually adopted my dog from some family friends living out in Atlanta, Georgia. They originally bought the dog for their daughter's birthday, but after a year and a half, they didn't want the dog anymore. We heard them talking about wanting to open their front door and just let the dog free, and we felt really bad so we decided to take her in. My dad actually ended up driving all the way to Atlanta to pick up my dog and bring her home. And that's how Gucci became a part of my family.
My second favorite part about coming home is seeing my family. As much as I enjoy the freedom and independence from being in college and away from home, it can get lonely at times. During the summer, coming home means that I get to be a supportive sister and go watch my little brother swim at his weekly swim meets. It makes me proud to see how much he has improved in his swimming since the time he started when he was younger.
And of course, my most favorite part is the food! Every time I come home, I always send my mom a request of all the dishes I want to eat. I usually don't eat my three meals every day since I'm so busy at school. On top of that, I can't really cook as well. So, it's nice to go home every once in a while and be able to eat yummy, home-cooked meals.
Here's a picture of one of my favorite dishes--pho!
One of my goals this summer is to learn how to cook. Let's hope I can figure it out a bit so I can survive next school year.
Do you remember the glorious disco days? Those were the days when the roller skating was the place to go as a pastime. As the years went by, roller skating became more than just a retro pastime. The skating rink became a place where family, friends, and just about anyone can come together to have a great time. You’re missing out big time if you’ve never been to a birthday party at the local roller skating growing up. But why does any of this even matter, you may wonder? For 10 years of my life, I have roller-skated. While you may be thinking that I went to a roller skating rink for years just to roll around in circles, I actually did much more than that. I was a competitive roller skater, or as I like to call myself an artistic roller skater. What’s that you may ask? Well, you know the ice skaters you watch on TV competing at the Olympics? That’s exactly what I did, except on four wheels on a wooden floor. Amazing, right? I bet you haven’t heard about roller skating being a competitive sport. Well, let me introduce you to the world of artistic roller skating and how it came to be a sport that I have grown to love.
Now Hold Up—What Exactly Is Artistic Roller Skating?
Like I mentioned before, artistic roller skating is quite similar to ice skating, although there are some differences. Artistic roller skaters generally use either quad or inline skates, with quad skates being the more traditional and common choice.
There are three main disciplines in artistic roller skating:
Figures
Freestyle
Dance
Figures is a discipline that requires skaters to retrace a series of figure patterns on a set of circles painted on the skating rink surface. While you may think that skating on a circle may sound easy, it’s actually quite hard when you add in a variety of difficult take-offs, edges, and turns. On top of that, you have to try to keep a thin line between your wheels. This requires a lot of body control, concentration, as well as accuracy.
Freestyle is the more commonly known discipline, and the one that attracts the most attention too. It’s a combination of jumps, spins, and footwork done to music to create a performance. Freestyle tends to be the big attention-getter because of all the “cool tricks” that skaters do.
As for dance, partners or individuals skate to arranged patterns and rhythms. Dance calls for timing, posture, accuracy, as well as musical expression from the skaters. Each dance has its own set of steps and patterns, and can be skated to a variety of “ballroom-type” music ranging from the blues, foxtrots, waltzes, to tangos, polkas and more.
Here’s a video of my skating partner and me skating our dance event at the 2015 National Championships!
Let’s Roll It Back To the Start
Before I go any further, let me give you a brief history on how roller skating started. So, the first person to create roller skates, was actually a man named John Merlin in the 1760s. He was quite a well-known inventor, but not so much of a skater, since he ended up crashing himself into a mirror and hurting himself badly.
In 1819, Monsieur Petitbled became the first person to patent roller skates. The skate he made were inline skates, with wooden soles, leather straps, and three wheels. It wasn’t the best skates, since you couldn’t really turn, but it was a start.
This finally brings us to James Leonard Plimpton, also known as the “Father of Modern Roller Skating”. With only inline skates being available for the longest time, Plimpton invented a new kind of roller skate in 1863. Finally, we had a four-wheeled roller skate that allowed skaters to turn.
Later on came the 1970s, and with it a boom in the roller skating industry. Together with the disco popularity, many adults were going to the roller skating rink. And by 1977, you had people everywhere skating to music.
After the disco era, the roller skating industry slowed down a bit in terms of growth. But it still became an activity that provides fitness and a lot of fun.
Lights, Sparkle, Skate!: The World of Competition
Artistic roller skating is rather a diverse sport. There are skaters of all ages, from all over the world, from the basic beginner to world-class champions. Although this sport may not be as popular as its ice counterpart, it still has a large number of skaters.
With the first roller Dance Championships in 1939, artistic roller skating competitions have come a long way. With local competitions, Regional Championships, and National Championships…there’s a lot in the competition world. But wait—it doesn’t stop there! Artistic roller skating has a World Championship too, in which the best skaters from all over the world come together to compete. Sadly, artistic roller skating is not an Olympic sport, which is one of the reasons it’s not a well-known sport.
Skating competitions, whether at the local, regional, national, or world level, requires a lot. Skaters spend hours and weeks at the skating rink dedicated to practice. Then, there are the skating costumes and skates, which plays a bit into the cost factor. You want to have good skates to practice and compete in, as well as beautiful costumes to wear. And, don’t forget about traveling to competitions. It’s quite intense if you take a step back and look at all the different parts. Especially, if you consider how a skater only has two to three minutes to prove their skating ability in front of the judges.
So Now What?
Even if you’re not interested in competing and learning the different disciplines, I still recommend grabbing a couple of friends someday and heading to the rink for a skating session. Just as it used to be a great pastime, it’s still a fun activity to do nowadays too. Who knows? Maybe you’ll get caught up in all the excitement around roller skating.
* Since I mentioned I used to roller skate, here are some more videos of my skating partner and me during my last year of skating at the 2015 National Championships:
Works Cited
Moore, Amy. “Roller Skating Facts You Might Not Know.” History and Evolution of Roller Skating, 2006, www.mooreamy.com/evolution/facts.htm.
National Museum of Roller Skating, 2010, www.rollerskatingmuseum.com/homework.html.
In the second half of Growing a Farmer, Kurt Timmermeister continues to describe his journey as a farmer. He explains about how he eventually got chickens for his farm. I thought this chapter, as well as the chapter on butchering, really went into a lot of detail, which weren’t exactly very pleasant to read. Although I know that it is all a part of the process of getting these foods onto our plates, I would rather not read about how the animals are slaughtered and butchered. Besides that, I found it very admirable how he was able to learn so much from his experiences. For someone who didn’t know as much, Timmermeister was able to learn to adjust and change his practices in order to produce the best products. In my opinion, it’s important to have the mindset to want to learn from your mistakes. My favorite chapters from the second half of the book are “Chapter Fourteen – The Present-Day Farm” and “Chapter Fifteen – The Table”. For me, these two chapters really explained what the farm truly meant to Timmermeister. I like how even though Timmermeister doesn’t consider his farm to be “neither efficient nor particularly profitable”, he still loves it. Every part of his farm has a story and make up a significant part of Kurtwood Farms. I think the most important part for Timmermeister is the fact that this farm was something he shaped himself, as a part of his journey in becoming a more experienced farmer, and that’s what makes it meaningful. On top of all that, he created an environment and culture that he envisioned for his farm, and that’s what makes it unique. Overall, I really enjoyed reading Growing a Farmer. It was inspiring to see how Timmermeister was able to start with nothing, and after years of hard work, he was able to create the farm of his dreams. Even if it’s not the ideal farm, it’s still perfect in the sense that the farm was able to encompass all the visions and dreams that Timmermeister had. After reading this book, I can say that my perspective on the food that I eat: from where it comes from and how it was produced, to how it was prepared has really changed. And most importantly, I learned that it’s okay to follow your dreams, even if it can be a rough path. Because at the end of the day, perseverance is key to achieving even your wildest dreams.
Oh no, the football season is starting and you don't have anything to wear to the next game! No need to worry, just stop by the USC Bookstore! We have everything that you'll need to show off your Trojan spirit. That's right, I'm one of the many student workers you can find at the USC Bookstore. Upon starting college, one of the many things I was excited about was getting my first job. That's how I found myself working at the Bookstore within a couple months of my first semester at USC. Just after a year, the head manager promoted me to become one of the few student supervisors. While working in college isn't always exciting, the past two years I've spent at the Bookstore have proved to be otherwise. Finding out when new products come in and getting discounts are some perks of the job. But what exactly does a student supervisor do besides working the cash registers? There are three responsibilities that help to describe my role as a student supervisor at the USC Bookstore:
Overseer
Waiter/Waitress
Interior Designer
I'll explain these using examples of what I do on a typical day.
Overseer
While the store managers do most of the behind-the-scenes work to run the Bookstore, the student supervisors are the ones you see working mostly with the customers. Along with that, is also overseeing the work of the other student workers. We accomplish this in these ways:
Assigning positions to the student workers and ensuring they complete their duties
Keeping track of the schedule of student workers for the day
Solving any problems that the student workers may have
This is essentially the main duty of all student supervisors. Usually what happens is that I'll come in for my shift and there will be about four to five other student supervisors there as well. We'll divide among the three main floors of the Bookstore and have a small group of two to three other student workers on each of the floors with us. Depending on which floor I'm on, I'll assign the student workers different tasks for them to do during their shift. If the student workers happen to run into a problem with a customer, then they'll come to me or the other student supervisors so that we can resolve the issue.
Waiter/Waitress
In this role, the student supervisors act as a waiter/waitress and provide service to the customers by doing the following:
Greeting customers with a smile and asking if they need any assistance
Attending to any of the customer's need
Providing the best in-store shopping experience
Most customers come to the USC Bookstore in hopes of being able to buy a nice souvenir of some kind, such as a sweatshirt, hat, mug, etc. And of course, we want them to get their money's worth by providing an exceptional customer experience. In order to do this, I always greet the customers when they come to the floor I'm supervising and ask if they need help finding anything. Normally, most customers are just looking around and don't need any help. For those that do need assistance, I do my best to attend to their needs whether that be finding a clothing item in a certain size, giving recommendations on what to buy, or even just giving out the code to the restroom. I try to provide all customers with the best in-store experience in hopes that they will want to buy more things and want to come back in the future.
Interior Designer
The USC Bookstore isn't just a place where students go to get their basic college needs. There's actually so much more merchandise. If there's something you need, then there are chances you can find it at the USC Bookstore. That's why we need to make sure to display all of our items in an easy-to-find and appealing way. Thus, as a student supervisor part of our responsibilities is to be an interior designer by:
Creating visually appealing displays
Changing the furniture layout and space arrangement
The layout of the USC Bookstore is constantly changing, depending on the seasons (weather and sport) and events occurring. It's our job to help bring in various USC merchandise and organize them in an attractive way. I have actually spent hours folding shirts on our large T-shirt wall on the second floor just so that everything would look neat and aligned. The more visually appealing the displays, the more desirable the merchandise will be to the customers.
Growing a Farmer by Kurt Timmermeister is essentially a mix between a memoir and somewhat of a farm guide. In this book, Timmermeister talks about how he transitions from running a café and restaurant in Seattle, to moving out to Vashon Island and establishing his own farm. Through each chapter, Timmermeister describes the process of how he becomes a farmer, including all the challenges he faced along the way. From starting with a four-acre plot, Kurt went from growing tomatoes to beekeeping, and even taking care of cows and producing raw milk. He writes in a very businesslike manner, which made it easy to understand the various farm processes that he mentions since I’m not that familiar with farming. One of my favorite chapters so far is “Chapter Six – Cows”. In this chapter, Timmermeister describes how he got his first cow for the farm. He initially gets the cow so that his farm would be seen as a “real farm”, which would make him “a farmer”. It was interesting to see how he had a whole revelation with bringing in a cow to his farm. The cow became a commitment and would change his life to that of the “farmer’s life” that he always dreamed of. I really enjoyed reading about the different struggles he went through with having a cow and all the things he was able to learn from it. It was funny to see how Timmermeister compares himself to a cow since he considers himself “a stubborn creature of habit” (135). As someone who doesn’t know much about farming nor has had much interest in it, Timmermeister’s book has found a way to get me to keep reading to see what becomes of his journey in becoming a farmer. I’m excited to see how Timmermeister will continue to expand his farm and making it a business in the next couple of chapters.
I was born in Boston, Massachusetts and lived there for four years of my life before moving to Sacramento, California. Coming from the capital of California sounds interesting, but for me, life in Sacramento was a bit boring at times. In coming to USC, Los Angeles became my second home, always bustling with life and opportunities, and so much excitement.
Where Am I Going?
To be honest, I’m not really sure what I want to do in the future. I came to USC with a set plan to become a pharmacist. I was a biochemistry major on the pre-pharmacy track and had my four years of college all planned out. But with any plan, it’s possible not to follow it at all and that’s what happened to me. Now, I am studying Global Health and have a Business minor. And recently, I got approved for the Progressive Degree in Global Medicine. I guess I want to get more into the “business side" of medicine, maybe something along the lines of healthcare management and such. I want to be able to make a positive impact in the field of global health.
Parents
Over time, I realized that I am in some ways like my mom and dad. I think I get more of my quiet, observant, and hard-working personality from my mom. And from my dad, I get more of his sometimes spontaneous and adventurous personality. However, I feel like I am also different from my parents in the sense that I was able to grow up in the U.S. and lived with a mixture of an Asian and American lifestyle.
Role Model
For me, both my parents are my role models. They came all the way to the U.S. from Vietnam and created new lives for themselves so that my little brother and I can have a good future. They are the reason I am motivated to always put effort into everything that I do. At times, I feel like I live following my parents’ expectations for me, which is to study hard in school and get a good job in the future. But I am starting to make those expectations more of my own. I want to work hard and become successful in the future and give back to my parents since they have sacrificed so much to get me to where I am today.
Connecting With The Animal World
An animal I have a strong connection with is the panda. Besides pandas being my favorite animals, I feel like they represent gentle strength. Even though they may look gentle, they are still strong animals with lots of determination. And sometimes a bit clumsy.
Connecting With The Nature Kingdoms
I’m not much of an outdoor-type person, but I really like flowers. I remember when I was younger I would love going with my family to the rose garden near my home to look at the pretty roses and take pictures with them. I would often entertain myself by looking up the different meanings each rose had based on its color.
