Looking Back/Overall Insight

 University of Michigan has prepared me for this internship by giving me a quality education.  My supervisor has had me spell-check some of the employees reports for errors.  During my courses at the University of Michigan I believe we have uncovered the errors of our society as well as produce solutions we think may help alleviate the problem.  I feel this is a step beyond what other Universities may do in just analyzing the problem itself.  This problem solving approach generated by theUniversity of Michigan has helped me to have a more proactive mind-set.  My liberal-arts education has helped to develop my reading comprehension and writing skills.  I believe these two skills are particularly important to be a successful attorney. 

There is one major event that I have found particularly interesting.  I have had the opportunity to sit in on a week long trial.  I had faith in the jury to make a decision based on evidence, science, and the law.  However, in my opinion, the jury decided on a terrible verdict without any basis on the case information, but rather with their personal opinions towards the counsel.  This was very discouraging and disappointing to me.  I was under the impression a jury would uphold their civic responsibility and serve the public but this did not seem to be the case whatsoever.  As an individual that wants to practice law I learned a big lesson in that courtroom over the week.  Now I understand this may not always be the case regarding jury verdicts, but I was astounded in their decision, considering the judge’s verdict was the complete opposite.  

Note: This blog does not reflect the thoughts/opinions of the Ohio Attorney General's Office 

Changing Perspectives

A few of my perceptions have changed from the time of my fist blog post and now, and a few have remained the same.  I still believe the environment I work in at the Attorney General’s office is very uplifting and positive and a place I hope to be in the future as a lawyer.  Many of my preconceived notions regarding law firms were that lawyers were “sharks” and were stressed out most of the time. Everyone I work with seems to always be in a pleasant mood and greet me everyday.  We’ve had one office lunch and beforehand, many people in the office wanted to make sure I was attending the lunch and that I knew it was okay for me to attend. Then afterwards made sure I had enough to eat and wanted to send me home with leftovers.  In my office, people look out for one another and want to help each other.  I have heard many stories about how at private law firms people are afraid they are after your job and are trying to go over your head.  I do not experience any of that at the Attorney General’s office.  In fact, many people have served as great mentors and resources for me to advance in my career. 

note: this blog does not reflect the thoughts/opinions of the Attorney General's Office

Overcoming Obstacles

Overcoming Obstacles 

At this point in my internship I feel like I am getting along very well with my supervisor.  He said I am doing a good job in the office and is working on plans for me to do a future legal internship with the office when I am in law school.  Coming into this internship I had no prior knowledge on how to accomplish any jobs they have given me.  In that regard, I have surprised myself with how well I have handled various tasks. I've dealt with evidence and court runs, which I believe I handled well and very much enjoyed because these tasks have provided me insight into the functions of the office.  Some of the challenges I have faced while working in the office would be not knowing how all of the technology in the office works.  Some attorneys or agents will give me a task to do and I have to figure out how to go about accomplishing that specific task.  On numerous occasions I have asked the receptionist or a legal secretary and they have been very nice about helping me.  I do not think I would have handled these situations any differently because I would rather ask easy questions than try to do the job myself and get it wrong.  

Note: this blog does not reflect the thoughts or opinions of the Attorney General's Office

Getting to Know your Colleagues

So far I have had a wonderful experience at the Attorney General's Office.  All of my colleagues have been extremely helpful and welcoming and I have witnessed many people being potential mentors to me throughout this internship.  I have met two people specifically that have provided me with much knowledge about the professional environment I am working in.  One of my potential mentors is a young attorney that has worked for a year in our office.  We have had many conversations about what law school is like and her experience practicing law.  So far she has provided great insight for me regarding what I am to expect if I choose to become a lawyer.  My other mentor is a special agent that has been working in the field for thirty years.  I am excited to have more conversations with these people and continue to gain more knowledge about health care fraud.

note: This blog does not reflect the thoughts/opinions of the Ohio Attorney General's office.

Environment/Initial Impressions

I have just finished up the first week of my internship in the Attorney General’s office.  I have been placed in the criminal section dealing with health care fraud.  I am thrilled to be working here because I plan on going to law school and receiving my Masters in Public Health.  My first week on the job has been an absolutely wonderful experience.  Everyone in the office is extremely nice and willing to help me or answer any questions I may have.  The office has arranged me with my own room, laptop, and phone.  The office includes positions from section chief to receptionist.  However, I do not feel a sense of superiority or hierarchy.  The special agent supervisor comes in to my office multiple times a day and asks me how I am and how everything is going. The attorneys have all been extremely nice and talk to me as a colleague rather than an intern.  Because I work in a law office everyone has to wear professional attire.  However, suits are required when going to court.  The office is filled with diverse individuals from different backgrounds, races, and gender.  I am looking forward to everything I am going to learn during my time here. 

Note: This blog does not reflect the thoughts/opinions of the Attorney General's Office

CEO for a Day

The Ohio Attorney General’s office does not technically have a CEO, however, there is an elected politician to run the office as the Attorney General.  The current Ohio Attorney General, Mike Dewine, is an advocate for child and family protection.  DeWine has created programs to identify and arrest sexual predators, improve school safety, human trafficking, child abuse and bullying. 

As Attorney General I would focus on the issues plaguing our society both on the local and national level.  I feel as though the current Attorney General has accomplished admirable work on targeting a few of those areas, but I would add a few more. Human trafficking is something that has continuously been a growing problem in the state of Ohio.  I would generate as much efforts as I could to prevent any source of human trafficking. 

I would also extend my efforts in preventing child abuse to include domestic abuse as well, and helping victims escape harmful situations and create a life for themselves after the abuse

Heroin abuse has also become a major problem in the state of Ohio.  I would increase the staff of drug trafficking officers to help take heroin off the streets. 

Bullying is a huge issue in America right now.  I would try my best to prevent any types of bullying, especially cyber bullying, in young teens.      

I think the best way to stop systematic issues is to start by implementing programs in the community.  People need a way out of their problems.  I would start programs to help victims of domestic violence and human trafficking get jobs or a new home.  I would have workshops to teach children to value themselves and others, and encourage each other rather than be mean to one another.  I would also tell children there is another option and place to get help.  In addition to fixing what is already a problem, we need to prevent the problem from escalading.  

Not to mention free coffee to all AG employees....

Note: The opinions expressed in this blog do not reflect the opinions of the Ohio Attorney General's Office

Inside the ER: EMRAP Round 2 (CEO for a Day)

If I was in charge of running this organization, I would give more opportunities for professional development in class. For instance, majority of the EMRAPers are juniors that want to attend medical school. I would provide them with mentors who can teach them how to conquer the medical school application process; I would hire people who can help them with mock interviews (similar to how we did mock consents before being able to enroll patients in studies).

Also, if I was in charge, I would provide EMRAPers with certification classes for CPR/First AID and any other classes that they may need for jobs such as patient care technicians. I would also provide internships for them after they finish with their EMRAP internship so that they can continue to professionally develop.

Another aspect that I would change is to provide EMRAPers with more opportunities to get together outside of class. For instance, I would host a movie night/study night outside of classes and provide the EMRAPers with snacks and food. I would also provide EMRAPers with free food of their choice during their shifts; I would also give them several gifts such as EMRAP t-shirts, portfolios, pens, etc. I want to do this because I want the EMRAPers feel that they are appreciated for their work.

These are some things I would do if I was CEO for day, but for now, I think I will just stick to being a clinical research assistant.

Inside the ER: EMRAP Round 2 (Looking Back/Overall Insight)

My internship required all of the EMRAPers to present on a medical subject that they are interested in. Christina, Alina, and I presented on childbirth in different cultures and some ethical issues surrounding childbirth. Christina and I applied our knowledge from our Anthropology class to our presentation and shared it with the class.  We also looked at childbirth practices in SJMHS, related it to the topics that Christina and I learned in class, and shared it with everyone. It was very rewarding to discuss a topic that was relevant to our classes and also a big part of a human’s life. Moreover, the classes that I have taken at UofM required me to present on an array of subjects, and so I learned how to engage a crowd during presentations. I do this by asking questions to gauge the crowd’s knowledge of the subject, taking time to slow down, and putting in some jokes once in a while; I applied these skills during our presentation for EMRAP.

Moreover, UofM has equipped me with science classes that are applicable to the medical world. During my upper level bio classes (ie. Biochemistry, Physiology, etc.), we were presented some case studies in which we analyzed the molecular, chemical, physiological aspects of the cases. Whenever I see a trauma or encounter a patient, I would try to guess what factors may be causing the illness and ask medical staff to confirm. By doing this, I have learned to apply my knowledge from class to real life; it keeps me engaged at my internship, helps me review for my MCAT and classes, and allows me to talk to the medical staff. 

Regarding any encounters that surprised me, I believe that some of the patients that I have seen over these past few weeks had similar cases as those in the summer (ie, nausea, vomiting, infections, accidents, etc.).  Though, the one thing that did surprise me about myself was that I felt very emotional after seeing a trauma case. The medical team worked extremely hard to try to save a patient who had a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) on both lungs and other complications after crashing into a tree. I watched the team concentrate and form beads of sweat on their forehead as they inserted chest tubes, supplied blood, and called surgery for help. After all of this, they couldn't save the patient, and I had to take myself away from the scene for some time to process the situation. I found myself applying the situation to school: I would work extremely hard and study for hours only to not do well in a class. Yet, applying this scenario to distract myself did not help because I thought that trying so hard to save a life was so much more work. When I went back to the ER, I noticed the medical staff continued to work on other patients; they had to pick themselves back up and continue working. I have done this myself when I did not do too well in certain classes, and all I could do was regain myself and continue to work hard. I realize that this experience in college of failing and persevering is very applicable to my future line of work. You may not succeed every time, but you have to try your hardest. 

New opportunities such as going to the Huron Valley Ambulance Center has
changed my perspective of EMRAP. It's more fun and engaging!

Inside the ER: EMRAP Round 2 (Changing Perspectives)

As we were walking into the Administration Building for class today, I said to Christina, “you know I always look forward to Fridays because it means I get to see all of you from EMRAP and just have an easy day.” My view of EMRAP and its benefits have completely changed. During the summer, I worked morning shifts that meant minimal cases of patients I could consent. There were times I felt that I wasn’t learning anything nor that I had a task to do. However, during this fall term, my shifts have changed to Friday and Saturday afternoons. I see more cases now, and I am able to practice my consenting abilities for my research job. There are more audits to do because there are more patients around in the Lean Track. Also, there have been more trauma cases to see during my shifts, which has helped me see more medical interventions. For instance, I watched the doctors insert chest tubes into a patient to save the patient’s life after a motor vehicle accident. It was very intense, but I was able to see the intensity and concentration that doctors applied during traumatic cases such as that one. My shift time change has given me a new perspective of EMRAP; I am learning more from the events that I encounter, and I am gaining more desire to be a doctor.

Also, EMRAP has brought in more speakers from the medical field, which has taught me about the different types of medicine. For instance, Dr. Gaf-Pap came in and talked to us about Environmental Medicine. I learned that you can do a fellowship right after medical school to specialize in something that you would like. Other doctors have also talked about their fellowships as well and what they did during those times; one doctor in particular loved skydiving, and so he skydived off a bridge in a city where his fellowship was taking place. Another doctor came to talk to us about radiology; I learned that this field requires tons of computer work and also allows for a person to have a family due to a set time schedule. The speakers have been amazing, and I now have more knowledge regarding the different parts of medicine.

Moroever, EMRAP has given me new friends that I know I can count on! Several of the EMRAPers have supported me during my events, and I also try to support them! They also made my birthday extremely enjoyable during our bowling outing on November 7. I love EMRAP, and I cannot believe that it halfway over! I hope to continue learning more!

Alina "whipping" my drink
(I came to support her pre-med club fundraiser)

Haitham came to my Adobo Night Fundraiser

Hiba and Alina came to my Philippine Culture Night!

Inside the ER: EMRAP Round 2 (Overcoming Obstacles)

As I have talked about before, I struggle with approaching doctors and being more social in the ER. As long as I do my job, I think that I am doing great things with my internship. However, there are times when there is no one to be consented for my clinical research, and this is a great time to socialize with medical staff. Yet, I am always so scared and shy because I feel that I would just be hampering their time. So, over the past few weeks, I have been trying to change that. During downtime, I walk around and ask doctors if I can shadow them. Some would decline politely, others would say yes but forget, and some say yes and take me everywhere. By shadowing doctors, I am able to be more confident with myself and am able to pass the time more quickly during slow days in the ER. At home, I would think of potential questions that I can ask the doctors when I shadow them, and this has been a great help for me. Also, when I am feeling shy, I use one of the audits to walk around and observe the medical staff; by doing so, I am able to make myself present and more visible. Being more visible is key because eventually someone says hi! I have met new nurses and doctors this way, and I am more comfortable to approach them now. I also would go into the break room and chat with whoever is on break; I learned that this is a great way to talk to people without being a burden on their work or their time. During the summer, I used my downtime to study for my MCAT, when I should have used it to network and shadow the medical personnel. Now, I am learning how to communicate with the medical personnel, and I hope that I continue to develop my confidence and networking skills. 

Inside the ER: EMRAP Round 2 (Getting to Know Your Colleagues/Mentor)

Over the summer, I became very close to Nimra, one of the contingent chiefs. She served as my mentor that guided me through certain requirements for my job. However, she left EMRAP to work in the ER as a patient care technician, and I am so happy for her. A patient care technician is someone who helps nurses with daily tasks, such as taking blood and taking care of the patient’s needs. I have asked her for advice regarding the technician job because I have been considering getting a similar position for my gap year. She told me that I needed to get CPR/First Aid certified in order to apply for the job. Thanks to her, now I will be taking a course during winter so that I can apply for a patient care technician job in the ER.

Hiba is the best!

During these past few weeks though, I have become extremely close with Hiba, the other contingent chief. She has shared her experiences with me regarding her MCAT, her applications to med school, and EMRAP in general. She is always around during my shift, and we get coffee and chat about her med school application process and also about life in general. She has given me advice regarding my re-taking of my MCAT and also about my job at EMAP. She is pushing me to be more social with the doctors and nurses because I always see her greeting so many staff that I do not know. I would love to be a contingent for EMRAP during my gap year, and she has been showing me how to do that. She has taught me how to be more confident during my consent processes. She also has taught me how to engage others, and she has pushed me to take on more tasks at EMRAP. For instance, I am doing an extra audit that only Jake and I are doing because Hiba advised me to “make the most of the internship.”  Moreover, she has been a great friend as well! We have watched Boy Meets World during downtime during my shifts, and we bond over food and coffee! She has been a great mentor, and I hope that she gets into medical school! I admire her humbleness, intelligence, and perseverance. She is often quiet, but that is because she thinks about what she wants to say before saying anything. She is so much fun to be around because she talks about social justice and she also talks about movies that I would really love to watch. Hiba also is willing to try new experiences, and I am glad to help her out regarding certain situations. Thank you Hiba!

Hiba and I coming up with fun names for the EMRAPers

Inside the ER: EMRAP Round 2 (Environment)

After coming back from a hiatus from EMRAP, I realized how much I missed being in class and being at work with my fellow EMRAPers. The environment does not seem to too different as similar faces are still around the Emergency Department. I feel as though the ER is more welcoming now because I am recognized by some nurses and doctors. I often chat with a nurse named Bill about life or about interesting cases in the ER that I’ve missed, and he always comes up with some witty answers. Though, one thing I do need to work on is to be more confident and to build a network in the ER; I still feel intimidated by doctors—maybe it’s their white coat or maybe the fact that they always look so busy.

As for diversity, it’s very interesting to note the demographics of the ER. At first, I always thought that there was a majority of white people in the department, but I have seen different races as well! They often celebrate each other and learn from each other by bringing food and sharing them with everyone. My favorite event was when some nurses brought in different snacks for their meeting so that they can experience each other’s food and learn some bit of culture. Also, the people in the ER are hilarious and are talented! The other day I witnessed some doctors singing in the break room, and when one couldn't sing, he just started to dance. It was very entertaining, and I realized that little moments like that are what keeps the long days very short for medical staff. 

In terms of surroundings, our classroom use to be in this one room where it was always cold. We always had to fix the temperature every time! However, there was a day when our room was occupied, and we needed to have class at a different room. This new room was more spacious and less cold, and maybe because of this change, we seemed to participate more in discussions and other activities. Also, because we have gotten to know each other for some time know, class seems to be more fun! People are more talkative and are willing to get together outside of class! People have intellectual discussions, which is a great way to learn and also broaden one’s horizons. I’m really glad to have this internship because it serves as a break from my classes!

Overcoming Obstacles

One difficult obstacle I had to overcome was the fast pace at which my coworkers and the paid employees of Fox Sports Radio work at. The language and technology aspect of the radio industry was definitely hard to grasp at first, and I had to learn and study the software programs at home before I could work at the speed that was normal. Learning the technology of the radio station was crucial to my success, and directly correlated to understanding the job and providing the talk show hosts with everything they need, information wise.

CEO For a day

If i was CEO for the day of my workplace at Fox Sports Radio, I would be in heaven. I would love to get on the air occasionally, lead the talk show hosts in their conversations and direct the producers in the right direction of the way I would want the sports talk to go. The cohesive unit that I worked for all depended on the "CEO" or the boss of the whole station, and the compatability of the boss and the employees is critical in this industry. I would make sure the shows were running smoothly and make sure everyone is getting along, on the same page, and is prepared. There is no room for surprises on the radio and the hosts most always be prepared for any questions or information they might need at a seconds notice.

Looking Back - David Rosenthal

Looking back at my internship at Fox Sports Radio Los Angeles, I could not be happier with my experience. I gained valuable information and experience in an industry in which I now wish to pursue my career in. My boss told me that my internship is a highly coveted one, and the girl who had it last year was offered her own talk show, albeit in Colorado, but right out of college. I am in contact with my boss and supervisor now and pursuing all potential opportunities that could arise out of this. I am so grateful I had the chance to work and intern at Fox this summer.

Reflection

I am currently writing this almost 2 weeks after I wrapped up my internship at the Los Angeles Kings sales and service department. Looking back, although a bit cynical, I tend to think about all that I hoped to learn but never got the chance to. However, as I reflect on the experience more and more, I've become a bit more optimistic regarding all that I took away from my time at those offices this summer. This opportunity was no ordinary circumstance, and I was incredibly grateful to even of had the chance to work for a professional sports team. In reality, I shouldn't have gone in there with such sizable expectations. I was still only 19 years old with little knowledge or experience in the areas of sales or office work. But, it was a stepping stone. And as cheesy as it sounds, it's true. Over the course of the summer, I was introduced to the workings of spreadsheets, sales calls, boss/employee relationships, and much more. So, after absorbing all these helpful resources and experiences, I've realized I have no reason to complain about all the tedious and stale work of an intern, but rather to appreciate it.

300 Continental Blvd
El Segundo, CA
The offices of the Los Angeles Kings

Highlight of the viewing party outside Staples Center during
the King's Stanley Cup run. 

CEO for a Day

If I was the CEO of Unearth the World, I would expand my reach of students wanting to volunteer and also add more locations to volunteer at. What was nice about working at a start-up company is that my ideas and my goals overlapped with how Unearth the World wanted to be structured, so in a way I made changes that a CEO could make. For instance, Kathryn had wanted to pursue more college kids to volunteer and being a college student I knew social media would be the best venue for this. So I discovered GiveGab, a social network for volunteers, and we made an account with them. We are the only international option on the social media so far so it's a big step in that those who are interested in international volunteering will only find us as if we are some type of monopoly.  Kathryn in general did a great job in knowing what she wanted in the non-profits we worked with and it reflected her own personal trip in only working with organizations that are communal and meet a required need. I would continue to keep true to these virtues as CEO. Kathryn is currently pursuing more college students which I would also pursue as CEO, aiming at partnering with universities to be spring break options, but I would also pursue more high schools as well. I studied abroad in high school and although the maturity wasn't there at times, I feel that I learned as the days passed and with the proper training I feel many high school students could be prepared enough to successfully volunteer and accept a different culture. So in a sense I would expand into a younger age group and combat issues of lack of maturity through training. I think many high school students would love such opportunities, especially before they head of to college and that makes it even more valuable to grow as a company. I would also highly consider partnering with another volunteer placement agency that had different locations to volunteer at than those offered by Unearth the World. I would first make sure that their goals align with Unearth the World's and I feel that both companies would benefit from a partnership because in the end the purpose is to volunteer and improve a community. Lastly, as CEO, I would open chapters at universities and clubs at high schools that students that are service minded and wanting to volunteer can join. I am currently in the process of starting a chapter at UM so in a sense being president of this club is like being CEO of part of Unearth the World, but through growth and expansion I would make it a popular club to join in high schools and universities and I'd stress students to fundraise for trips and make appearances at schools to talk to people and inspire them to try and pursue a volunteer trip.

CEO for a day

This is sort of a hard topic to talk about, since there are plenty of ins and outs of SoulCycle as a business I can’t understand after having been there for only two months. And, a lot of comments I’m about to make have already been mentioned by other people, so I can’t take credit for coming up with them first. To start, I would make a big push to improve new rider outreach. SoulCycle protocol is to contact new riders about 48 hours after their first time in to see how it went and really make them feel like we care (which we do). Unfortunately, the daily grind of running any given studio tends to mean that this doesn’t always happen, and even when someone does get a chance to call new riders, people don’t always answer their phones. I haven’t thought extensively about how I would change this, but it would definitely be on my to-do list. I would also change the way new retail collections are handled. When working with the retail coordinator, she mentioned that it would be cool to have totally separate lines for different cities. What people wear in LA isn’t necessarily the same as what people wear in New York, and that applies to work out gear as well. Hopefully if we tailored to each location’s specific style a little more, we could sell more!

Blog 6

I must say, this was one of the best summers of my life thus far. And I have my internship at Straus News to thank for a large part of that. Not only was everyone very welcoming and friendly, they were also very trusting. When I talked to many of my friends about their summer internship, they would tell me how their days were filled with Netflix and Facebook. This was not the case for me and I really appreciated that. So, if I was CEO for a day I would keep a lot of things the same. I believe an organization runs best when work is distributed evenly throughout the company. Straus relied on the interns for deadlines to be met, and I would continue that. One thing I would change, though, would be to hold more brainstorming meetings on possible article ideas. We had these every Monday afternoon, and I would probably implement them at least 2 more times a week than that. Also, I might start a chart that switches off bringing food in, because everyone loves food!

CEO at Lionsgate

I had the pleasure of actually being able to meet and interact with the CEO of Lionsgate. It was amazing to watch how we worked. He has a very creative and strategic mindset that has allowed him to build Lionsgate into the company it is today. I can only imagine how much stress he is under all the time and wonder if that is something I would ever want in my life one day. He does a great job and really seems to care about his employees and the company.

On the other hand, if I were to be in my boss's position, as the SVP of Corporate Communication and Investor relations there are a few habits I would change. First off, he is an extreme control freak and has a hard time accepting help and delegating work to others. He does not work very efficiently, which ultimately creates a lot of stress for him. He often puts in really long hours and stays at the office late into the night. He recently hired two new people to help him out with his tasks, but he just can't seem to trust anyone else with his work. On the flip side, everything he produces is great quality and been super important for the company. Since I do not have much to compare my experience to it is hard to point out what else I would change. I learned that it is very important to have constant and clear communication, praise employees when they have done a good job, and treat everyone you work with in a professional and respectable manner.

Blog #6 CEO for a Day

If I was in charge of running this organization I would try to create less of a hierarchy. While everyone within the office, whether an intern or the CEO, was treated with respect, there is definitely a tier system. In my time as an intern I only came into contact with one of the three CEOs once for about half a minute. While this would be normal at a large corporation, there are only 26 employees, so I expected to interact with them a bit more. All of the higher ups are also extremely dependent on their assistants, as most tend to be, but they were so dependent that some assistants were not allowed to leave their desks, or if they did, it could only be for a few minutes. I understand that in order to go far in most fields, especially the entertainment industry, you have to pay your dues, but everyone deserves a break, even if it's just grab a sandwich, or go to the bathroom. Another big part of this industry is communication, and while the assistants are really good at their jobs, no one is perfect. There were a few times that I heard a higher up scream at their assistant for making a mistake, which I found to be counterproductive, and a little abusive. Yelling at someone, and overreacting, tend to make the problem worse, and calmly asking them to fix whatever it is, is equally, if not more, beneficial.

CEO for the day @ The Tennessean

This is an extremely difficult prompt to address about the Tennessean, seeing as there have been so many changes as of recently, in which everyone got fired and are now reapplying for their jobs.

That said, I don't know what I would do as CEO for a day. As a reporter, my heart and allegiance lies in the newsroom, with the people I have seen working hard and writing stories, and doing their jobs diligently and passionately. I wish that every single one of them could stay in the newsroom. I would never call any of them dispensable, nor would I say that they're unnecessary.

The world of newspapers needs to change. That's the truth. Newspapers are behind the times, and a drastic change is required in order to make that change. And, change is always hard, especially when that change results in good people packing up a box full of their things and leaving their place of work.

If I were CEO for the day at the Tennessean, I would ensure that the employees knew how much I appreciated everything they've done. I'd tell them that their work is valued, and important, and that people care about what they are writing, and they should never stop doing what they love. I'd tell them that there will always be journalism, no matter what form it is delivered in.

I would never want to be CEO for the day, however. I could never make the hard decisions that would put good people out of a job.

Looking Back/Overall Insight

As I complete the last week of my internship at Unearth the World, I realize that my experiences at UM helped shape my success this summer. When I had first applied for the position, I was interviewed by my boss Kathryn and she was very interested in my research experiences that I had gained through my years as being part of the Global Scholars Program. We had completed research action projects that gave me greater insight on research as well as facilitation, teamwork and leadership. My membership with Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law Fraternity was also of great help in giving me a sense of leadership and teamwork. These were important attributes to have for a company that required well documented country guides and a need for more international partners. Me and Kathryn and Mike became a very hard working team and I was told that I contributed greatly to their efforts to grow as  a company and I can only attribute this to my LSA education and all the papers and research I have had to complete. I posted and reviewed blogs on our website every week and my writing skills related to the topics were well informed. My International Studies and Spanish Majors were also great backgrounds related to my work because I had to know a great deal about culture shock and other international travel topics for the blogs and I even was able to speak Spanish with some of our potential future partners in Peru. I was surprised by the voluntourism industry in general because prior to starting my internship I hadn't really known much about it. My first few weeks in I thought it was a wonderful concept to send people to other countries to volunteer but what surprised me was that there were many negatives of this industry as well. I never knew such a good concept could also be so bad but it made it even more essential for us to portray this and to show how our company is different from others that send volunteers without proper training and without sustainability in mind. This can cause irresponsible volunteering and it is something we hope to improve upon. I was able to handle portraying these in our blogs and through researching articles and blogs from people that had gone through such voluntourism trips to further my understanding of what their experiences were like and what they would or could change. Another thing that surprised me was how much more difficult it was to find a volunteer partner in the U.S. It was much easier to find needs to meet in other countries but finding a good partner that provided requirements such as housing and food for the volunteers was extremely difficult. I was able to tackle this by being more creative and thinking of organizations that would need volunteers for a short term trip and that's when I sought to approach places where they needed help in housing, such as New Orleans, and Indian Reservations and these proved to be great partners because they also provided a cultural exchange to the volunteers on the sites. Going through University websites on spring break trips and finding partners at UM and other schools also proved to be helpful in allowing me to find more U.S. partners. Overall, I learned a great deal during this internship and my research and writing experiences I gained through my LSA background were helpful in allowing me to spread the word on voluntourism.

CEO for a day

I would not want to be in charge of the financial operations of a print publication these days. It's a grim job, I suspect.

I got decently familiar with both the Editor in Chief and the Managing Editor for the Reader, both of whom were very nice. While I partly longed to achieve their status some day, I also don't envy the decisions they've had to make.

If I was CEO, I would do my best to find a way to keep print alive. I know it's unlikely the decision most people would make but I would at least try to make it work. Also, depending on the budgetary constraints, I'd do my best to pay writers by salary, not by story. Story-by-story pay is bleak and I'd want to entice writers with at least some semblance of job security.

Also, I would get free lunch in the office as much as possible. If there's one thing I've learned journalists love, it's free food.

Looking Back

Actually, my liberal arts education hasn't prepared me much for my work as a journalist.

Since Michigan doesn't have a journalism school and I'm a public policy major, most of my knowledge of journalism comes from work experience at the Michigan Daily and previous jobs.

That's not to say my education has been useless. I've tried my best to take a diverse array of classes that touch on a variety of topics. Because of this, I have an varied background in many areas that helps me understand the stories I pursue and the issues I write about.

I'm not particularly surprised by this. Michigan's classes do offer some great opportunities to quickly learn about new topics and periods of history. However, I maintain that the most beneficial things you will learn that can be applied to a future job come from the actual work experience. My education in my prospective work field is going to come from fellow reporters, senior writers and anyone else I meet as I continue to work. Still, my hope is use my Michigan education to gain an expertise in a particular area so that I can write more confidently on it in the future.

CEO for a day

The company I worked for is a massive company a member of the fortune 100. I therefore never met my CEO and it is difficult to introduce micro level changes in such a position. Hypothetically though, if I was CEO I would like to take the time out to meet all the new interns at the company. This would really help new interns feel welcome and a true part of the company. Selfishly I would invest in a sports team so that I can get a box seat for my friends, family and of course myself to watch all the home games. I would focus on recruiting more Michigan students because in my experience here they are some of the brightest and most well rounded students in the country. I would also open a branch in Karachi, Pakistan that is my hometown to encourage economic and technological development in my country Pakistan.