On May 7, 2018 I began my internship with Dr. Frances Contreras, who is an associate Vice Chancellor for the UCSD Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and is a Professor for the Department of Education Studies at UCSD. Along with basing my internship out of her office, I had the opportunity to accompany Dr. Contreras to meetings regarding campus services like OASIS and Summer Bridge, and listen in on discussions about diversity and Latino faculty. I was also able to attend a lecture for one of her graduate courses in the department of Education Studies that was for future educators.
Honestly it was such an honor to be able to be helpful in these spaces with so many intellectuals and educators. I have become much more aware of what it is like to be an academic person. I am especially interested in how many serious issues involving the campus are brought up during these meetings. As an academic you are not only expected to think critically about everything that is said, but also find possible solutions. This is different from what I have experienced in high school, were it is expected that educators generally follow preconceived notions about what students know and what is acceptable on a high school campus. In the spaces I have visited at UCSD, people are encouraged to think in innovative or completely new ways. This is what I enjoyed most about my internship, and I really can’t wait to begin my own higher education so I can help build my own college community.
