This year I was given the opportunity of supervising an enthusiastic and hardworking CLA intern. At the end of the program, I had the honor of attending the 2022 CAUSE Annual Soirée Event. At the Soirée, I was able to meet various people with different backgrounds and understand where they came from and how they became who they are today. There were lots of inspirational people who loved what they do and at the same time, it was motivating to see those continue to work towards their goals. I found it interesting to hear the unique perspectives and backgrounds from those of the older generation versus that of the younger generation. Those who lie in the older generation shared their life experiences of trial and error and the many pathways they had to experiment with before they got to where they are today. I was surprised to learn how a few of the older generation didn’t graduate with or pursue their current careers in the beginning. It was only through months (and even years) of experimentation were they able to find their passion. On the other hand, the majority of the younger generation were already clear on what their carrier goals were and were already working towards it. These generational differences in perspectives and experiences really opened my eyes and taught me to not be afraid of trying new things – there’s always a way and it’s not the end if your initial plans don’t go as expected. I was also pleased and reassured to meet other individuals who shared similar experiences as mine while growing up. There were a few who were also the older sibling and had high expectations placed onto them, which motivated them to strive higher and work harder. I really appreciated the fact how people were not too heavily focused on networking for business purposes, but were focusing on enjoying the event. It was also very easy to talk to and connect with all the guests at the soirée. Everyone there (including the staff) was really friendly and accommodating. The Soirée had the perfect ambience for guests to feel comfortable enough to get to know each other and the food there was also delicious. There was a food section where you could customize your own pasta and the chef would make it there on the spot. Besides the food and services we were provided with, I’m very grateful CAUSE gave us the opportunity to connect with new people as well as reconnect with familiar faces (even for those whom you’ve only met once or have only heard of their names). I would like to thank CAUSE again for making it possible for these new connections and reconnections to be made, especially with how the pandemic has limited and made it difficult to create and maintain relationships with others.
From Left to Right: Steve Lin, Angela Chang (2021 CLI Alumni, KCAL), Lucy Pan, Barbara Lin