Amidst my studying for finals, and the eagerness and anticipation about starting my very first internship, the volume of my emotions was at an all-time high. It felt as though 24 hours was far too little time to get everything done. But I was abruptly faced with life, and its brutal realities, when I tested positive for COVID-19 on June 8th.
The first thought that came to mind when I received this news was, “I’m going to have to miss the first week of CAUSE’s orientation!” alongside the fear of missing out. To preface, I must share that I am a Social Policy and Public Service major at UCI, which upholds core values essentially identical to the CAUSE Leadership Academy (CLA)-including but not limited to prioritizing civic engagement and ethical leadership. For me, CLA would be the in-person and hands-on experience that would supplement the education in Public Service that I have acquired in the classroom. In essence, this internship to me was essential to my future career development, and I was in dismay to think that I would have to miss out on the beginnings of CLA.
After getting situated in my isolation space for quarantine, I informed Steve Lin, my direct contact/supervisor for the internship, of my positive COVID-19 result via email. Swiftly, Steve responded to my email and greeted me with a phone call. In all honesty, I was taken aback by Steve’s immediate response to speak with me over the phone. In workplaces that I have held roles in before, the treatment of employees by supervisors and other co-workers has held a more professional essence; I have only ever been greeted by HR sharing the next steps to acquiring PTO/VTO and email communications regarding the next steps. This is why I was surprised to hear from Steve in a more meaningful way; Steve called me not with the sole intention of sharing the next steps, but also with the intention to genuinely check in on my welfare. I recall him asking me, “Well, are you at least done with finals yet?” to which I responded no, and spiraled into a conversation where he addressed and empathized with me as a student and not solely a future employee; reflecting on my orientation experience, I realized that the ability Steve had to personalize our interaction served as a foreshadowing effect on what the CAUSE atmosphere would be—an open and expressive space where others are called in with empathy. I deeply appreciate Steve’s ability to humanize the situation that I was in and accommodate my needs by creating a hybrid role for me to participate in orientation week via Zoom.
I had no doubt, after my initial interaction with Steve, that CAUSE was the right organization for me as an individual. Undoubtedly, there were slight conflicts that came with the Zoom atmosphere including wifi issues, delayed reactions, and overall creating connected communication. With the help and support of my cohort and the CAUSE staff, these obstacles were overcome, and I can say that I was at no disadvantage to learn and gain the knowledge that I was hoping to acquire.
A workshop that deeply resonated with me during orientation week was the Communication Styles/DISC presentation by Nancy and Farrah. After taking the initial DISC test, I discovered that I identified 44% with the Steadiness trait. During the workshop, when Farrah shared the worksheet that analyzes the four character traits behind DISC, I noticed that those who identify with Steadiness struggle with the fear of losing stability and normalcy. At the moment, I was not quite sure why reading that specific sentiment stuck out to me, but it was later that day that I realized that I had just recently faced that fear head-on; my earlier worries about missing the orientation week of CLA were rooted in the loss of the typical and stable environment that I was expecting. As a person who is characterized by the Steadiness trait, I learned that collaboration is a priority for me, knowing this now allowed me to analyze my feelings from earlier- I feared that being unable to come into CLA in person would restrict me from collaborating with my cohort and CAUSE staff. However, my fear was confronted and refuted with the help of my fellow interns, CAUSE staff, and presenters who included me in every possible activity, by making hybrid methods, volunteering to call me or speak with me over Zoom, and allowing me to speak first or carving out time for me to share out.