Throughout orientation week, one thought kept popping into my head: Steve and Shanahan are such amazing facilitators. For me, everything about orientation week was absolutely amazing. There’s so much experience and knowledge and adaptability and personality that goes into being a great facilitator, and Steve and Shanahan navigated the week and all of its setbacks and changes with grace. Even though in CLA, we are meant to learn from the different programs, people, and events that we partake in and Steve and Shanahan are meant to facilitate that learning, I feel like there is so much that we can learn from Steve and Shanahan themselves.
There’s so much to talk about here, but I’ll start with energy. Somehow, Steve and Shanahan seem to have an unlimited well of energy that they draw on the entire day. Even as we as interns get tired through the day, Steve and Shanahan are always on top of it. There isn’t a single moment where I feel like they aren’t at the top of their game. And that just inspires me to do the same: to give the program my all, to make a habit of bringing energy to every interaction or event I encounter. This is something that I feel like I’ve grappled with in the past as well. During my time as a producer, I felt like I needed so much energy, both physical and emotional, so that I could inspire my team to keep up their energy as well. And through this experience as well as my time during orientation week, I’ve realized that for me, it isn’t about always having energy at all times—that I think is impossible, at least for normal people. For me, it’s about creating a habit of being consistently enthusiastic, engaged, and energetic about whatever I’m doing. Then, I won’t have to think twice about it. The difference is subtle, but it’s the conclusion that I’ve come to over years of reflection.
Steve and Shanahan twinning at the Japanese Garden.
Professional relationships don’t mean that you can’t have fun. I love how much fun Steve and Shanahan have in their roles. Whenever we're with them, they always seem to be cracking jokes or playing along with jokes that the interns make. And that doesn’t make them any less professional. In fact, I think that the ability to have fun and laugh in a professional setting shows that you are more professional and confident than if you’re “strictly business.” It also makes CLA so much more fun. I love talking to Steve and Shanahan about who they are as people and joking and laughing with them over lunch or dinner. Going to Hollywood Bowl to watch Harry Potter the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in Concert with Shanahan and a couple of the interns was also an amazing experience, and I feel like these types of fun events are such a great part of my internship experience so far. Steve and Shanahan have so much fun in their work, and that’s the type of person I want to be like.
Steve and Shanahan are tactful. No matter what situation arises, they always seem to have the perfect response ready. I’m confident that they’d be able to find their way through any situation or setback. As soon as we arrived in the office all nervous about how our first day would go, Steve and Shanahan immediately welcomed us in and made us feel at home. When the CSU Long Beach gym wouldn’t let us in, Steve and Shanahan took care of it, and the next day, we had an amazing time lifting weights, walking on the track, and playing basketball. When we were figuring out our roles for our mock campaign, Steve and Shanahan took a back seat and let us grapple with the different roles ourselves, which I think will make us a much stronger team than if they had stepped in and moderated us. When we were at the networking lunch, they pushed us to talk to new people and get to know them.
There are so many amazing things that I could say about Steve and Shanahan. They make CLA as amazing as it is.
The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not reflect the views or positions of CAUSE or the CAUSE network.
Written by Coby Nguyen, Leadership Academy 2023 Intern.
The CAUSE Leadership Academy (CLA) for students is a nine-week, paid, internship program that prepares college undergraduates to lead and advocate for the Asian Pacific Islander community on their campuses and beyond.