Director of Berkeley Hope Scholars Program
How long have you been at Berkeley?
I started just six weeks before the pandemic four years ago in 2020. Even though it was a turbulent start, I fell in love with the job and I learned quickly how much the students and campus community care for one another.
What do you love most about working here?
What I love most is that my lived experience can directly support/benefit current and former foster youth and child-welfare-impacted students. My work honors the amazing, supportive people who helped me along the way on my journey. We pay it forward.
What's your job?
As director of BHS (Berkeley Hope Scholars), I perform a number of jobs all in one. In a holistic counselor role, I work directly with students. I support their academic, career, and personal success. Within a program leader role, I oversee a team of counselors and student staff. I develop and manage programming tailored to the BHS community. I also collaborate with essential partners including the Basic Needs Center, University Health Services, Financial Aid & Scholarships Office, and Cal Housing to ensure students are supported and have access to resources. Maintaining donor relations is also a big part of the job!
What's a great day at work look like for you?
Witnessing students share their successes, opportunities, and resources with each other always makes my day. Watching the community thrive and develop in this way gives me such joy because a sense of belonging and social capital is so important to current and former foster youth. As counselors, we are here to support students on their journeys to Cal and we empower them to succeed here. However, knowing that they are building a strong community assures me that they are creating a network that will sustain them beyond UC Berkeley and well into their careers and lives.
What do you hope will be different in your work this time next year?
This time next year I hope that our student community will have expanded to a space that is larger. BHS serves so many students that the current space has grown cramped. More room would allow for a Basic Needs Center satellite food pantry, a student lounge area, workshop and event space, and additional confidential meeting space(s) for our mental health provider and growing team of professional counselors.
Where’s your favorite place on campus?
Second to a future larger BHS community space, as a music lover the Greek Theater would have to be my favorite place on campus. Growing up in the Bay, I’ve been to so many live music shows there and I have a lot of fun memories associated with the space.
Fun fact about me:
I am currently getting better at kayak crabbing and snare fishing for Dungeness crab in Bodega Bay. I’m on my own quest to make the best pot of seafood gumbo west of Louisiana.
