2020-2021 Fellow
San Jose Office of Economic Development - Downtown Management Business Development Intern
Accounting and Information Systems Major, Music Minor
Home Town: Lisle, Illinois
What were your responsibilities at your internship with the San Jose Office of Economic Development?
As a Downtown Business Development Management intern, I was able to work on several initiatives affecting local businesses in the San Jose Downtown Core. Since this year was plagued with economic crises related to the pandemic, I assisted with the grant process for small businesses, understanding and outlining the Al Fresco outdoor services requirements, and publish weekly city sponsored small business webinars on the website.
In what ways do you think you made positive contributions to the San Jose Office of Economic Development?
Through this fellowship, I was able to contribute my knowledge and adaptive problem-solving skills as an undergraduate accounting major to have both an analytical mindset as well as be a people connector.
What would you recommend to LSB students who want to make a difference in the community?
For those of you like me who want to make an impact on the community, I recommend getting involved in issues that are important to you and find a way to use your skillset to best tackle some of these issues. For me, this was related to learning more about the issues small businesses face in a large city. As the daughter of an entrepreneur, I was really excited to dive headfirst into the policies and grants available to small businesses and learning how a city government can best benefit these companies. It was truly an amazing experience to have during my senior year as I learned more about what I am passionate about and how I can make an impact.