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Newsletter
September 2006
Intern Alumni Snapshot: Emily Chin
During your assignment, was there any incident
or activity that was unusually compelling that affected your view of government?
One activity that was truly inspirational during my time in the Supervisor
(Alice Lai-Bitker)’s office was her attempt to simplify and take
advantage of the prescription drug programs that her constituents could
best utilize. I was given the task of researching and compiling the most
frequently used prescription drugs, their manufacturers, which medications
were covered by Medicare and Medicaid, and what alternative programs the
elderly and those in need of financial aid could implement. With this
information, the Supervisor’s office created a matrix that was distributed
to all of the applicable constituents. This obvious dedication to and
concern for the citizens allowed me a new, more humane view of the governmental
experience. Not only was it intensive work and diligence, but this matrix
taught me the importance of attention to detail and the need to be involved
in all aspects of one’s constituency.
How has the CAPA internship experience applied to you in your
studies at USC?
The CAPA internship was wonderful in instilling time management skills,
which have been vital in my collegiate career. During the time of my internship,
I was also volunteering at the Children’s Hospital in Oakland and
taking Calculus at Diablo Valley College (DVC). On top of these many activities,
I had to remained focused and industrious with my work at the Supervisor’s
office. Needless to say, these skills, as well as learning proper research
and etiquette techniques, are intensely helpful here at USC.
This is your third year at USC, how has college life treated
you?
College life has been incredible. Here I have learned how best I work,
who I want to be, and what really drives me in life. It’s great
to be inspired to work at something and not simply go to class or participate
in an activity because you are told to do so. I have actively surrounded
myself with the people whom I find the most passionate and true to their
beliefs and have worked hard to accomplish goals that I have set for myself.
In all honesty, it’s difficult to tear yourself away from home,
but USC has been wonderful.
What are your plans after you graduate at USC? Graduate school,
enter the workforce, professional athlete?
As of now, I am still researching graduate programs that I would like
to pursue. I hope to both be working as well as continue with my education
in either International Relations or something along the lines of nutrition.
I find both to be extremely interesting and have a sense of what I’d
like to do, although nothing concrete yet.
What is your major and why did you decide on this field of study?
I am currently an English major with an emphasis in Creative Writing and
a French minor. In high school, reading and writing were both my passion
and my emotional outlet, so it seemed only natural to choose English as
a major, and it has been wonderful and inspirational so far.
Do you keep in touch with your other alumni interns from your
class or any class?
Most definitely. Some of my class had been friends before we became interns
together, so it’s really wonderful reconnecting with them at the
CAPA Galas, summer picnics, and holiday parties.
CAPA Community Education Fund’s goal is to have our alumni
interns be active participants in their communities and many have gone
on to be leaders in their fields. What would you do to strengthen those
bonds?
I would hope to encourage intern alumni to stay involved by asking them
to help in both new intern recruitment and interviews. Additionally, I
think that it may be beneficial to pair intern alumni with each new class
to keep one another motivated and answer questions or concerns that new
interns may have. It is essential that those alumni stay active in CAPA,
because each generation best benefits from one another.
Emily Chin was part of the Intern Class of 2002. She worked in the
office of Alameda County Supervisr Alice Lai-Bitker.
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