Newsletter

June 2007
Intern Alum Spotlight: Yvonne Chen

Class: 2001
Office: San Francisco Supervisor Mabel Teng

During your assignment, was there any incident or activity that was unusually compelling that affected your view of government?

I went into the internship with very little knowledge about how the political world worked. It was interesting to see the basic level of service our government provides its people. I had the unique opportunity to listen to constituents' thoughts on redestricting plans and bills that were in the process of being submitted to the city of San Francisco. Although certain constituents had more flair in their comments and suggestions, there were still many that were thankful and appreciative. It was beneficial to see the emotional balance present in different political situations and how they were developed. More simply, I was able to see the process of something as opposed to only seeing the outcome.

What did you study at UC Berkeley and how did you choose this field?

I studied Business Administration and Asian American Studies at UC Berkeley. I chose Business because it is a very practical field with a lot of diverse and flexible focal areas. I also know myself and recognize that I work best in an environment that balances the technical and artistic aspects of life. Business satisfies these needs and it possesses the fundamental values of what I look for in my life's pursuit of happiness.

I also studied Asian American Studies because I enjoy learning about the history of Asian Americans. It helps to ground me because I can better appreciate where my parents and grandparents came from and what they had to endure in order to succeed. It is also wonderful to see the obstacles that Asian Americans have overcome as a group and how much they have contributed to society. I hope to combine my business experience and Asian American appreciation to impact and give back to my community.

Tell us more about your college experience.

I loved UC Berkeley. It was a great place for me to learn academically, grow individually, and expand my social network. Although it is very close to where I grew up (Alamo, CA), Berkeley's environment is so different and vast that I was still able to challenge myself and experience life to become my own person. I was able to define my college experience with the gentle guidance of my family and friends. Berkeley definitely shaped who I am today and has given me the foundation to lead people, contribute to society, and appreciate life.

How has the CAPA internship experience applied to you in your studies at UCBerkeley, or in the workforce?

My CAPA internship helped me become more socially mature and aware of the world around me. It also started my political experience. In college I immediately got involved with the student government, the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC). I first started as an intern in the Vice President's office and later became the campaign manager for the future Vice President during my sophomore year in college. After our campaign victory, I served as the Deputy Chief of Staff of Campus Improvements at Berkeley. This was a position that I really enjoyed ,because I was able to impact student life at Berkeley. It also gave me the ability to lead my own projects and ideas and work with new people. Overall, my CAPA internship challenged me to want to solve difficult problems. It gave me the self-confidence needed to achieve a goal and work side by side with elders and peers.

What are you up to these days?

I started working at Google one year ago and am loving it. I love the creative atmosphere, the intelligent and friendly co-workers that I am able to work with, and I appreciate the company and how it values its largest asset: its employees. I am very happy here and am currently in the process of changing roles. I used to work on Froogle, but now I will be a part of Marketing for the Google Checkout and Google Product Search teams. I will be working directly with Google's top clients like Macy's and Buy.com to expand our business even more.

I feel very lucky and honored to be a part of Google. Not only is it a very fun place to work, it is filled with caring people that are concerned with your individual and professional development. This results in more work value and meaning- and it's great to have meaning in your work.

Do you have any plans for the near future?

In the near future, I would like to see where and how my career at Google goes. Things are constantly changing and I love the dynamic environment Google offers me. If things go very well at work, I will stay and keep working. At some point, I plan to get my MBA and am also interested in possibly pursuing an MFA, a Masters in Fine Arts. I think that the artistic side of life is often overlooked and will be key in developing the future of any industry.

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?

Interest and incentive. People need to be interested and they need to see the purpose of doing something. By first defining a common goal, purpose, and idea behind every action, interns will be able to answer the question of why? In addition, if we are able to show the impact of their involvement before and after, this will strengthen their bond to one another significantly.

Team activities are always helpful. Being active in a group and having to work together and set aside differences is always key to strengthening bonds. I encourage all interns, past or present, to be open to meeting and working with different people, because every person has his or her own talents to offer. Appreciating and leveraging these assets is key to working together.

Individuals need to also be able to own and contribute to a project. Allowing alumni interns to really shape and define something together will create a foundation to achieving something great. It also gives them the ability to work on something from inception to completion.

Lastly, everyone needs positive energy and needs to have fun. Putting a spin and offering a new perspective on traditional activities will be new and exciting for alumni interns.