By: Crystal Lum
My time here at the UMKC Women’s Center has come to an end. I have made tons of fun memories during this brief time, whether it was just managing the front desk or organizing a program. I was able to see the work that the Women’s Center puts into the community. I hope to see the impact that I left here through the work that I left behind.
One of my favorite memories of working at the Women’s Center was just being in the office managing the front desk. I would have one other staff member working beside me and we would have these talks about our hobbies and lives in general. It would always be so much fun talking about what we have done in our lives and what we plan to do after we finish school. It’s a bittersweet memory that I will cherish forever.
I really adore my team; they feel like family to me. I also really enjoyed working on the Menstrual Drive. I would like to think it was my most successful program. I saw the hard work pay off when I learned that we received donations far more than the year prior. I feel like that is one of my proudest moments, and I earned respect from the people around me. I have learned about how to create programs and events. It is not easy to create and manage different moving parts of a program. I also believe that my skills in communication through emails and social media marketing have improved.
After graduating, I plan to return home and work for a year. Afterwards, I will come back to school to work on my master’s degree in Health Administration (MHA). But I may aim for a dual degree and get a master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA).
My advice for future interns is to not fear asking questions. The staff are here to help you with your programs and support you in your college career. Also, don’t be worried about having fun, the staff are students as well. The workload may be a lot at first, but it is manageable when you get the hang of it. I will miss my team a lot, but I wish them luck in their future endeavors. I would like to thank Arzie for being a good mentor, she was understanding and made me feel welcomed.