Connection Leading to Amazing Opportunity
People often say that an opportunity can only be as good as you make it to be.
I would have to say that I’ve done just that.
I was connected to Claudine J., Program Director @ Summer Springboard, through a business colleague, Jerry.
From Jerry and Claudine, I’ve learned more about Summer Springboard and its pre-college summer education program, offered through many prestigious college campuses, including UC Berkeley, my alma mater.
Inspiration Leading to Commitment
I was inspired by Summer Springboard, its purpose, and how the program helps middle and high schoolers in increasing their self-awareness. So they can make decisions about college selection, academic majors, and career planning that reflect their personal vision for success.
I offered to Claudine that I would do a Brown Bag Q&A with students attending their June session.
Claudine came back and offered me something even better — an opportunity to be a pitch panel judge — with students from their Business and Entrepreneurship track pitching their start-up products/companies to us.
Commitment Came to Life
I invited my business colleagues, Ann Height and Sam Doying to join me on this little venture.
Our experience came to life on June 27.
We were judges for 4 student teams, led by instructor Mike Mitchell, a Berkeley alum. We were impressed by the students’ caliber and thoughtful approaches to solving real-world problems.
We had so much fun in contributing our insights and sharing our thoughts that we all decided to offer further guidance to every company/team that had pitched.
It was a great venture being back on the UC Berkeley campus. For me, this was an opportunity that knocks at the right time, and I could not be more thrilled that it was realized through working with awesome people and teams!
A Teaching Moment
Next time, when an opportunity crosses your path that feels like a speed boat, don’t let fear stop you from considering it. Making the decision to take the opportunity has a lot to do with how much it aligns with what your passion, your values, and how it will energize you.
Being a pitch panel judge did exactly that for me. It was worth the time and energy that I put into it, and I was ready for it!
