Written by: Fiona Yang, FCSN Voices Editor
Graphics by: Christina Gu, FCSN Voices Graphics Artist

First introduced by her brother to summer internship opportunities advertised in FCSN’s newsletter, Coordinated Family Support (CFS) intern Cadence Lee has made long-lasting contributions to FCSN’s financial and organizational management. After Cadence learned about the internship’s availability, she applied for a position in the CFS program and Finance Department. Subsequently, she completed the interview round and was offered a position in the CFS program, which she gladly accepted. “I’ve always been passionate about helping in the community, and [the] CFS intern position aligns with my values in community involvement,” Cadence said. 

The CFS program supports adults with developmental disabilities who live with their families, offering services to assist with individuals’ specific needs and ensuring his or her access to necessary community resources. Working for the CFS program requires high levels of dedication, time management, and communication qualities, all of which Cadence skillfully demonstrated during her summer as an intern. 

As an individual with exemplary commitment, Cadence’s work featured completing administrative duties, creating outreach materials, and fulfilling projects. Her tasks included organizing arrays of datasets and keeping records. Notably, one of her main projects involved conducting research on affordable housing trends and compiling data for reports on the subject. To enhance and manage outreach initiatives, Cadence created graphics to support and expand community engagement. Reflecting on her experience, she noted that her assignments “offered [her] a positive summer experience enhancing [her] organizational and analytical skills.”

One of Cadence’s most memorable moments was working alongside Ms. Patty Chou. “Her background and dedication to her job is admirable,” Cadence recounts.

During her summer internship experiences, Cadence encountered obstacles that accompanied her successes and growth, which she used to further hone her problem-solving abilities. One of the biggest challenges she experienced was reaching out to vendors to verify client data. Oftentimes, her communication efforts were ineffective, which was not only frustrating but stressful. However, by persisting and staying calm, Cadence’s dedication eventually came through, and she gathered the majority of the required data needed for her tasks. 

Most of all, Cadence offers an important piece of advice for other FCSN volunteers: “Be open to learning. Stay curious and open to acquiring new skills and approaches.” Overall, her internship experience “offered [her] insights into working for a meaningful nonprofit which involved heavily in community engagement.”

Currently, Cadence is pursuing an Economics degree at UC Berkeley. “I hope to utilize my academic knowledge to make impactful contributions to society,” Cadence said.