Hi! My name is Sarah Memon, and I am currently a rising sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh. This summer, I will be serving as one of two Honors College STEAM Ambassadors at Pitt’s Community Engagement Center in the Hill District, along with my companion Jhanvi Dasaka.
A Little About Me on Campus:
As I will be documenting and reflecting on my experiences in this position over the summer, it might be useful to have a bit of insight about me! I am pursuing a double major in Law, Criminal Justice, and Society & Communication and Rhetoric with a minor in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies at the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. Outside of the classroom, I am involved in several on-campus extracurriculars. This upcoming academic year, I will be serving as the Equity Officer on the Pitt Parliamentary Debate Team and the Business Manager of Students Conquering Cold Cases. This past semester, I also founded the Speech Team at Pitt, a competitive public speaking team, with two of my friends. I am definitely looking forward to watching the club evolve once we are back on campus. Besides these career-oriented organizations, I am also a recently-inducted Brother in Phi Sigma Pi, a national honor fraternity. Clearly, I keep myself very busy on campus! Side note: if you are interested in joining any of the organizations I am involved in, feel free to reach out, and I can answer any questions you may have 🙂
My Professional Goals:
As my choice of majors and extracurriculars may allude, I am on the pre-law track. After completing my undergraduate education at Pitt, I intend to take one or two gap years before (hopefully) attending law school. During these gap years, I am not exactly sure what I would like to do. Some possibilities that I have thought about include becoming a paralegal, studying abroad (and obtaining a Master’s), or teaching. Regarding law school, I am not entirely sure what field of law I would like to specialize in. Currently, I find myself interested in human rights and labor relations, but that might change in the future.
Surprisingly, I only recently decided that I wanted to attend law school. This decision was sparked by my passion for social justice. In America especially, the law is everywhere. With current news headlines, it is evident that much reform is needed to better people’s lives. A law degree will provide me with the knowledge and background to serve as an advocate for communities in need.
What Brought Me to This Internship:
Early into the spring semester, I decided that I wanted to complete a summer internship related to my future professional goals and/or passion for social justice. I consistently kept seeing information about this position on flyers posted on the walls of Sutherland Hall and in the Honors LLC newsletter. When I first saw the mention of the word “STEAM” in the title, I quickly assumed this position would be more appropriate for a STEM major; however, I was incorrect. Upon looking into this internship, I learned more about Pitt’s CECs and how they provide beneficial resources to their children, adults, seniors, and families. Some of these resources include job fairs and data literacy training, with the overall mission being to build stronger neighborhoods one program at a time. After learning more information, I realized that my values perfectly align with those of the CEC, and I decided to apply for the position.
I am excited to begin this position and become more involved in community work! This experience will provide me with the opportunity to learn more about how communities are effectively supported while being respectful and culturally mindful. I also look forward to observing the different stages of programs, from brainstorming to implementation. This experience will certainly be beneficial to me in developing a comprehensive skillset for my future endeavors in community engagement. Lastly, I am eager to learn more about the Hill District and its community members. Honestly, I have not explored as many Pittsburgh neighborhoods as I would like to have; I have never even been to the Hill District! Therefore, this internship provides me with the perfect opportunity to learn more about and connect with this community in a unique way.
Looking forward to keeping you all posted on my experiences!
