Corporate Social Responsibility
This week in Professor Gupta’s Corporate Social Responsibility class, we focused on large corporations and their environmental disasters, aligning perfectly with the topic of my final paper. Before class, we watched “Erin Brockovich,” a movie about a legal assistant’s fight against a PG&E’s environmental negligence. The movie was incredibly entertaining while also providing historical information about a real life event and PG&E’s lack of accountability for their negative effects on the community around them. In class, we discussed other disasters such as Love Canal, Exxon Valdez, and Deepwater Horizon. I was surprised by the extensive impact of these events and the lack of accountability shown by the responsible companies. In my opinion, these corporations should have faced harsher punishments for their actions. I am excited to learn more about these issues for my final paper.
Internship Seminar
This past week’s internship seminar was divided into two sections. The first focused on housekeeping for our final project, which was a wake-up call since our group has made minimal progress. During this section, we discussed the progression of our internship experience. Professor Swain highlighted that this stage often sees students feeling least motivated, which I could strongly relate to. The second section centered on professional development. We took Professor Gupta’s advice to revise our resumes, ensuring we followed the example formats and included our recent internship experiences. I am proud of how my resume is turning out, both appearance and content wise. Finally, we watched an intriguing and hilarious video about interviews and public speaking. My main takeaways were the importance of using silent pauses and maintaining a genuine, open expression. I plan to incorporate these techniques into our presentations next week.
Internship
My internship is progressing steadily, though it’s entering a lull phase, leaving me feeling unmotivated and prone to procrastination before our weekly meetings. I’m honestly looking forward to its conclusion. Fortunately, the end is near. We recently held our second-to-last meeting, where we outlined the remaining tasks. The primary focus now is completing our questionnaire and distributing it via an AI mass email. Once this is accomplished, my internship will officially be complete.
Travel and Cultural Immersion
Last weekend, I traveled to Rome with friends, marking our first experience with high-speed trains. The journey was remarkably smooth, taking only three hours. On Saturday, we explored some of Rome’s timeless landmarks, including St. Peter’s Basilica in The Vatican, The Pantheon, and The Trevi Fountain. Unfortunately, the blazing 95-degree sun cut our sightseeing short, but we made time to watch the Italian Euro game, despite their unfortunate loss. Sunday was dedicated to touring the ancient ruins of Palatine Hill and the Colosseum, which was the highlight of my summer so far. Throughout the weekend, we indulged in renowned Roman cuisine, savoring dishes like cacio e pepe, carbonara, amatriciana, and Roman pizza. This immersive cultural experience in Rome was truly unforgettable.
