Name: Jenniah A. Michel
Hometown: Miami, Florida
What is your major? Business administration, marketing
What organization have you partnered with to impact our community? I had the opportunity to work with Urban Potential Laboratories (UP Labs) at FIU.
What did you do within that organization? Who did you help? UP Labs at FIU is a 14-week workforce development program connecting non-traditional learners to learning that prepares them for high growth jobs in health care. On behalf of the Microsoft Store team at Aventura, I was granted the opportunity to assist 25 individuals in creating new LinkedIn profiles from scratch to generate future opportunities in their preferred career fields. We discussed the importance and the benefits that come with building a strong network.
What community issues are you particularly interested in solving, providing support for, or shedding light on? I am extremely passionate about acts of service, and I believe we’re all placed on Earth to impact the next person’s life. I personally vowed to take advantage of any opportunity I get that involves acts of service. Based on my past experiences, I know that if it weren’t for mentors and other individuals who chose to take time out of their day to support me, I probably would not be where I am today.
How did your involvement allow you to positively impact the community and why is community engagement important? I was able to make the slightest difference in this specific community by opening a new door that may potentially lead to more opportunities. LinkedIn is such a great platform, and I believe that anyone can benefit greatly from it. Community engagement is important because it’s the best way to be the change that you wish to see.
What advice do you have for those looking to get more involved with our community? The advice I would give is don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, but instead take initiative and use the people that you know as resources. Ask questions and stay curious. Self-development is an ongoing journey.
How does your work within the community connect back to your coursework? My course work involves marketing. During this workshop, I implemented a necessity for marketing – promotion. I was able to promote the solutions LinkedIn had to offer, as well as promote myself by showcasing my profile and LinkedIn network.
What is the most memorable moment of your work in the community? During this workshop, my favorite memory was seeing the excitement on everyone’s face after witnessing their profiles come to life. They were truly thankful for the experience and I am grateful that I got to share my time and knowledge.
What did you learn about yourself and our community? I learned how important it is to share any little information that I know because it can be the difference in someone else’s life. One of my favorite sayings by Maya Angelou is, “If you get, give. If you learn, Teach!”
What does #FutureIsUs mean to you? #FutureIsUs means to me that we as a generation/nation/community have a responsibility to do, and our impact and what we choose to do today has a profound effect on the future ahead of us.
