San Jose Office of
Economic Development
Accounting Major, Ethnic Studies Minor
Home Town: San Jose, California
What were your responsibilities at your internship with the City of San Jose’s Office of Economic Development ?
As a fellow in the City of San Jose’s Office of Economic Development I was mainly tasked with the continued success of the Storefront Assistance Grant. I was in constant contact with various small San Jose businesses in order to process their application for grants. These grants are for storefront improvements so that small businesses can improve their aesthetic appearance. I was also given projects by my supervisor, Sal Alvarez, ranging from assisting meetings to visiting grant sites to talk with business owners.
In what ways do you think you made positive contributions to the City of San Jose’s Office of Economic Development?
Working at the Office of Economic Development I have gained a wealth of experience and have also been able to meaningfully contribute to the department. The Office of Economic Development is a very inviting place open to ideas and new perspectives. I was able to share my ideas and with some initial guidance was eventually given autonomy to work on projects that helped the office. One such example was talking with various small businesses in order to understand the impact of COVID-19. This independent project helped the department’s effort to assist businesses facing the economic downturn caused by the pandemic.
What would you recommend to LSB students who want to make a difference in the community?
In my position I was given a core set of projects to work on like the Storefront Assistance Grant. However, this experience is what you make of it. If you are interested in a certain issue or are passionate about something this position will be a great way of learning more about it. Working at the city I became interested in public transportation and the issues the city of San Jose faces with transportation. Because of this I spent time learning about the city’s public transportation system and how the city is trying to improve it.