Wondering what our BCC members did during their summer? From exploring new countries, to gaining work experience, our members had truly exhilarating summers. In this post, we’ll be looking at some recent highlights from our project and committee members. Let’s dive in!
Alison and her new hobby 🥍
Alison described her summer with the nouns friends, family, and food. What stood out particularly for her summer though, was lacrosse. Through both watching and playing, Alison saw lacrosse as something rewarding because she was able to learn about the interesting game strategies and bond with her friends at UVA about the game as well.
Lacrosse goes beyond just a summer sport though, because more importantly it inspires her to try new things in the upcoming semester. Having only done cross country and track in high school, lacrosse taught Alison more about team sports. “White Mustang” definitely would have made the cut if Alison was making a summer playlist. If Alison could go back time, she would advise herself to go outside more and avoid redownloading TikTok.
Nate and his camp 🏕️
Nate’s summer can be summed up in three words: nostalgic, collaborative, and epic. One of his favorite aspects of being a camp counselor was the positive work environment; he and his fellow counselors got along well, creating a genuinely happy atmosphere that benefited both the staff and the campers. Through this experience, Nate learned valuable lessons about organizational dynamics and effective communication. Although he doesn’t plan on pursuing a career working with kids, he gained insights into how to keep everyone on the same page. He even mastered the skill of tightening goggles, though he still has the occasional mishap! Looking ahead to the semester at Brown, Nate feels excited about getting involved and making new friends, recognizing that some of the strongest connections often come from participating in organizations. If he were to create a summer playlist, “Last Friday Night” by Katy Perry would definitely make the cut. Reflecting on his summer, Nate wishes he could give his past self one piece of advice: to embrace the moment. As Andy Bernard famously said, “I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them.” Luckily for Nate, he still feels like he’s living in those good old days and intends to enjoy every moment.
Vivian and her VC fellowship 👩💼
Vivian's summer was characterized by three words: fun, educational, and eye-opening. One of the highlights of her experience in the Girls Into VC Fellowship was meeting other girls who shared her passion for venture capital. She particularly enjoyed her coffee chats with fellow venture fellows in her cohort and appreciated the collaborative work with her investment simulation group. Through the fellowship, Vivian undertook an individual project that focused on the challenges of capital raising in the femtech sector, analyzing market trends, headwinds, and tailwinds through case studies, and compiling resource guides for capital raising. She also completed a capstone project on investment memos and term sheets, and found inspiration in listening to guest speakers share their experiences.
This experience profoundly shaped her outlook for the upcoming semester and year, instilling in her the knowledge that there is always a supportive community of women, like Alexis Dunn, to rely on. She aims to incorporate the mentorship and educational aspects she gained from the fellowship into her role in the Brown Medical Entrepreneurship Society. Looking ahead, Vivian is excited about getting to know more people and exploring the various cafes near Providence.
If she were to create a summer playlist, the song “Solar Power” by Lorde would definitely make the cut. Reflecting on her summer, she would advise herself to remember that summer passes quickly, so she should make the most of every moment.
Dane and Korea 🇰🇷
Dane's summer can be encapsulated in three words: 안녕하세요 (hello), Lit, and Multicultural. One of the standout moments of his travels to Korea was the AMAZING food. He found immense joy in revisiting his favorite salad spots from his study abroad experience in Fall 2022, savoring the love that goes into Korean cuisine. Reconnecting with friends and exploring beloved places brought a wave of nostalgia that made his trip truly special.
During his time in Korea, Dane learned a valuable skill: how to confidently bargain at flea markets. He discovered that standing up for the price he believed in made a significant difference. This experience shaped his outlook for the upcoming semester, motivating him to ‘watch K-dramas like it’s his part-time job’ to improve his Korean, which he felt had been slipping. He quotes ‘Everyone says practice makes perfect, but I’ve been treating it like “practice makes whenever I have time, which is never.” Time to fix that.’
As he looks ahead, Dane is excited about casually dropping the phrase, “Oh, that reminds me of when I was in Korea,” into conversations throughout the year. If he were to create a summer playlist, the song “365” by Charli XCX featuring Shygirl would undoubtedly be included. Reflecting on his summer, he would advise himself to remember that nothing is ever that serious and to always make time for self-care.