Hello! My name is Scott Yuki, a second-year student at UC Berkeley studying Business Administration and Public Health. At Berkeley, I am a member of the Cal Dragon Boat team, the Associate Student body, and the Nikkei Student Union. Unfortunately… or fortunately, my spring semester was cut short. Looking at the bright side of our less fortunate situations, I was able to pass/fail my calculus course and save my GPA! But to acknowledge the realities of 2020, this has been and will continue to be an interesting time for all of us. From the Black Lives Matter movement to the COVID-19 pandemic, the upcoming election season, and all of the uproar and change, I like many others, wanted to do something with an immediate impact. 

In high school, I had the opportunity to work on an awareness campaign with the Auburn office of Sierra Forever Families. During that project, I learned more about the agency, its mission, and, most notably, its culture of love and compassion. When I was looking for fall internship opportunities earlier this year, I searched for organizations that had a strong mission, opportunities to perform in meaningful projects, a nurturing atmosphere, and again, a place where I could make an immediate impact. It was then that I thought of Sierra Forever Families. Googling the agency, I instead was directed to Stanford Sierra Youth & Families. Thinking I might have had a typo in my search engine, I typed “Sierra Forever Families,” again. I then looked more into what this semi-Sierra-esq result google was showing me, realizing that Sierra Forever Families had merged with Stanford Youth Solutions to create a new agency. I came across all of the new and amazing programs and I was once again passionate about supporting foster youth. I submitted my resume, and now, I am excited to develop my professional and creative skills as the new Community Engagement intern, all while nurturing my drive to support my community and help others in need.

From this internship, I hope to learn more about the foster care system, how I can make a difference, hone my professional skills, and honestly meet more like-minded people throughout the agency! After having submitted my resume, I got a call from Grace Cole, Career Pathways Program Coordinator and in our initial conversation, from the very get-go, I could hear the warmth of her personality through the phone and how passionate she was about supporting youth and families. Since joining the agency, I have only met kind, passionate people – individuals that I am excited to learn from during my time at Stanford Sierra Youth & Families.

To learn more about current internships at Stanford Sierra Youth & Families, please email our Career Pathways Program Coordinator, Grace Cole.