Officer Spotlight
Connie Liu
Enrichment Program Manager
Lowell Class of 2019
What are you hobbies?
My hobbies include writing, reading, drawing, spontaneous sleeping during random times in the day, and listening to single songs for hours on repeat. Writing, reading, and drawing are really effective ways to distract yourself from reality and the problems in your life. You have to power to create and absorb while everything around you is broken and falling apart. Listening to songs on repeat for hours is also an awesome way to relieve stress, and it can either help you get over an obsession with a specific song or burn the melody deeper into your brain.
What is one of your favorite memories or events from HIM?
One of my favorite events with Heart In Motion is the Hot Chocolate Run. It was my first event, and it is still the event that brings back the fondest memories. I can still smell the sweetness in the air and picture myself spelling out my name with chocolatey calligraphy in a tray of warm molten chocolate. I gained a much deeper appreciation for marshmallows, and perfected the best technique to pour molten chocolate neatly into Finisher Mugs without staining the neighboring bananas and wafers. It really made all the volunteers feel like chocolateers, and it’s an experience I’ll never forget.
How did you find out about Leadership?
I actually found out about Leadership when I saw a picture posted on Facebook by one of my classmates who was an intern during the term before me. It was a photo of the internship orientation, and I immediately regretted not being part of it. The interns looked like they were having the time of their lives, and looked like they had finally found somewhere where they belonged. Immediately I started badgering that classmate, who informed me that I could sign up for the next term, which I did the moment the application was released.
What is the most valuable skill you have gained from Leadership?
The most valuable skill I’ve gained from internship is probably the mindset that prompts me to finish assignments the moment they’re assigned and to not procrastinate. Is this a skill? I don’t know, but it’s the most prominent thing I’ve learned from Leadership. I used to always put things off until the last second, which really took a toll on my day and how I finished tasks in general. Learning how to manage my time and finish assignments on time has really helped me both in both Leadership and school.
Why did you join Leadership?
I joined Leadership because it’s everything that I needed coming into Lowell. It not only taught me priceless skills and mindsets, but it also provided a family and community of people that I could rely on to help me through my first year of highschool. The things I had heard from previous interns before I became involved were all interesting and engaging, and I was eager to join a program that would let me give back to the community while molding me into the person I am today.
What was your reaction to jumping from an intern to a Program Manager?
Jumping from an Intern to a Program Manager was definitely not something I was expecting. One moment I was an intern struggling to understand everything and trying to catch up to my fellow interns, and next I'm suddenly a Program Manager, tasked with a whole new load of responsibilities, including overseeing specialists and coordinators who know more about my job than I do. It was definitely a promotion that I was not prepared for, but still an experience that I am grateful for. It opened my eyes and forced me to see things as the way they are, and encourages me to this day to be more assertive. I still make many, many mistakes and drive my superiors crazy, but they were also the ones that put me in this position, and understand that mistakes are just part of the learning process. So I hope that I can be a good Program Manager this term and bring the Enrichment Crew up to its full potential.
