Econ
Program
Faculty
Office
Hours
Course
Offerings
Honors Program
Student
Awards
After Oxy
Newsletters
Pictures
Web
Links
Josie Gallardo
Hometown:
South Gate, California
Class:
2003
Major:
Economics for Business and Management
Position:
Finance Assistant, Community
Partners, Los Angeles (July
2003-February 2005)
Community Partners is
a non profit located in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. Working at
Community Partners was a great experience because I met a wide variety of
Project Partners with incredible visions for the betterment of their
communities. Community Partners helps those visions become reality by
helping the Project Partners organize their ideas and money. Through this
position I not only learned the financial aspect of a non profit but also
how to start a non profit. As a finance assistant, I
·
Handled accounts
payable, accounts receivable, and independent contract agreements.
·
Performed the
duties and responsibilities related to maintaining the general ledger,
month- and year-end closings, and monthly financial statements.
·
Planned,
organized, and conducted seminars that train project managers on the
corporation’s financial operating procedures, regulatory compliance issues,
and basic principles of risk management.
·
Maintained
routine communication with project managers relating to financial
information and position.
·
Supervised and
trained 2 employees.
After leaving Community Partners I worked as a Research Assistant for the LAUSD for four months, and I'm now working as a kindergarten teacher. As a research assistant I administered Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests at various schools and received training in conducting qualitative classroom observations. I worked at a research branch located in Downtown Los Angeles. This position is suited for an individual who would like to pursue a career in education research.
I now teach Kindergarten at 95th Preparatory School. I love working with primary children because every day is different and exciting. Teaching is a very enjoyable profession because working with students is extremely rewarding. I recommend teaching to everyone.
In 2004 I was also a UCLA Riordan Fellow in the Anderson School of Management. I recommend this program to anyone who is interested in networking or in graduate studies (http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/x257.xml). Through this program I met amazing young professional in various fields. I highly recommend this program.
In general, what I enjoyed most about my experiences:
·
I enjoy teaching because it is challenging and rewarding. My
learning curve is steep because each day I learn how to make my lessons more
effective and tailor them to all types of learners.
·
Working for Community Partners was also very rewarding because I
learned valuable business skills while making a positive impact in the
community.
The best ways to prepare for this type of career: I highly encourage students to take advantage of the Study Abroad programs and the Richter Scholars Summer Research Program. Take a variety of courses because they will pay off in the long run. Involvement in community projects (such as Project Director) through the CCBL is also beneficial because you learn managerial skills and you are doing rewarding work for the community.
For more information, e-mail Josie at jgallardo2003@yahoo.com
December 2, 2005