Undergraduate / UBC prompt community involvement in a global/diverse society "exposure to unique situations" [2]

We live in a global and diverse society.

Explain how your community involvement prepares you for the future in this complex world. (1500 characters)

Exposure is the best teacher, so when I got involved with Learning Buddies Network, a tutoring program catered primarily for at-risk youth, I knew precisely what kind of child I'd be tutoring. My first reading buddy, Dylan, was a second-generation immigrant with divorced parents. Between juggling learning English, working, and sharing custody, his mom seemed to be spread too thin to support his development fully. As a result, he did not know the entire alphabet despite being in the first grade. Throughout his learning journey, I learned invaluable things about myself. As a teacher's assistant for a ninth-grade social studies class, I was frequently shocked by their poor language skills. Through tutoring Dylan, I learned to empathize. Although Dylan couldn't speak English perfectly, he was one of the hardest-working children I'd ever had the pleasure of tutoring. Instead of characterizing those with weaker English skills as lazy, I'd learned to empathize more with their diverse situations. Furthermore, I'd learned to communicate more effectively through a language barrier, as I had to regularly correspond with Dylan's mother about his progress. In future, I believe my experience with their unique situation will equip me with the tools to properly communicate with and accommodate the diverse cast of people I will meet.

Undergraduate / UBC prompt important activity "photographer + prod. technician" [2]

Tell us more about ONE or TWO activities listed above that are most important to you.

Please explain the role you played and what you learned in the process. You will be asked for a reference who can speak to your response. (maximum 2100 characters)

Fly, fly, and be captured by my mechanical eye. As a gig photographer and production technician, I have two habitats: behind the camera and the laptop.

I've been a hobbyist photographer since 12, but 3 years ago, I started interning as a gig photographer. I shadowed and worked shoots for clients, including Doordash, private clients, and local businesses. I would be responsible for staging shots, handling lighting, capturing the moment, and editing to ensure that it matches the client's vision. Through the local photography community, I eventually met like-minded individuals who ran a production company named Trifecta. Eventually, I would be asked to help as a freelance production technician. I would be responsible for setting up 4k PTZ multicam cameras, RED and ARRI cinema cameras, running wires, IT assistance, and doing background work on local infrastructure.

Behind the camera, it's all about planning and communication. Although you're taking the shots, the client is calling them. Whether shadowing a senior or eventually solo jobs, I learned that effective interpersonal communication is more than vital. It's necessary. Yet, it was also essential to gently nudge the client into the direction they really wanted. I also learned valuable conflict mitigation skills. Sometimes, demanding clients appeared, or issues would occur in production. Finding the right balance between diplomatic and assertive taught me to be confident in facing adversity. Unlike photography, I often did technical work in teams. Although there was less work overall, commitment, trust, and communication became homologous to success. I quickly realized how paramount my competence was to the team's ability to work. Finally, I learned to deal with deadlines, conflict, and stress at an elevated level. Although they weren't commonplace, sometimes, there were pressure-cooker situations that demanded absolute calm. However, the experience was highly enriching. I've become more independent yet impeached at operating with people and respecting differences to achieve a common goal.