Student Spotlight: Karyn Lee
By Sophia Wambach | October 2, 2017
In September, our CareerBridge directors Margena Wade-Green and Michelle Hutcherson received a wonderful email from a CareerBridge student.
Karyn Lee at Caltrans
Subject: Thank You
Dear Ms. Margena and Ms. Michelle,
I never got the chance to formally thank you for giving me an opportunity to intern at Caltrans through your program. I learned so much and it was an experience that I will never forget. I liked Caltrans so much that I decided to apply for a permanent intern position. I am happy to share that I was offered the position and I start this Friday. I will be working in the same department that I interned in. This opportunity would not have been possible if it wasn’t for you ladies. I am forever grateful, thank you!
Sincerely,
Karyn Lee
Karyn, we are so happy for you! CareerBridge exists so that we can give you and other resilient students opportunities, training, and experience to pursue a successful career. Thank you for letting us know how we’ve helped you!
From Michelle Hutcherson, Assistant Director of CareerBridge: My first impression of Karyn was that she was shy and quiet. Once you spend any length of time with her, you learn that, wow, this young lady is full of personality, very sharp, bold, beautiful, and speaks her mind. It was a real pleasure working with Karyn this summer.
About Karyn Lee: Karyn, 21, worked as an Intern at Caltrans in the Public Affairs Department through CareerBridge this past summer. At 13, her father passed away, making the transition into high school very hard. She attended 5 high schools and a boarding school before dropping out, defeated.
When Karyn turned 17, she realized that she had zero school credits. She decided not to let life get the best of her. Karyn enrolled in an independent studies program in Oakland and completed 4 years of high school in 2 years with honors. She was accepted to 29 colleges and is currently majoring in English at Holy Names University. When she graduates, she will pursue a career in journalism. In her spare time she enjoys singing and writing a blog. Karyn wants others to know, it’s never too late to reach your goals. Perseverance is the key to being successful in life.