One word- IMPRESSIVE.
I was extremely honored to be a part of Thursday night's dinner at Jardinieres in San Francisco. My mother, Linh, accompanied me and was able to meet and hear the Brown alumnis, Irene, and Megan speak. Irene and Megan presented themselves and the ILC very well in their speech. Great job both of you! The restaurant, food, and atmosphere deserved five stars. Our private dining area provided an intimate dinner which allowed everyone to feel comfortable around each other. Although it was the first time most of us have met face to face, everyone's friendliness and openness made it easy to communicate.
Sitting to the left of me was Brown Alumni Simon Hong. Right when I sat down, I knew we had an instant connection, someway or another. And boy was I right! I gave him an insight about the ILC program and how fortunate we all are to be apart of it. We exchanged background information and I learned he majored in Business when at Brown. I learned more about him as we enjoyed appetizers, salad, and our spareribs. Unfortuantely, Simon was unable to join us for dessert but he gave me his business card before he departed. The moment he handed me his business card was when the connection came alive. "Ironwood" was printed across the top which was surprising. My aunt works at the same company and when he knows her quite well. Connection?
Overall, I was very impressed by everyone's hard work and efforts in hosting this dinner. Thanks Jardiniere for the food and lovely location. Thursday's dinner was a worthy splurge.
Look forward to seeing everyone soon again!
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the evening. I sat with Andrew Gabriel, his father and Kibby Kleiman from Richmond High. Although none of my relatives worked with any of these people, it was still quite enjoyable.
One of the benefits of these dinners (aside from seeing you all dressed so nicely) is that we all get to socialize with each other and learn more about each other in ways that we might not otherwise have an opportunity to do so.
Even the trip over on BART is a great way to bond although it'd be a lot easier of those trains weren't so d***ed noisy.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the event.
I agree with Don on the benefits of these dinners. That's exactly what I felt, I just didn't summarize it so smoothly.
ReplyDeleteThank you Stephanie for the compliment on my speech! I'm glad people liked it.
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteYour comments captured the purpose of the dinner. It is about making connections and learning more about people and what they are doing with their lives. We select these venues as a way to teach our students about the value of networking. You saw first hand how we are just six degress of separation from each other.
Use this as an example on how to get ahead in life. Too often we see people flow within the same circles and same routine. They never get out of the box. Our students cannot afford to stay in a box. Our box limits our potential and shelters us from growth and opportunity.
It appears that you have good instincts and that you have a clear understanding and appreciation for what the Ivy League Connection is attempting to create for the program participants.
Now is the time to be curious and explore the possibilities that are taking place because of the Ivy League Connection.
Thanks again for your compliments about the program and the hard work that goes into making this event a success.
Take care.
Charles T. Ramsey, Esq.
School Board Member
West Contra Costa
Unified School District