Libraries participate in Summer Youth Employment Program

Tinischa croppedThis summer, MIT has partnered with the city of Cambridge to participate in the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program. The purpose of MSYEP is to provide high school students as well as some students in early college with the opportunity to work in a professional work environment and “expose youth to potential educational or career paths.” The Libraries, along with MIT’s Human Resources and Department of Facilities, have been selected as a work site within the community; each workplace is assigned a student where s/he works anywhere from 20-40 hours a week and meets regularly with a designated supervisor or mentor.

The Libraries have the pleasure of welcoming Tinischa Lahens as she joins Information Delivery and Library Access to help with a variety of circulation projects through August.

We had Tinischa answer some fun interview questions as a way to introduce her to Libraries’ staff and the rest of MIT. Without further ado, meet Tinischa!

Where are you attending college and what are you studying?

I will be a sophomore at Syracuse University and am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Public Health with a minor in public communications.

What types of work experience do you have?

I have a very diverse work experience ranging from working in one of the dining halls at my school to office work to working at Old Navy in the Galleria Mall and now a library. Each job taught me different skills, such as customer service and being able to lead discussions.

What’s one skill you’d like to build or goal you’d like to accomplish while here at the Libraries?

I’d like to learn how to work with a variety of people in an office setting and better my interpersonal skills.

What are your hobbies or what activities do you like to pursue in your free time?

Aside from binge-watching TV on Netflix, I like to play badminton, go out to eat, go to the beach, read, spend time with friends/family, play board games, and take pictures with my Polaroid camera.

What’s one thing about you that most Libraries’ staff might be surprised to know?

I like to listen to Korean Pop (K-pop). I don’t understand anything besides the few English words that are placed in the song, but the dancing, the beat, and the style of the music video is actually the best.

If you were offered a free plane ticket to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Fiji – it has 5 of the 100 places I would like to visit all on one island.

What was the last book that you read or movie you watched that you’d recommend?

Book: Gone Girl. It has an amazing plot twist, it’s very well-written, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Movie: Mulan. It’s hands down the best female character Disney has ever created. I mean, she saves China, risks her life to save her sick dad, and shows all the soldiers that girls are actually fantastic.

And, of course, if you could have one superpower what would it be and why?

Either to control time (the type where you can go backwards, forwards, and pause or speed up time) or to be Mystic from X-Men because then I’d have almost unlimited powers, and I think it’ll be really hard to stop me from saving the day.