Lena Tran is not your average CBE undergraduate student. Taking her studies in Human Resources and applying them to the real world, Lena is not only the President of the Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA) and an active member of Toastmasters, but an active member of her community.
When she’s not busy with her schooling, she also volunteers downtown at Chrysalis, a nonprofit organization catered to formerly incarcerated groups re-entering society. Understanding the obstacles they face when searching for work, Lena “helps them create a resume, cover letters, and mock interviews to help them land a job.”
Until recently, Lena served as an HR intern for Insomniac, a music festival company, an opportunity she earned through Cal State LA’s career fair for the business department.
Between the abundance of career fairs and business clubs, Lena is a strong advocate of networking. “Although we are different majors, I feel like we’re all supportive of each other. We’re all interconnected which I really like and the CBE really helps us stay connected,” she explains.
In fact, she wants new students to start networking. “Whether you know what you want to do once you graduate or you don’t, it is always important to network because whoever you meet, they’re going to help you get to where you want to be later in life; and not only in terms of your career but personal growth as well. In college, you grow a lot and you get a better understanding of who you really are.”
When she graduates in 2021, she plans on taking her wisdom, passion, and skills she’s honed while at the CBE to secure either an Assistant HR position in the entertainment industry or recruiting for college campuses.