INSIDE OLLI -
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Editor’s Note: Helena Chiu was appointed as Program Assistant for the OLLI program in February 2020. Here is an interview with Helena, where she discusses her background and the changes she is helping to make in our program. The interview was conducted by Mike Lambert, a member of the OLLI community since 2015. He is a member of the OLLI Council which gives advice and assistance to the OLLI Director.
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Mike: Hello Helena. Or Lena, as I have heard you introduce yourself. How did you hear about the job opening here at OLLI that you accepted early in 2020?
Lena: I’m Lena. That’s what my parents call me. So I’m definitely more “Lena” than “Helena,” my birth certificate name, which no one can pronounce (like “St. Helena”) or spell correctly when I say it. I live in the Bernal Heights neighborhood, and am part of the “Bernal Parents Yahoo Group” — now a Google group. The how is very boring: Kathy Bruin had written to the group seeking a part-time assistant. And I thought, “I could do that.”
Mike: What attracted you to the position?
Lena: I’ve been a freelance graphic designer for over two decades. I love my work, but I was itching to do something different, maybe work a different part of my brain.
The longer version involves helping my Dad more in the past couple of years. He’s 91 this year and some tasks — like grocery shopping and getting around — became more difficult.
Then in 2019, I heard KQED’s Michael Krasney interview Louise Aronson, a geriatrician at UCSF. Dr. Aronson illuminated for me how all the ways we regard and look after our elders can be so much better. And I thought, “I would like to make a difference.” How? I had no idea. I’m definitely too old for med school. I can’t hold an intelligent conversation past 8:30 pm these days — or at least would prefer to be left alone by then. A few months after hearing the interview was when I saw that email from Kathy.
The job checked a few boxes for me: 1) A reason to get out of the house! Having worked in a home office for so long, putting on an outfit and getting outside sounded like a nice change; 2) OLLI is school and I like school. School without homework is even better; 3) they’d pay me for #1 and #2.
I reached out to Kathy and hoped for the best.
Lena: I’m Lena. That’s what my parents call me. So I’m definitely more “Lena” than “Helena,” my birth certificate name, which no one can pronounce (like “St. Helena”) or spell correctly when I say it. I live in the Bernal Heights neighborhood, and am part of the “Bernal Parents Yahoo Group” — now a Google group. The how is very boring: Kathy Bruin had written to the group seeking a part-time assistant. And I thought, “I could do that.”
Mike: What attracted you to the position?
Lena: I’ve been a freelance graphic designer for over two decades. I love my work, but I was itching to do something different, maybe work a different part of my brain.
The longer version involves helping my Dad more in the past couple of years. He’s 91 this year and some tasks — like grocery shopping and getting around — became more difficult.
Then in 2019, I heard KQED’s Michael Krasney interview Louise Aronson, a geriatrician at UCSF. Dr. Aronson illuminated for me how all the ways we regard and look after our elders can be so much better. And I thought, “I would like to make a difference.” How? I had no idea. I’m definitely too old for med school. I can’t hold an intelligent conversation past 8:30 pm these days — or at least would prefer to be left alone by then. A few months after hearing the interview was when I saw that email from Kathy.
The job checked a few boxes for me: 1) A reason to get out of the house! Having worked in a home office for so long, putting on an outfit and getting outside sounded like a nice change; 2) OLLI is school and I like school. School without homework is even better; 3) they’d pay me for #1 and #2.
I reached out to Kathy and hoped for the best.
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Mike: Tell us a little about your background. Where did you grow up and where did you go to school?
Lena: I was born in Hong Kong. My family emigrated to the United States in 1976. We settled in the Montclair district in Oakland. I attended public schools in the Oakland Unified District. And later, I earned a B.A. in Industrial Design from San Francisco State University. I am tickled to have completed a full circle — and have even pulled my original SFSU ID number out of retirement. I’m a Gator for life.
Mike: What kind of work have you done prior to this job at OLLI?
Lena: Graphic designer, still am. Before embarking on a freelance career, I had worked at the school newspaper doing layout, and some retail sales. That was hard! I always wanted to help save the world and eventually came upon an opportunity at an agency that fundraises for nonprofit organizations like Greenpeace and Public TV. There, I moved all over the office, first as account assistant, then copy assistant, then was instrumental in starting their in-house design services.
Knowing graphic design is part of my arsenal. Kathy put me to work right away on a new OLLI banner, in preparation for an in-person event that did not have a chance to materialize. The banner is now hanging in my downtown cubicle. Since then, I’ve had the chance to create or spiff up projects used to tell the world about OLLI at SF State.
Mike: You may have noticed that the OLLI members are senior citizens. Have you ever worked with a group like us before?
Lena: I have not worked with a group like this before and did not see this job coming.
Mike: I first met you in early spring at Nicholas Jones’ course on Elizabethan Poetry. And then, we shut down in-person classes! How has that affected your job duties?
Lena: Yes, very nice to have met you that day! You’re very tall.
I had so much fun getting on Muni and BART daily — the choice depended on whether or not I got a ride from my husband on his way to dropping off our daughter at school. Then, just like that, I went right back to something very familiar: my own desk in my own office, with our cats. As for specific job duties, Zoom added another welcome dimension to my job: I am now actually IN the classes. School, without the homework. The Universe works in mysterious ways. I miss seeing everyone in person. But for now, this is better than OK for me. Woot!
Lena: I was born in Hong Kong. My family emigrated to the United States in 1976. We settled in the Montclair district in Oakland. I attended public schools in the Oakland Unified District. And later, I earned a B.A. in Industrial Design from San Francisco State University. I am tickled to have completed a full circle — and have even pulled my original SFSU ID number out of retirement. I’m a Gator for life.
Mike: What kind of work have you done prior to this job at OLLI?
Lena: Graphic designer, still am. Before embarking on a freelance career, I had worked at the school newspaper doing layout, and some retail sales. That was hard! I always wanted to help save the world and eventually came upon an opportunity at an agency that fundraises for nonprofit organizations like Greenpeace and Public TV. There, I moved all over the office, first as account assistant, then copy assistant, then was instrumental in starting their in-house design services.
Knowing graphic design is part of my arsenal. Kathy put me to work right away on a new OLLI banner, in preparation for an in-person event that did not have a chance to materialize. The banner is now hanging in my downtown cubicle. Since then, I’ve had the chance to create or spiff up projects used to tell the world about OLLI at SF State.
Mike: You may have noticed that the OLLI members are senior citizens. Have you ever worked with a group like us before?
Lena: I have not worked with a group like this before and did not see this job coming.
Mike: I first met you in early spring at Nicholas Jones’ course on Elizabethan Poetry. And then, we shut down in-person classes! How has that affected your job duties?
Lena: Yes, very nice to have met you that day! You’re very tall.
I had so much fun getting on Muni and BART daily — the choice depended on whether or not I got a ride from my husband on his way to dropping off our daughter at school. Then, just like that, I went right back to something very familiar: my own desk in my own office, with our cats. As for specific job duties, Zoom added another welcome dimension to my job: I am now actually IN the classes. School, without the homework. The Universe works in mysterious ways. I miss seeing everyone in person. But for now, this is better than OK for me. Woot!
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Mike: What are some of the problems you are facing as you look ahead to the rest of the year with our Zoom-centric program?
Lena: The program has grown since its initial offering on Zoom. We started with just seven three-week courses — as a test! Now we’re offering a dozen full-length courses, one-day mini courses, and a speaker series. We are able to welcome more students to each gathering. We see students with faraway addresses and know that friends and family who live in different cities can now take classes together. I love that so much.
With a bigger program comes more tasks, more customer service. We’ve been doing this for a few months now and are getting the hang of it. But I know there will be new-to-Zoom folks joining us each session.
This is not a ‘problem’ per se. But we do want everyone to have an enriching and fun OLLI experience. So, besides the huge job of putting together each session’s course offerings (thank you, Kathy Bruin!), the goal always is to better anticipate everyone’s expectations and try to make the transition to Zoom as seamless as possible. And offer timely help where needed. I hope we’re succeeding.
I read that, during shelter-in-place, and all of us having to connect with one another using technology, the group that has the most growth potential is our elders. It is my privilege to play a small role to help.
Mike: Do you have anyone at home to help you keep your sanity thru this stay-at-home regimen?
Lena: My pod — husband and daughter — is pretty great. Supportive, chill, willing to comply when I tell them I need the groceries wiped down, or the house needs vacuuming.
I also have two cats. One of them lost a leg when she was just a few weeks old. She has no idea she’s missing anything and carries on daily with her bouncy cat self. She also had surgery in June for a tumor. She let loose more than a few hair-raising hisses and growls through that ordeal. But she is fully healed and back to her sweet self. Every day she takes her office hours post on my desk and reminds me that all will be OK.
Mike: Is there anything else you would like to tell our OLLI members?
Lena: Many thanks for the warm welcome when I showed up, and for being the amazing group you are — both members and teachers. I want to be like you when I grow up.
Lena: The program has grown since its initial offering on Zoom. We started with just seven three-week courses — as a test! Now we’re offering a dozen full-length courses, one-day mini courses, and a speaker series. We are able to welcome more students to each gathering. We see students with faraway addresses and know that friends and family who live in different cities can now take classes together. I love that so much.
With a bigger program comes more tasks, more customer service. We’ve been doing this for a few months now and are getting the hang of it. But I know there will be new-to-Zoom folks joining us each session.
This is not a ‘problem’ per se. But we do want everyone to have an enriching and fun OLLI experience. So, besides the huge job of putting together each session’s course offerings (thank you, Kathy Bruin!), the goal always is to better anticipate everyone’s expectations and try to make the transition to Zoom as seamless as possible. And offer timely help where needed. I hope we’re succeeding.
I read that, during shelter-in-place, and all of us having to connect with one another using technology, the group that has the most growth potential is our elders. It is my privilege to play a small role to help.
Mike: Do you have anyone at home to help you keep your sanity thru this stay-at-home regimen?
Lena: My pod — husband and daughter — is pretty great. Supportive, chill, willing to comply when I tell them I need the groceries wiped down, or the house needs vacuuming.
I also have two cats. One of them lost a leg when she was just a few weeks old. She has no idea she’s missing anything and carries on daily with her bouncy cat self. She also had surgery in June for a tumor. She let loose more than a few hair-raising hisses and growls through that ordeal. But she is fully healed and back to her sweet self. Every day she takes her office hours post on my desk and reminds me that all will be OK.
Mike: Is there anything else you would like to tell our OLLI members?
Lena: Many thanks for the warm welcome when I showed up, and for being the amazing group you are — both members and teachers. I want to be like you when I grow up.
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