23 May Colorado Bound: An Introduction

This is a story of how I had an adventure, and found myself doing and saying things altogether unexpected. I trust that this allusion to J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit will serve as a firm foothold for what will surely be an adventure worth writing about. My name is Cory Rosas. I am from Chino, California and a soon-to-be UCLA alumnus. In June of 2016 I will graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles with a bachelor’s degree in political science with a concentration in American politics and a minor in film, television and digital media. After graduation, I will be a volunteer sailing specialist with UCLA’s official student charity, UCLA UniCamp. With Session 2: College Readiness and Retention of UCLA UniCamp, in conjunction with Project GRAD, Los Angeles, I will work with urban youth from the San Fernando Valley to prepare them for college applications and life. A Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) component will teach campers to maintain positive mental health through what can be stressful process for first generation college students, an experience which I identify with. As a result of my involvement with UCLA UniCamp, I will begin my LHIP work in mid July at the Intermountain Regional Office of the National Park Service located in Denver, Colorado as a communication and urban outreach intern. There I will assist in promoting successful youth projects at parks in the Intermountain Region, a division which oversees park units in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. I will also explore a park in the region while spending time participating in outreach events in the Denver area to teach youth about the National Park Service as part of IMRO’s Centennial Communications strategy. I look forward to bringing you updates through the LHIP blog about my experiences and adventures working with the National Park Service in its centennial celebration year.