AN INTERVIEW WITH NICK NGUYEN
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Editor's Note: Nicholas Nguyen was appointed as Program Assistant for the OLLI program in 2020. OLLI Members may recall seeing Nick on some of the Zoom classes where he helps with the Zoom set-up. Here is an interview with Nick where he discusses his duties with our program and his background. The interview was conducted by Mike Lambert, a member of the OLLI community since 2015. |
Mike: Hello Nick. How did you hear about the job opening here at OLLI?
Nick: I had worked with Kathy previously at the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies and she reached out last year about the position. And who can say no to Kathy?
Mike: What are some of your duties here?
Nick: As a COVID-era hire, my main job has been to facilitate our Zoom courses and provide online support to the students and instructors. I also do other tasks, like laying out our weekly newsletter and carrying cookies to meetups in the botanical garden!
Mike: I understand you also work at another group at SF State. Tell us about that position.
Nick: Yes, I also work at the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies. There, I am primarily an administrative assistant, and do things like processing payments and making annual budgets while trying to navigate university bureaucracy. I also step in if there’s any extra help needed with our different projects (archive, blog, etc.). Some say I resemble human spackle.
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Mike: Tell us a little about your background. Where did you grow up and where did you go to school?
Nick: I grew up in the East Bay (shout-outs to those with 925 area codes!) and did my K-12 at various schools. Then I went to SFSU, where I studied Cinema and tried to seem smart in comparative world literature classes.
Mike: What kind of work have you done prior to these two jobs at SFSU?
Nick: My other job experience consists of retail work and various positions crewing on indie film shoots (e.g., working grip or assistant directing). In the future, I hope to be able to get more film-related work, whether on productions or in programming or just with cool organizations a la SFFilm or the Prelinger archives.
Mike: You may have noticed that the OLLI members are senior citizens. Have you ever worked with a group like us before?
Nick: Most of my co-workers the past few years have been on the older side, if not always legally senior. That said, this is the first time I’ve been this embedded in a community like our OLLI and it’s been great! Not to cloud the room with smoke but we’ve got a pretty lovely set of folks here.
Mike: Several of us OLLI members have struggled to get our Zoom settings correct so we can participate in a remote OLLI course. What advice do you have for those of us who are still struggling with Zoom technology?
Nick: Well, first off, don’t fret! We will figure this out together. A good thing to do is to check our FAQ page, which, among other things, contains a handy tutorial video on how to store Zoom links. The Community Living Campaign also has virtual classes and help desks for many technologies, including Zoom. You can also email us at [email protected] and we will come to your aid.
Also, a good general tip is to leave and rejoin the Zoom meeting; sometimes the program hiccups and just needs a reset.
Nick: I grew up in the East Bay (shout-outs to those with 925 area codes!) and did my K-12 at various schools. Then I went to SFSU, where I studied Cinema and tried to seem smart in comparative world literature classes.
Mike: What kind of work have you done prior to these two jobs at SFSU?
Nick: My other job experience consists of retail work and various positions crewing on indie film shoots (e.g., working grip or assistant directing). In the future, I hope to be able to get more film-related work, whether on productions or in programming or just with cool organizations a la SFFilm or the Prelinger archives.
Mike: You may have noticed that the OLLI members are senior citizens. Have you ever worked with a group like us before?
Nick: Most of my co-workers the past few years have been on the older side, if not always legally senior. That said, this is the first time I’ve been this embedded in a community like our OLLI and it’s been great! Not to cloud the room with smoke but we’ve got a pretty lovely set of folks here.
Mike: Several of us OLLI members have struggled to get our Zoom settings correct so we can participate in a remote OLLI course. What advice do you have for those of us who are still struggling with Zoom technology?
Nick: Well, first off, don’t fret! We will figure this out together. A good thing to do is to check our FAQ page, which, among other things, contains a handy tutorial video on how to store Zoom links. The Community Living Campaign also has virtual classes and help desks for many technologies, including Zoom. You can also email us at [email protected] and we will come to your aid.
Also, a good general tip is to leave and rejoin the Zoom meeting; sometimes the program hiccups and just needs a reset.
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Mike: What are some of the problems you and the other OLLI assistants are facing as you look ahead to the rest of the year with our Zoom-centric program?
Nick: I think we have our Zoom processes pretty squared away, but the big thing on our and everyone else’s minds is the transition back to in-person classes. Barring any shift in safety guidelines, there are a set of logistical issues to deal with, particularly in the hyflex (simultaneous in-person and Zoom) courses. But nothing insurmountable!
Mike: Is there anything else you would like to tell our OLLI members?
Nick: There’s a poem I love titled “When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities.” I hope to learn from you all and work my way towards that. And I can’t wait to see everyone in person!
Nick: I think we have our Zoom processes pretty squared away, but the big thing on our and everyone else’s minds is the transition back to in-person classes. Barring any shift in safety guidelines, there are a set of logistical issues to deal with, particularly in the hyflex (simultaneous in-person and Zoom) courses. But nothing insurmountable!
Mike: Is there anything else you would like to tell our OLLI members?
Nick: There’s a poem I love titled “When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities.” I hope to learn from you all and work my way towards that. And I can’t wait to see everyone in person!
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