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Name: Damien Viramontes
Year: Senior
Major: Economics and Mathematics
CFS Class: Business Field Studies
Employer: High Jump

For my 2021 CFS experience, I worked as an Evaluation Intern for High Jump. High Jump is a non-profit that focuses on providing further educational opportunities to high-achieving Chicago students entering 7th grade from low-income households. Through projects assigned, I was able to develop important analytical and soft skills that are needed at all stages of analyzing data. Contacting participants to fill out surveys, building out several datasheets to analyze data, and presenting those results in staff meetings were some of the opportunities I was entrusted with. Although the entire internship was remote, I was able to get a much more involved experience than I initially thought was possible. I was able to have discussions with other staff members at weekly virtual lunches, before meetings, and through emails. My favorite aspect of working with High Jump was meeting with staff members. All the staff who I was fortunate enough to meet with frequently demonstrated their desire to engage and provide a service that made a difference in the Chicago community. I was glad that before I graduated, CFS helped me find an opportunity to work for an organization that provides direct benefits to a community.
Besides the actual internship, the CFS class provided us a greater opportunity to explore different aspects of working in the business field. As part of the class, due to a presentation we were assigned, I was able to explore the dynamics of mental health in the workplace. The focus and emphasis on mental health issues has especially been growing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Employers are starting to realize that ignoring the mental health of their employees can have severe financial cost, regardless of the industry. This research provided not only more insight onto the topic of mental health, but also a chance to reflect on individual actions that I can take to better maintain my mental health.