I first met (CLAOC President) Mark Percy at the Sun Family Foundation winter workshop in December 2019. As an alumni of the Foundation’s scholarship program, I was invited to participate on the alumni panel to share my college experiences with current scholars. I sat across Mark during lunch and introduced myself. We shared our stories, and I was really interested by his traveling experiences. (I had never been on a plane until I was 26).
I reconnected with Mark in February 2020 to find ways to be more involved with the community. I wanted to do more and be more; my career has always been fulfilling but something was missing. Mark helped me brainstorm, but I drove home that day still searching.
Not long after that, Mark sent me an email one evening asking if I’d be interested in helping to launch an Orange County fellowship program. Two colleagues were leading the effort, and Mark thought I could contribute.
Fast forward to March 2020, I meet Peggy and Carey for the first time.
The rest is history.
I’m not sure if I found the Orange Fellowship or if the Orange Fellowship found me.