Last week, one of the Tenderloin Technology Lab’s most dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers, Shirshendu (Shir) Chakrabarti, graduated with a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from the University of San Francisco. Over the past year and a half of Shir’s volunteer service here at the Tenderloin Technology Lab the staff has watched him struggle through important classes and vital examinations. More impressively, we have witnessed him consume countless cups of coffee and hot coco at an almost alarming rate. Thanks to Shir’s dedication and commitment at the Tenderloin Technology Lab, there are a long list of accomplishments and improvements. Only the epic enthusiasm that stems from the personality of an individual like Shirshendu, could our accomplishments have been reached.

Shir’s parents reside in India and were not able to make the long trip out to California for their son’s graduation so Karl, Chris and Ryan set aside time from their work schedules to spend a few hours with Shirshendu in an effort to loudly cheer him on during his graduation ceremony. Many pictures were taken during the event in order to provide Shir’s parents with concrete evidence of their only son actually graduating.
What does the future hold for Shirshendu Chakrabarti? We at the TTL can be certain that this young man’s future will be full of happiness, prosperity and service to others.

Community Housing Partnership and the Tenderloin Technology Lab have collaborated in shaping the curriculum for the Desk Clerk Training Program. This is an 8 week course which includes both classroom training and field experience to prepare individuals to become Desk Clerks. These individuals are responsible for checking tenants in and out of the premises, enforcing building policies, and maintaining the safety of the property. For three of the classes, the entire class comes to St. Anthony’s for resume and cover letter creation, job readiness skills, and a mock interview. This picture shows some volunteers assisting the students in creating their resume and cover letter.

My name is Kait and I have been assisting in the Tech Lab for about a month and a half now. I am a junior communication studies major at the University of San Francisco and became involved with the Tech Lab through my service learning class called the Ethnography of Communication. For the class, we complete reflection assignments of our service work at the lab as well as write two term papers. Myself, and my fellow classmates are also assisting Alex and Jake with their TenderVoice project which involves interviewing local Tenderloin organizations and archiving the audio online so that the information is available people who live in the area. We have been contacting potential organizations that we could interview as well as working on our audio recording and editing skills. I am also currently working on my first paper for my class, which is an interpretive ethnography of the communication used within the lab. To gather research and support for my paper, I have been acting as a participant observer within the computer labs and classrooms. I write field notes after my service of what I observed during the day that was relevant to my paper topic (which is how does the staff communicates order within the Tech Lab). I have also been interviewing a view of the guests and staff members here at the Lab. I will be using all the research I’ve been gathering as support for my paper. Just last week, a classmate and I started teaching a class here at the lab called Intermediate Word. I really enjoyed teaching the class because the students in the class were very nice and social and ready to learn. Many of the students had taken the class before, but they keep signing up for the class to practice and improve their skills, which I really respect. I’ve really enjoyed my time here at the Tech Lab. The staff is extremely friendly and dedicated and the guests who visit the Lab are a joy to be around. I love the environment of the Tech Lab and am glad that a resource like this Lab is well ran and available in this accessibly available in the Tenderloin. I hope to continually be involved with this organization in the future.

As an intern with St. Anthony’s I spend most of my time in the Dining Room, however one morning of the week I get to hang out in the Tenderloin Tech Lab. In my two days here, I’ve helped mostly with resume writing and answered some quick questions (or tried to at least!). The pace here in the Tenderloin Tech Lab is just a bit slower then in the Dining Room. If you’ve ever been a volunteer in the Dining Room, you might know what I’m talking about. But the slower pace is one of the things I enjoy most about the tech lab. I love being able to sit down and work one-on-one with someone. Its so rewarding to see how happy they are once their resume is done!

Below is one example of the many talent’s of Willie Warren. Willie is a regular in the Tenderloin Tech Lab and is liked by both staff and guests. With the usual smile on his face, Willie submitted some of his writing to share on our blog.

On Wednesday, June 30th 2010, the Tenderloin Technology Lab along with the National Career Development Association and the Bay Area California Career Development Association is sponsoring a Job Search Workshop. In this workshop, there will be career counselors from across the country available for individuals to meet with regarding any issues or obstacles they have in obtaining employment. Topics may include but are not limited to resume/cover letter critique, interviewing preparation and practice, networking techniques, dealing with criminal history, etc.

There will be coffee and bagels available for anyone who would like to join. This is a terrific opportunity for individuals to get advice and meet with professionals who have the knowledge and background in the field. If you would like to join us, please reserve your spot by either calling 415-592-2766, e-mailing us at frontdesk@tenderlointechnologylab.org, or stopping by 150 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102, 3rd floor.