Get to know Raynold Quan, who joined the Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies (FHIS) in June 2023 as the Student Programs Assistant.
“The Student Programs Assistant serves as the first point of contact for all current and prospective students in FHIS, providing information and assisting in the resolution of complex issues.”
What is your role as Student Programs Assistant?
The Student Programs Assistant (SPA) serves as the first point of contact for all current and prospective students in FHIS, providing information and assisting in the resolution of complex issues. The incumbent provides broad student support across both the graduate and undergraduate programs, which includes advising, human resources, finances, scheduling and general administration.
What motivated you to take on this role?
SPA is a position that I haven’t had any experience with before. After looking at the job description on the Workday Career webpage, its broad range of new and challenging tasks motivated me to apply. Instead of staying in a fixed position for a lifetime, I am always keen to build up my resume and competitiveness by gaining valuable experiences from different fields and departments, accumulating my knowledge, and boosting my skills and assets through working at UBC.
What is your favourite aspect about working at FHIS?
I like the work environment here. It is calm, quiet and elegant (i.e. filled with a sense of romance and refinement). People are friendly, supportive and respectful.
What are some fun facts about yourself?
I actually have social phobia (fear of social situations or public speaking). Despite looking like an extroverted person, I am indeed very introverted and bashful.
I do lots of indoor and outdoor activities during my leisure time. I play badminton, go to the gym, hike, bike and fish during the summer. I go snowboarding during the snowy seasons.
