Kendell Friend
Philadelphia
Summary
Dynamic professional with a proven track record at Starbucks, excelling in operational efficiency and team leadership. Adept in verbal communication and performance improvement, I transformed underperforming locations into district leaders. Bilingual proficiency enhances my ability to connect with diverse populations, driving engagement and fostering a culture of excellence.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Volunteer
Puentes de Salud
09.2023 - 12.2023
- Provided bilingual academic support and mentorship in English and Spanish, tailoring instruction to improve language proficiency and academic outcomes for a diverse student population.
- Streamlined the college transition process by guiding students through essay development, financial aid applications, and institutional selection, resulting in higher matriculation rates for underrepresented groups.
- Cultivated a supportive learning environment by serving as a dedicated mentor, offering the emotional and motivational guidance necessary for students' holistic personal and academic growth.
- Coordinated and led comprehensive college readiness programming, including daily educational workshops and expert panels to clarify application requirements, deadlines, and resource allocation.
- Advocated for student success by bridging cultural and linguistic gaps, ensuring that all students and their families were empowered with the information needed to navigate higher education.
Shift Supervisor
Starbucks
01.2021 - 01.2022
- Spearheaded the implementation of district-wide operational policies, driving efficiency and standardization across multiple locations.
- Specialized in change management, successfully leading a primary location through process improvements that were later adopted as "best practices" by other stores in the district.
- Deployed to underperforming locations to remediate sanitation and maintenance standards; established weekly equipment upkeep protocols that significantly improved operational uptime and health safety ratings.
- Cultivated a high-engagement customer culture by leveraging interpersonal strengths to deliver personalized hospitality, contributing to the store’s recognition as "Best in District."
- Directed and coached a diverse team of 10–30 partners, fostering a collaborative environment centered on the "Third Place" experience and service excellence.
- Optimized store performance and growth by balancing strategic delegation with hands-on leadership, ensuring seamless operations during peak volume and transitional periods.
- Transformed a small-scale location into a top-performing district leader through a relentless focus on quality control, speed of service, and staff development.
Office Assistant
University of Pennsylvania
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Managed high-volume front desk operations, serving as the primary point of contact for the UPENN International Office and delivering professional, bilingual support to a diverse global student body.
- Facilitated intake and preliminary review of critical documentation, including visa applications, passports, and financial statements, ensuring all materials met stringent university and federal requirements.
- Maintained 100% data integrity and confidentiality when handling sensitive international student records, adhering to FERPA guidelines and institutional privacy protocols.
- Provided foundational guidance on U.S. visa regulations, assisting students with procedural inquiries and identifying complex cases for escalation to senior immigration advisors.
- Spearheaded the digital transformation of office workflows during the pandemic, successfully transitioning physical documentation processes to secure remote formats to ensure uninterrupted service.
- Optimized email inquiry management, implementing organized communication systems to improve response times and streamline internal information sharing.
- Ensured strict compliance with international regulations, proactively addressing student concerns while maintaining the high standards of the University’s global mission.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Economics, Hispanic Studies
University of Pennsylvania
PA, USA12-2025
Skills
- Foreign language proficiency
- Verbal and written communication
- Interpersonal skills
- Money handling
- Customer service
- MS word, excel, and outlook
- Point of sale operation
- Written and verbal communication
- Performance improvement
Certification
- Notary Public, Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance, 09/2023
Languages
Spanish
Full Professional
Chinese (Mandarin)
Limited
Timeline
Volunteer
Puentes de Salud
09.2023 - 12.2023
Shift Supervisor
Starbucks
01.2021 - 01.2022
Office Assistant
University of Pennsylvania
01.2019 - 01.2020
Bachelor of Arts - Economics, Hispanic Studies
University of Pennsylvania