Lesson #5: People Want to Help You Pursue Your Dreams

Karen Quintos is passionate about empowering women

"Keep in Touch" - That was the name of the business idea I submitted to the Dell Social Innovation Challenge in undergrad. My idea didn't go far, but I liked the concept of using my entrepreneurial tendencies for social innovation and it got me thinking that I could be a philanthropreneur. Aspiring to build a career that supported startup owners, I became active in the entrepreneurial scene; I loved going to Pitch Nights and Startup Weekend.

Eventually, I let that passion die down to gain more stability in my life. At some point I accepted that I would just get my MS and Mrs. then either work or not work while raising kids and then maybe I could start thinking about solving problems and helping entrepreneurs.

But on the second day of my internship, I met Dell's Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Karen Quintos. A few days later, I heard that Karen was in Istanbul for the Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) conference. I had no idea that Dell was committed to empowering women and entrepreneurship. Suddenly that dormant passion woke up and I realized how lucky I was to work for a company that not only maintains its entrepreneurial spirit, but pays it forward. I'm even more lucky to have had the opportunity to ask Karen a few questions about her experience with DWEN and the launch of the Empowering Women Challenge.

"The women who are part of our DWEN community are truly inspiring to me, and their stories are largely why I am passionate about what I do. As we've developed relationships with these business owners and through research we've commissioned, we've learned that their challenges are centered around a few key issues: access to technology, capital, networks and education/training." Karen then described how Dell is addressing those issues:

• Technology -  "With Dell's support, women business leaders are implementing solutions - from Cloud, to Virtualization to social media - to scale more quickly and reach their goals." When I first started my internship at Dell, I was overwhelmed by the wide portfolio of solutions Dell offers, but now I can actually envision who is benefiting from Dell's technology expertise.
• Capital - "Our findings tell us that even though only five percent of venture capital goes to women-owned businesses, businesses with a higher proportion of women leaders outperform the average, making it a smart decision to invest in women-owned businesses." Wow! I'll have to keep that in mind! Plus, did you know about funding opportunities through Dell Ventures and Dell Innovators' Credit Fund?
• Network - "DWEN also provides women entrepreneurs and business owners access to a network of like-minded, successful people to share ideas, mentor each other and build important business connections." I can only imagine the optimistic energy at DWEN! Check out the video below to see what she means:

• Education - "Through our "Powering the Possible" initiative, Dell's partnerships with organizations like Girl Scouts help girls develop STEM skills and a passion for technology." I agree with Karen that it's important to educate kids and encourage them to develop passions. It's why I support educational events like Lemonade Day. 

At the end of the successful conference, Dell announced the launch of its new social innovation competition: the Empowering Women Challenge. "Dell was founded by a young entrepreneur - Michael Dell - when he was in college at the University of Texas. So we know that great ideas can start in a dorm room," explained Karen. Women have faced a myriad of challenges throughout history, but now Dell wants young social innovators to submit ideas that will reduce those barriers to success. Be sure to submit your idea!

Then the last thing I asked Karen was about her thoughts on having it all. I look up to women like her; it gives me hope to see women who take care of their family, have a great career and still manage to do things bigger than themselves. She called it 'work-life harmony.' "Harmony involves establishing a clear set of priorities that you stick with over time enabling you to harmonize your personal life with your work life." She added that Dell's culture makes this harmony possible.

There's a lot I've learned about Dell's culture in Round Rock: it's casual, open, entrepreneurial and understanding. It's supportive and optimistic. It's a company that empowers you to do more.

When I started this blog, I wrote about how I found sweet solace in Dell's culture and some thought I wrote that too soon. Later, I wrote about having it all, but I mainly wrote from the perspective as a future wife/mom. Now that I'm near the end of my internship, I've realized that Dell has rekindled the pursuit of a dream. And that's what Dell does. Its culture, its purpose is solely about powering the possible, enabling you - an employee, a customer, an entrepreneur, a student, a young kid - to do more. I came here looking for a career in corporate, but I'm leaving here with a reignited passion for paying it forward to the next generation. Perhaps we can't have it all, but Dell and inspiring women like Karen Quintos want to help you have your dreams.

#dellinterns13

Day in the Life - Buzzfeed Style

I try to wake up around 5:15 am, well more like 5:30 am, actually 5:45 am... 

Then I go to the gym ready to look like this 

but I honestly look like this

I get to work around 7:45 am and it's like

So, I create a task list and start knocking things out

But, I usually find out I need help from someone

So I go to my awesome buddy/mentor, Jane, and she's like

After that, it's time to dash to lunch!

And if lunch is free, then it's like 

If some team put leftovers from a catered lunch in the breakroom, then it's like

Throughout the day, I visit other interns. They've made this internship so much better than I expected!

Occasionally, the interns have a speaker session or event and I go in all 

But, if I got really good interaction from the speaker or did really well at the event, I feel

Then it's back to work

Quickly insert a meeting with my supervisor who is always calm and supportive

Then comes the worst feeling of the day: when you finish your afternoon snack and dinner is so far away

But by the end of the day, you feel

And then it's time to go home!

But, last night Dell's University Relations hosted a live karaoke event at the Chicago House and we had a great time! Turns out they recruited some great talent. Check out this video of fellow intern Muchadei Zvoma from Northwestern.

**all GIFs were taken from How Do I Put This Gently? and What Should We Call Me Grad School **

The 3 Most Influential Classes

"Why am I taking this class? I'm never going to use this." 

I've heard and said that plenty of times all throughout school. It's hard to see the ROI of most of the classes we take; all of those essays, tests and all-nighters don't seem worth it when you supposedly "put things into perspective." But every now and then during my internship I've had to go back in my mental file cabinet to pull something out from high school, undergrad and grad school. After 8 weeks at Dell, I noticed that I kept using tidbits from the same three classes, so I've deemed them "The Most Influential Classes."

High School: Donna Parker's English Classes 

I've been told I'm a good writer, but I stay humble by reminding myself, "It's still not good enough for DParker." Nearly six years later, I'm still afraid of her beady little eyes looking for mistakes in my writing. Nevertheless, she trained me to always write a good thesis statement, prepare an outline, and start each sentence with a different word. She set a good foundation for business writing, which somehow gave me the confidence to write this blog; it's because of her that writing became a puzzle to solve. I still abuse commas and cringe at the mention of Eudora Welty, but I owe my 'good writing' to Ms. Donna Parker.

Undergrad at LSU: The Entrepreneurship Fellows 

The curriculum in business school gave me the tools I needed to do my job, but the Entrepreneurship Fellows prepared me to be a business professional. The Fellows are a select group of students who are provided with the social network and knowledge to quickly contribute to the region's economic development. Being exposed to business leaders taught me the power of networking; it's easy to be lazy and therefore forgotten, but putting effort into being memorable can be rewarding. At every speaker session at Dell I've asked a question but only after first thanking the speaker because this class not only taught me to be engaged, but also to show respect and gratitude. Through the Fellows I met many admirable people who are now my friends and mentors and they motivate me to never settle for mediocrity in my business career. A huge shoutout to Jarett Rodriguez and Jill Roshto for launching this program!

Grad School at Texas A&M: Project Management 

The graduate-level marketing curriculum at Texas A&M is brilliant and I have repeatedly applied what I've learned towards my project.  However, the class that had the highest ROI was MGT 658: Project Management with Dr. Victoria Buenger. Management of your own time and ability is mostly intuitive, but effectively managing others' time and responsibilities is a skill that gets better over time with the support of formal training. We not only discussed Gantt charts and schedules, but conflict resolution and best practices. I've progressed from putting a to-do list on sticky notes to timelines and reports. It seemed like an "easy A" class, but I worked really hard for my A and I started my internship with the confidence to do my best because I had the tools to prove my value.

Runner-ups were:
Marketing Research helped me identify which method(s) to use for my project
Marketing Strategy put me in the right mindset to think like a marketing manager
Consumer Behavior is just awesome and everyone should take it!


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Let's Talk About This: Personal Brand

What do you live by?

Let's talk about having a personal brand.

"Crafting your story 'til it makes sense"

I first heard about personal branding from Tommy Karam at LSU and I honestly thought it was a silly idea. I wasn't a company or a saleswoman, so I didn't want to be branded. But when I bombed the "So tell me about yourself..." question during an interview, I realized that having a personal brand could actually provide some guidance.

What Mr. Karam teaches athletes is also helpful for aspiring students who want to stand out. Just like football players, students have to find a way to stay relevant and favorable to get a better chance of being 'drafted' by a company. However, just like Dell, it takes a lot of research to define your brand and it will evolve over time.

My personal brand has changed from "267 Watts of Bright Ideas" in undergrad to what I currently use: "Strategic Storyteller." Both ideas were actually a result of somebody else telling me I was good at something. After doing well in a pitch contest, a friend said I had bright ideas; I used that to motivate me to continue producing 'bright ideas.' Then a few years later, I was volunteering at a math conference and I spent an entire night sharing stories with high school students. They always asked for 'another story' and before I left, a few them told me that I was a good storyteller.

I had a mini Sharpie ready to fill this in at networking events

I'm writing this to politely nudge you to work on your personal brand. Ever since I defined my personal brand, I've felt I had a better understanding of my strengths and weaknesses and my value proposition. It also keeps me focused on my reputation; I can't claim to be a strategic storyteller and then not tell effective stories. But let's keep talking about this. Do you have a personal brand or statement that you live by?

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Lesson #4: Prepare a Strong Defense, Win with a Great Offense

Give employees the power to do more with social media

It's been fascinating growing up with social media as it transformed from something cool in high school to a valuable business tool today. Let's see: I've been on Facebook for seven years, Twitter and LinkedIn for three years and I've managed social media for at least four entities.

At first I thought managing social media for an organization or company would be fun and easy, but I soon learned how hard it is to manage your online presence. In previous jobs, I've hit walls with leaders who assumed social media was a waste of time, which prevented any real interaction with participants. On the flip side, I've observed trolling and hijacking as well as negative comments from workers. I'm rather risk-averse, so I understand why some companies avoid social media, but Michael Dell told Business Week, "...you can be a better company by listening and being involved in that [online] conversation." Under his lead, Dell actually invests in educating and empowering its employees to listen and engage in valuable conversations with its customers and community.

Sean Carey at his best! 

I recently joined other Marketing MBA Interns in a day-long social media training seminar hosted by SMaC University, Dell's in-house social media training group. Thousands of Dell's employees have gone through this training and are out there blogging, tweeting and sharing unified messages about Dell. This is a vast improvement from the 300+ messaging or branding elements you could find about Dell just a few years ago. Within one day, we learned why it's important to be on social media, how we should listen to our customers and the community, how we can join in the conversation and how to best represent Dell as well as our own personal brand.

I got to update my email signature! High Five!

In this way, Dell spends more time actually doing more for its customers than reacting to crises. Dell has a 125-member team to respond to any issues customers are facing (@DellCares on Twitter), but it also has over 9,000 employees trained and ready to listen and talk with you, which includes Michael Dell who is actually quite active on social media. It's no surprise that Dell was named the Top Social Brand in 2011 and its Social Media Listening Command Center has received numerous awards.

I used to spend so much time worrying about how to respond to negativity and attacks instead of building a lively community and I always felt that some sort of company-wide training could help prevent them. Now Dell has taught me that investing in educating and empowering employees will prepare you for bad times, but enable you to do so many more good things.

So, Lesson #4: Prepare a strong defense, but win with a great offense. 

PS - A huge thanks to the SMaC U team for a great session! 

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TGIF: June's Already Over?

June was hot (today's high is 106!), but we did some cool things

I can't believe June is already over! The past six weeks have surely flown by! I keep telling myself, "Oh you still have all of July," but before I know it, I'll be back in College Station. 

In June, the interns: 

- mixed n mingled at the Alumni Mixer at Third Base. With our school pride on, we chatted over chips n queso and burgers. I sat at a table with undergrads and grad students from UNC, UT, Rutgers, UMich and ASU and there were some alumni from UT and Texas A&M. It was a lot of fun to have a casual mixer.

 

 - had a 'typical work day' at Volente Beach. We loaded up two buses and ventured into the hills to enjoy a bright and sunny day at a water park. What I really liked about the event was the managerial support to go; my team insisted that I go have fun with other interns. Dell expects you to be productive, but not at the expense of having fun during your internship. The slides were popular and they kept losing the volleyball, but overall, we had a cool time just hanging out. 

   

- went to a segment networking expo. This was a great opportunity to meet leaders in other segments within marketing and learn more about what they do. A lot of interns got useful information and connections for their projects and it was nice to finally meet people you've only talked to through email. Also, it was a neat opportunity to connect with people we might want to work with in the future.

 

- attended talks from executives and Dell experts. It's been great having the opportunity to learn more about Dell through experts from the different BUs and executives. Nearly every week there has been a speaker session or a webcast to listen to, which sure beats going through a lot of slidedecks without any help or context. The audience is always engaged, which turns the presentation into an interesting conversation, and the questions are great. And sometimes, they go the extra mile to set up really cool displays! 

Now that I think about it, this post should really be titled "Reasons why you should intern at Dell!" Happy Friday y'all!

#dellinterns13

The Friendly Fitness Intern: Will Abbott

He helped me do my first (modified) push-up!

What's the worst part about a fitness assessment? When they pinch your body fat. Ugh, can't we just agree that it exists? No need for details. I will admit the fitness intern made that a painless experience, but I don't know if I can forgive him for convincing me to go on the treadmill at 3 mph on Level 10 incline. We shared a few laughs throughout the assessment and I realized I knew nothing about the guy who learned so much about me in just 30 minutes. So I fixed that.

Will Abbott graduates in August from Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) with a degree in exercise physiology. Coming from a military family, he's lived all over the US and he was surrounded by athletes in high school. After his experience with personal trainers during his high school track career, he wanted to work with athletes. But after a few classes at SEMO, he realized that corporate fitness provided more stability than relying on a client base. So he applied for an internship with Medifit, a fitness and wellness management and consulting company, and landed at Dell.

Dell is actually the biggest Medifit site in the US with fitness centers in both Round Rock and Parmer as well as the Dell site in Nashville. "I like corporate; everyone's so nice. It's great!" he said while working on his new project. He launched a BFF Program where you and a buddy make a fitness commitment and you can earn prizes for your workouts. If you're not a member, but your buddy is a member, then this is a great opportunity to try out the Well at Dell fitness center for free!


In addition to the fitness assessment, Will also designed an exercise program for me and he has always been supportive. "I've gotta be a fitness role model. I can't smoke and tell someone not to smoke. If I don't run, then they won't listen to me when I coach them on how to run," Will said about his fitness philosophy. Will's brother, who has completed multiple Ironman Triathlons, is his fitness role model, "He's always been a runner and he got me into cross country."

Will is an intern at Dell, but not for Dell. He hasn't even gone past the cafeteria. But when I asked for any last comments, he said, "I want to say thanks to everyone for being so nice and welcoming. All of the Dell members have been super friendly."

So you know what the worst part about a fitness assessment is, but what's the best part? Finding out I'm healthy with room for improvement and making a new friend. Congratulations on graduating in August and good luck, Will! 

#dellinterns13

Sorry!

Sorry! I didn't have time to write a blog this morning; I was a little too distracted by the SCOTUS Blog. Regardless of your opinion, I hope the past few days have encouraged you to be an active and vocal citizen!

Let's Talk About This: Austin

Discovering Austin

Let's talk about this city that likes to keep things weird. Here are five interesting things I've noticed:

1. Reusable bags

Austin established an ordinance that 'regulates the types of bags that can be provided to customers at checkout'; basically, bring your own bag. Geaux Austin for reducing waste!

But a while back, Andrew and I went to HEB and I had forgotten my bags. He managed to find an old Kroger plastic bag in his car and he couldn't wait to go into the store. He thought it was hilariously clever that he was using a competitor's plastic bag, especially in the presence of a marketer. The cashier looked confused when we gave her the Kroger bag and Andrew couldn't get that smug look off of his face for hours after leaving the store. After living in Portland when they also introduced the plastic bag ban, he has religiously used reusable bags back home in Pasadena, TX, but there's something about being in the city of his rival university that brought out the rebel in him. Aggies... So, when we got food to cook for lunch the next day, he was an acquiescent LSU fan.

2. Deer

 

I always see a herd of deer across my apartment complex around dusk. It's pretty awesome.

3. Tolls/service roads

via Wikipedia

What is it with Texas and its tolls??? I'll occasionally pay the $2-$3 fee for the Beltway in Houston, but I have no desire to get a TxTag. I've heard it costs commuters ~$600 a year to use the tollways. I've found a few free exits for my commute to/from work, but avoiding the 290 Toll is tricky. I do think Texas got the service roads right, especially with the Texas U-turns, wish more states had those. My only problem with the service roads are the parts where you have to cross the other lane of traffic to get onto the highway. Am I the only one freaked out by that?

4. Food Scene (and their lines)

This ain't Maruchan!

mm al dente pasta + bolognese

The food scene in Austin is AMAZING! The lines not so much. My friends have taken me to at least three places that had ridiculous lines: HopDoddy, Amy's Ice Cream and Ramen Tatsu-Ya, but it was worth the wait! They've also taken me to 360 Uno Trattoria, which is recognized for its authentic Italian cuisine. It makes me sad that I won't be able to try everything Austin has to offer before I leave.

5. Stand Up Paddleboarding 

Andrew and I enjoy kayaking, so we go to the Rowing Dock as often as possible, but I finally dared to try the popular Stand Up Paddleboarding. Conclusion: ehh. Perfect for folks who have dogs, want to do yoga (we saw a guy do a headstand on his board, pretty impressive!), or want to increase their chances of getting wet, but I think I'll stick to kayaking. I love the rush I get while kayaking, but it takes so much more effort to feel 'productive' while standup paddleboarding. The water activities in Austin are great. Can't wait to go tubing or to Barton Springs! 

Austin, you amaze me! #dellinterns13

Lesson #3: Can I Have It All...Please?

Do I have to choose between career or family?

Today marks 2 years of dating a nerdy engineer and we're getting married in January! :) Without him, I wouldn't be here, but not in the typical sense of the phrase. It is because of our future together that I sought out a company that allows its employees to put family first. No company is perfect, but a month into this 'informative interview' with Dell and I think I picked well. 

Andrew and I come from different backgrounds. My parents emigrated from the Philippines to the US and his family is rooted in Baton Rouge, LA. Whereas my mom was the breadwinner, his mom was a homemaker and as we approach our wedding date, I think about the differences between those lifestyles. 

Mrs. Samantha is quite dedicated to her family and church while my mom has spent over 20 years conducting bee research; sometimes she dissected bees on the dinner table! Andrew's mother was always there for his three younger sisters and him, but the twins and I were usually the last kids to be picked up from daycare. With the support of loving husbands, both of our mothers did their best to give their children everything; it's just that one picked availability and the other picked financial security. I respect and love both women for the choices they made, but as I get closer to making mine, I find myself frustrated that I have to choose. 

There are times when I'm exhausted from work and school and I ask myself, "Why am I doing this when I just want to be a mom?" It's feasible. Andrew and I are blessed to be in a situation where I don't have to work to support our family. When I see how intimately involved Mrs. Samantha is with her kids as they've grown, I think I want that; I admire her for what she instilled in her son: to listen, to be patient and to forgive. Additionally, after my personal experience with babysitters and daycares, I know I want to be the main person raising our kids.

But in those moments of weakness, I think of my mom. We would still be in the Philippines if she didn't put her career first early on. She left her family and my dad behind to pursue her Master's at Oregon State University (my dad later joined her) and then went to LSU to get her PhD. Plus, she didn't put her career on hold for kids; she had me while getting her Master's and then the twins during her PhD.

I also think about a difficult time when my mom was laid off around 9/11 and she joked about being a stay-at-home mom. Joke or not, I was angry with her. I looked up to her as a woman who worked hard to earn everything we had. I've never told her this, but I needed her to continue working hard to show me what I need to be for my family someday. She has since been recognized for her decades of productive research, which includes over 75 publications, and I couldn't be more proud. My mother showed me it's possible to raise a family and have a great career, but I'm still trying to figure out how to make it work for Andrew and me.

I've made a point to ask many people for their advice on work/life balance because I want to be a good worker and mom (apparently some folks mistakenly took that as a hint that I'm expecting are congratulating me, oops!). I've been told, "You can't have it all without sacrifices." It eerily reminded me of The Atlantic article "Why Women Still Can't Have It All" which came out after I left my first job and was about to start my Master's. For months the article lurked in the back of my head, but then I interviewed with Dell.

While preparing for my interview, I discovered that Dell is one of the Working Mother 100 Best Companies.

"Creating open office spaces, linking everyone in a giant communications network and allowing them to decide how they want to work are the key features of this information technology and services company's Connected Workplace initiative." - Working Mother 2012

After working here for a month, the Connected Workplace and Flexible Work Solutions are big selling points for me, especially when other companies are eliminating their work-from-home option. When I tell coworkers that Andrew and I haven't been in the same city for six years, they always suggest that I could work something out with my manager so that I could live with him in Houston. I've never gotten the impression that I had to choose between Andrew and my job. I've only ever gotten the impression that time with family is valued.

I've already got one part of my all. 

They say you can't have it all, but all I've ever wanted was to make a positive impact on others and raise a family with a man who loves and supports me, so why can't I have it all? Nowhere in my all does it say 'easy life', 'immense wealth', 'fancy title' or even 'perfect attendance"; those would be lovely to have, but it's not all I want out of life. Missed meetings and missed recitals are an understood part of life; it just happens. What would be real sacrifices for me are missing out on things I could never get back such as a great career at Dell or my kids growing up, but I believe Dell actually wants me to have it all.

So, I believe there are two parts to my third lesson from Dell: first part is that a good company will empower its employees to have all they want in life. But the second part is up to you. Andrew and I would appreciate any advice on marriage, raising kids, working, and perhaps dealing with pressure from eager-to-be-grandparents. I've talked the talk about having kids, but much to the future Lola and Mimi's displeasure, we've got a few steps to take first! So, please take a moment to share your wisdom as well as, if you don't mind, your definition of 'all'? Thanks! :)

PS: If you want a good story about Andrew and I, check out our (incomplete) wedding website!

 #dellinterns13

TGIF: Basketball, Blue Bell and Blueberry Crumble

Blue Bell and Blueberry Crumble [RECIPE]

The Spurs lost last night, but I introduced Blue Bell Ice Cream to some of my new friends, so that's gotta be a win for Texas! I can't say that I was really upset because I've learned to save my sports-centric emotions for the LSU Tigers and now TAMU Aggies football seasons. My dear friend Laura who hails from San Antonio was not having a good time, but I can empathize. LSU hasn't won a bowl in the past two seasons and A&M was 5-5 before Heismanziel, so I wouldn't wish that disappointment on anyone (except for maybe Bama fans). But I digress...

It was a lot of fun hanging out with new friends! I've joked before that we'd make the perfect poster for diversity: we've got folks from Italy, China, Argentina (or Canada, I'm not sure where his loyalty lies), Israel, and the Philippines. Occassionally, our lunch table includes folks from Zimbabwe, Mexico, Russia, and Bangladesh. They must all try things that are quintessentially Texan such as BBQ, kolaches, and Tex-Mex, but I couldn't let them leave Texas without trying ice cream from the Little Creamery in Brenham.

After a delicious dinner, I brought out the The Homemade Vanilla to go with my homemade blueberry crumble. Fresh out of the oven, the crunch of the crumble was perfect with every bite of bursting blueberry flavor as if they were bubbles of sweetness popping in your mouth. I have to admit, some of my guilty pleasures are food and alliteration. But, since it's Friday, I'll leave the lessons for next week and share the recipe for my blueberry crumble instead. It was great for our get-together and it could be great for your summer parties. Blueberries are ripe and cheap in Texas right now and kids love making it because they get to destroy the butter to make the crumbs.

Blue Bell is great by itself, I personally love the new Southern Blackberry Cobbler as well as the Rocky Mountain Road, but who says you can't add a little more sweetness? Have a great weekend y'all! :)

Blueberry Crumble adapted from Gourmet Girl's Blueberry Crumb Bars

via 225 Baton Rouge

Ingredients:

Crumble
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar
Stick and a half (a little over 1/4 lb) unsalted butter at room temperature (leave out for a couple of hours is best, but in a pinch, carefully heat in microwave for 10 seconds)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg

Blueberry filling
2 cups blueberries (but really, why limit yourself?)
juice of 1 lemon (~2 tbsp)
1/2 cup of sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8"x8" pan.

1. Mix dry ingredients and blend well. Add butter and cut in with your hands; you want to make small and huge chunks of crumbs. Whisk the egg in a small bowl until blended and carefully add it into the flour/butter mixture to make sure it's evenly distributed. If it's forming one large mound of dough, add more flour and blend til you get crumbs.

2. Press a little over half of the flour mixture into the pan. Pat down gently, but make sure it's compact so that none of the blueberry filling seeps through.

3. In a medium bowl, mix the cornstarch, sugar and lemon juice. Add blueberries and toss gently. This go-round, I discovered tossing the blueberries in a closed tupperware container instead of a bowl got good results.

4. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20-30 minutes. If it's taking too long, turn it up to 400 degrees for a few minutes. Let it cool a bit and then serve with The Homemade Vanilla and enjoy a Texan summer!

#DellInterns13