Both of my parents immigrated to the US in 1986 with only $200 in their pockets. Growing up at the foothills of rural Mongolia with literally nothing, my dad’s humble upbringing fuels his drive to create a better life; his transcontinental move across to America therefore marked his transition from a shepherding farmer to a successful businessman. I remember when I was little, I would watch my dad wake at the break of dawn to answer business emails and prepare for stock market opening. Through hard work, my parents scaled their small leather-goods company into a manufacturing empire—hitting $20 million+ in sales in their first five years. Now, our family business is a well-regarded leather goods supplier to global fashion houses such as DKNY, Calvin Klein, and Kenneth Cole. I hope to eventually lead his company and carry on my family's legacy after some corporate experience.

I am immensely inspired by my dad’s hustle and how far it has taken him in life. I continuously grow and learn so much from my him and the rest of family—from how to be a good daughter, problem-solver, business partner, and aspiring industry leader. Even though I am working at PwC post-graduation, one of the most top-tier companies in the world, In my eyes, my dad is both a visionary business leader, an incredible father, and black sheep trailblazer who has broken the chain of generational poverty in his family. My dad inspires me to walk in his footsteps and become a business leader; I know that I am meant to create my own business—it is literally in my blood. To be specific, I hope to break into the private equity space and aim to found my wealth management firm someday—a dream that Columbia Business School has the resources to help me to actuate. I am excited about the possibilities that the future hold, and look forward to hopefully having Columbia Business School be a part of my journey.

Being the only M7 school to welcome in more women than men in 2023, I understand that X places great value in having a diversity of thought, representation, and perspectives to build future business leaders. I believe I will add color to X’s classrooms through a variety of dimensions.

I will contribute to the X community by helping multidisciplinary teams succeed, utilizing group interactions for mutual growth and collaborating to unite our strengths. As a third-culture kid born in New Jersey but grew up overseas in China, France, Spain, Japan, and Mongolia, I have worked with a diverse array of people. My multicultural upbringing helped to develop a global-minded outlook--compelling me to connect people of different cultures together through business and service. During my time at PwC, EY, and Citi, I worked in international teams and leveraged my language skills to help groups communicate more effectively. I will bring to X my deep appreciation for people from diverse backgrounds. In the Venture Initiation Program, I could help solve conflicts that arise during the first stages of business-building, contributing to the creation of a winning team for the next stages.

As a philosophy and cognitive science major with a consulting background, I'm able to talk about business through the lens of critical thought and scientific inquiry. Coming from a liberal arts education, I will utilize my discussion-based learning to actively engage in classroom discourse. Additionally, I'm a well-rounded candidate who can bring my background from a plethora of subjects to enhance my classmates' and my own understanding of business concepts.

Moreover, my identity as an LGBTQ+, POC woman provides me with an astute understanding of how gendered structures infiltrate the classroom and workplace. This cognizance and empathy allow me to add value to organizations at X--where I hope others will share my vision for a more kind, inclusive world. Having worked for the US Department of Commerce to advance the Biden administration's policy priority of supporting SME local minority and women businesses, volunteered with mentally disabled children, and mentored first-generation BIPOC students, I plan to continue to leverage my position as a minority-in-business to give voices to those who don't have one. Specifically, I aspire to become a leader in private equity that reinvests in minority, women, and POC businesses. As a Lauder Leadership Fellow and Venture Fellow, I'll continue to pay it forward--helping fellow X students become their very best.

The X MBA is the perfect conduit to realize my aspirations of becoming an ethical leader in private equity because of several reasons; located in the heart of the exciting metropolis of Philadelphia and a mere train ride away from New York City, X is globally renowned for its historically strong ties to these two financial epicenters. As an incoming Deals Strategy Associate at Strategy& PwC, I will be conducting private equity commercial due diligence in the New York headquarters office. Pivoting from a specialization in private equity consulting and entering the actual private equity space would, therefore, be a natural next step. The close proximity will allow me to leverage my existing network while building strong, new connections. Additionally, I strive to follow in the footsteps of my role model, X alum--private equity titan Robert Lewin--to start my own private equity firm or head one long-term.

Coming from a liberal arts curriculum, I'd like to go to a business school that will provide me with a strong technical foundation early on--and X is the perfect fit. During my undergrad, business courses were not readily available; I tried to overcome this problem by joining finance clubs and enrolling in MBA courses at the nearby graduate institution, Drucker's School of Management at Claremont Graduate University. At school, I'm a Finance Analyst for the Claremont Women in Business (CWIB) where I research a variety of different companies and industries verticals for promising potential investment opportunities. I learned to use fundamental analysis to make company valuations and manage a fund of $1.2 million in club endowments. These portfolio management skills will be immensely useful for my upcoming private equity consulting role, and have helped me to build my business acumen. Additionally, I took master's level business and MBA courses at CGU such as FinTech, Economics of Strategy, Financial Accounting, and Organizational Behavior while I was a sophomore. My graduate professor, the head of financial engineering, even invited me to conduct FinTech research with him--where my case study will be published in his upcoming textbook sponsored by the MIT-press. After getting my first glimpse at the MBA experience, I was hungry for more and wanted to continue to deepen my fervor for business.

X’s robust curriculum--highly acclaimed for its strength in finance and powerful alumni network--would enable me to become the ethical leader in private equity I strive to be. The fixed versus flexible element of its core curriculum strikes the perfect balance of fortifying my business fundamentals. Furthermore, I aim to grow my expertise in the private-equity niche through taking courses such as Advanced Topics in Private Equity and the highly popular Investment Management--per the suggestion of my managers at PwC--Maggie Hua and Jason Elmer--who are both X alumni. Additionally, I also plan to join the Private Equity & Venture Capital Club, Out for Business (LGBTQ+) Club, and X Women in Business (WWIB) to uplift myself and others around me, and transform into ethical business leaders who will shape the future.

Growing up, I’ve always straddled two worlds: I was born in New Jersey and lived there for 6 years. However, I spent the majority of my life overseas in Shanghai and traveling between the US, China, France, Spain, Japan, and Mongolia. Both of my parents are from indigenous, ethnic minority tribes. On my mom’s side, we are Samoans. On my dad’s side, we are half Mongolian and half Uyghur. Neither of my parents had the opportunity to attend college; being the eldest child meant that they were responsible for taking care of their siblings and helping out as the second head of the household.

My mixed identity has provided me with a rich, vibrant cultural heritage and grounded outlook of the world, kindness in how I treat people, and desire to serve my community through business, and equipped me with an awareness of good ethics, knowing that I come from a humbling and diverse ancestry. My multicultural background informs the way that I see the world and compels me to connect people of different cultures and backgrounds together.

My unique educational upbringing and multicultural identity allowed me to cultivate an open-minded, globally-informed outlook on the world—which I'm excited to bring to Stanford GSB! Moreover, it has also rendered me into an adaptable individual who is comfortable working with different people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

Moreover, coming from a liberal arts education, as a philosophy and cognitive science major, I would bring a thought-orientated perspective to case study discussions—distinct from the traditional voices of predominantly finance-econ students.

Multilingual and diverse background; originally from New Jersey and grew up overseas in Shanghai, Tokyo, Nice, Barcelona, and Milan. As a result, I speak 7 languages and have a natural love of connecting with people from all over the world. Moreover, my unique upbringing helped me to develop a global-minded perspective and understand individuals from a myriad of different backgrounds/cultures. Given that HBS is such an internationally diverse program, I am confident that my multicultural background would add color and bring a unique perspective to the multicultural diversity of the SVMP program.

In my heart, what matters most to me is being able to leverage my passion for business to create positive, lasting impact for others—especially for those in society who need it most. This deep-seated desire and determination to make the world a better place, stem from my own personal experiences struggling with several learning disabilities.

When I was in elementary school, the entire day would pass by and I could not remember anything. I couldn’t focus or keep track of all my materials, constantly forgetting what the homework was. Or worse, I would complete it, then forget to bring the homework to school. My teachers would call me retarded, lazy, and unmotivated; I was even described as useless, once, by my middle-school science instructor. This lack of belonging was only reinforced at home, where my parents would accuse me of wasting the gift of education and being American—after they crossed oceans as immigrants and spent their life savings for me.

At the next doctor’s visit, I brought up how despite my efforts of working extremely hard at school, simple tasks were still difficult for me to complete. In response, the doctor simply shook his head. He said I was just procrastinating, it’s natural. But it was not. A few years and multiple appointments later at different offices, other doctors were also dismissive. Pointing to the coterie of A’s and B’s on my transcript, they unwilling to listen. They claimed that clearly, I was not struggling: there was no indication of failing grades or even anything below a C. Despite their placations, I still knew something was wrong. My mom murmured that some doctors refused to test me because my grades were too high; “it’s because we’re Asian,” she added. It was not until two decades later, I was finally diagnosed correctly with three learning disabilities: an auditory processing disorder, dyslexia, and ADHD near the end of my high school career. When we fervently thanked the psychiatrist who gave me the right evaluation, she remarked in response “Alice has a heart of gold, and a good head on her shoulders; she’s going to be a great future leader.”

Throughout my journey, I have learned to effectively mask my symptoms by building systems and coping mechanisms that enabled me to succeed, both at school and life in general. My diagnosis was life-changing, in that it armed me with a toolbox of new knowledge and study strategies. Post-diagnosis, I was able to thrive academically; I not only had a pristine line of A’s in college, prior to the pandemic, but found the confidence to challenge myself and take graduate-level business and MBA classes—where the same string of straight A’s applied. When my MBA professor—the head of the Financial Engineering department—invited me to do fintech research with him, he remarked, “you’re going to be a great business leader.”

I smiled, and said, “I’ve heard that before.”

I understand that my parents and teachers were doing the best that they could given the knowledge and circumstances that they had—I feel immensely grateful to receive the proper help that I did. However, I also know that there are millions of other people and children whose disabilities remain undetected and continue to struggle. Hence, what is important to me is to use my knowledge, experiences, and position to empower others around me—especially for vulnerable communities such as those who suffer from cognitive disabilities and/or disorders. I am a true advocate who believes in the good of humanity; through X’s program, science, and ethical leadership, I am confident that we can heal the world together.

In addition to exploring entrepreneurship, and likely prior to creating my own startup, I plan to pivot from management consulting into private equity or venture capital. Especially given that I am carrying out private equity due diligence at Strategy&, the most prestigious and intensive arm of PwC, I would like to develop my business acumen and enough industry knowledge about private equity functions/operations before making my career switch, and taking a risk on something as audacious as founding a startup.

Growing up in Shanghai, I have first-hand observations of how the mental health infrastructure is vastly lacking across countries with developing economies—such as Asia, Africa, and Latin America. From a personal viewpoint, I want to be able to give others the support that I did not have growing up. From a business perspective, the mental-health market is nascent, underpenetrated, and belongs to a rapidly-growing space brewing with opportunity. I plan to combine my education in cognitive science and work experiences in consulting to make mental-healthcare accessible worldwide—specifically by establishing a chain of clinics similar to hospitals with an international presence—like United Health or Kaiser Permanente. Since many people began to realize its importance during the pandemic, mental-health is not something that only affects people with disabilities; it is beneficial to everyone. Similar to the powerful vulnerability fostered in Professor Robbin’s highly acclaimed class, Touchy-Feely, increased access to mental-health resources can help people introspect about themselves and relate to others in a more deeper, authentic, and meaningful way.

The X MBA is the perfect conduit to realize my entrepreneurial visions because of several reasons; located in the heart of cutting-edge innovation in Silicon Valley, X is globally renowned for being a vibrant startup epicenter. In fact, 20% of X MBA class embark on an entrepreneurial pathway immediately post-graduation, which is amongst the highest of any business school in the world. Coming from a small liberal arts college, I’m just starting to dip my toes into the startup ecosystem; most recently, I joined the Venture for America (VFA) fellowship and was a part of the Randal Lewis Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (RLCIE) fellowship for three years. However, I have yet to experience the electrifying enthusiasm that an incubator like StartX has, which is backed by the amazing resources at X Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. Additionally, clubs such as Social Impact Club and Entrepreneur Club would allow me to meet like-minded individuals who want to change the world.

Moreover, as someone who majored in philosophy and cognitive science at the undergraduate level, I would greatly benefit from fortifying my bedrock of foundational business skills at X. X places such an immense value on its innovative experience for its students to engage in hands-on, applied learning; per my conversations with X’s alumni, Jordan Bank and Andrew Gee, courses such as ‘Startup Garage’ and ‘Entreprenurial Ventures’ would not only provide me with a strong, quantitative backbone but also an opportunity to practice them. These courses will also enable me to become an effective yet empathetic leader—able to create a resilient organization and steer it through difficult times. I also see myself actively joining student organizations such as Pride and Women in Management to empower myself and those around me. As someone who is idealistic enough to dream of changing the world, yet driven enough to make it happen—I see myself perfectly fitting into the X’s cohort—ideating alongside my peers for two incredible years and leveraging X support to make our entrepreneurial visions come to fruition.

I grew up in an orthodox Asian household with traditional values; my family loved me very much, but they do not understand the younger generation’s growing momentum and support for a culture of sexual freedom and orientation. Over the years I have mastered the art of flying under the radar; to most unassuming eyes, during the day I present myself as a modest, well-dressed woman—I do this in an effort to respect the time-honored customs of my ancestry and to please my parents. By night, I experiment with different kinds of clothes, hair gel, and silly mirror expressions, done in an attempt to bend gender constructs. There is a little voice inside of me saying: I define who I am, not what society tells me how to be. However, as sunlight rises, I have to put her away and close my closet. Nobody can know about this part of me.

As I grow older, finding love has become a growing priority. My bisexuality, simultaneously, has also grown in parallel to a source of increasing confusion and quandary. As the only daughter in the Shi household, I am responsible for bearing children and passing down the family name in our bloodline. Therefore, I simply cannot be non-straight. Being bisexual is then seen as an option, as a privilege. And definitely, not one that I am being extended to. Although I appear like the good daughter that my parents so desperately want me to be— underneath, there is a strong-willed spirit yearning to be recognized for her true self.

When dancing around this unspoken ‘possibility’ at the dinner table, my parents were firm and clear in the fact that they would not accept a gay daughter. What’s most interesting is that in this open discussion, my dad has been frank about questioning his own bisexuality back when he was my age. However, he warns me that I will suffer a fate of hardship if I do not take after him and repress my non-binary, gender-fluid dispositions—as gender non-conforming individuals are often discriminated against in the workplace. My dad has gone on to build a fantastic self-made career and marry the woman of his dreams; he insists that none of this would have been possible if he had been open about his bisexuality, with both himself and others. Freedom of one’s sexuality is, in the eyes of my parents and extended family, a choice that I am being given grace around—to which there is only one right ‘answer.’ My dad’s bisexuality is something he claims to hate about himself, and is now a part of his identity that he vehemently denies. Hence, there is a silent, quiet shame that has been generationally passed down to me, restricting me from exploring certain parts of myself and my sexuality.

From tabletop conversations with my parents to confrontational experiences that I navigated in the real world, my bisexual identity has equipped me with a keen awareness of how binary, gendered norms operate in institutions and businesses. Specifically, I observed how masculine-presenting attributes in the workplace are biasedly favored over feminine ones—rendering women who possess such characteristics to be seen as weak or incapable. This holds a multitude of implications such as precluding or denying women, gender non-conforming individuals, or other LGBTQ+ people from well-deserving opportunities. Worse, it can reinforce invisible hierarchical structures of what society’s view of competent leaders look like: dominant, aggressive, and domineering. Holding such schemas means that ‘good’ leaders have to fight for control in order to assert their authority—creating a culture of competition—rather than the foundations of collaboration that I personally think the world should be built upon.

As a non-binary, bisexual Asian-Samoan woman, I aim to change this narrative through leading by example. Specifically, I strive to aim to be an empathetic leader; one who understands the perspective of oppressed minorities. One who listens to the opinions of others. One who will allow others to be as they are, rather than imposing my own expectations of how they ought to act, dress, or behave like traditional stereotypes of ultra-personified roles of masculinity and femininity. I will make a conscious effort to uplift those around me and hold space for them. I’d like to envision a place where such gendered expectations are not so strictly enforced, and binary norms do not dictate one's work performance or the way people behave. I want to be a part of creating a world where people no longer have to hide, no longer have to be scared of being true to themselves. I’d like to imagine a space where people are accepted for flaunting their individualism; it makes for a much more colorful society. My own LGBTQ+, POC identity provide me with a astute understanding and grasp of how gendered structures infiltrate the workplace. This cognizance and empathy will allow me to add value to both business organizations and classrooms at the SVMP program—where I hope that others will share my vision for a more kind, inclusive world.

The best place to let loose and sing would always be in the echoing reverberations of my white bathroom tile walls. There is nothing more refreshing than letting my voice permeate the room with the steady cascade of water gently falling on my shoulders. My prolonged karaoke shower sessions quickly developed into a fatal habit. This 'habit' of has been chronically exercised in hourly vocal lessons that I take with my brother’s drama teacher twice a week.

She has helped me immensely in honing my vocal techniques into a profound interest, giving rise to the escalation of requests to preform at school assemblies in addition to centennial and international fairs. Hence my participation in preforming at events subsequently led to an invitation to join the High-school Acapella team “Noteworthy” by my former eighth grade self. As a Middle school student, I was elated to be joining the high school choir team. In "Noteworthy" we explored a divergent array of musical styles from acoustic pop music to classical Bel Canto to African tribal songs. In my own time, I would create covers of soulful artists such as Sam Smith, Bruno Mars, in addition to my mom's favorite Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. I also love creating renditions of my childhood Disney musicals in which gave rise to my lead roles in the "High School Musical Broadway Junior" production and "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change".

In the past two years, I have starred the lead role in a major musical production, and a student-directed series of romantic comedies (both were Broadway scripted performances). When I first auditioned for the "High School Musical Broadway Junior" Production I genuinely wasn’t expecting any major role being one of the youngest actors among the thespians. However, I was stoked to play Ryan, the secondary antagonist and one of 6 main characters in a student body of 42 auditioning people! The musical demanded a minimum of 2 hours of rehearsal everyday after school, weaving in lively choreography and Broadway/salsa for my particular character. It was both challenging and fun trying to embody Ryan’s masculinity. The High School Musical production was a colossal success -- with the most viewers ever in the history of SAS theatre!

My theatrical career continued into a student-directed production named "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change", which is the second-longest running Off Broadway musical with 18 total scenes. In this musical, I was the character Diane, one of the five main roles in the production. Diane resembled much of my own personality; a romantic at heart, caring, and very gentle so her personality flowed naturally to me. I performed one of the two solos in the entire play and sang “I Will Be Loved Tonight”. This solo had an emotionally infused charge where Diane rises to imbue her love with authentic dramatic feelings. It is sweet, shy, and tender; saturated with the 80‘s love-sick sentiment. Although “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” was not nearly as demanding as the “High School Musical” production, it still required the me to stay after school and augment my vocal techniques.

Innovation Institute is "70% students, 30% teachers"; a highly rigorous and equally discriminant curriculum of an elite 28 students, forcing this select group to integrate class concepts and create connections to resolve global issues. The program seeks highly motivated students who enjoy challenge, collaborative work and environmental engagement which fortifies critical thinking and application. It’s primary purpose is to combine and apply key concepts from each core subject where the students, instead of teachers, advise each other through the frameworks of problem-based learning. Innovation Institute is organized into design firms to conduct team-based research instead of routine textbook memorization. The program is distinct from all other normal classes and the school transcript because it marks students based on three primary areas; knowledge and understanding, application, and critical thinking.

Under the hands-on approach of the Innovation Institute, students are encouraged to combine class concepts to apply to current and future real-life scenarios. However, this creative learning approach is not for everyone; apart from its rigorous workload it constantly challenges us to think beyond the confines of the classroom and on garnering a universal perspective. During the Pale Blue Dot capstone project, for example, we were appointed the keystone driving question of “how are humans able to justly endure on a finite planet” that required deep contemplation of integrating English, Asian history, geometry, chemistry and physics as well as digital and graphic design! It was an independent prerequisite of the students don’t need to be spoon-fed or constantly looked over by teachers.

Innovation Institute integrates class concepts garnering them onto a universal platform to tackle global issues, hence applying academic skills and historical events to design, collaborate, and innovate projects that reflect current dilemmas. The Institute is very much graded on one's thinking, which is one part I do not agree on for there is no specific, or "correct" way of thinking. Regardless whether the teacher agrees with my application of thought, Innovation has taught me to create connections with both concepts and people.

I am a pioneer by nature. More specifically, I am creative. I am artistic. I am expressive. And recently, I’ve been trying to take more risks. Hence why I was chosen for the newly introduced program of our school, the Innovation Institute.

The Innovation Institute is like building a plane as we fly it. It is promoting critical thinking and application of the educated materials that is taught in class. It is controversial for what has been taught in the past, where students memorized textbook upon textbook only to find themselves repeating the same-tedious cycle. Here, a select group of 28 students apply problem-based learning into real-life scenarios; After researching and learning to identify social/scientific issues, we foster the habit of presenting in front of large audiences as well as implementing our own projects, in which requires immense amount of creativity and articulacy. Instead of having teachers feed us answers, we seek to discover them for ourselves.

Clearly, both the expectation and workload are exceedingly more rigorous compared to normal classes, requiring much dedication, teamwork, and deep contemplation. Innovation has broken these traditional concocted laws and allowed me to fully understand material in a new light, subsequently leading to the application of it (designing projects, conducting labs, etc.) Moreover, the Institute is purposefully centered around team collaboration, not cooperation which in turn gave rise to my enhanced communication and leadership qualities. If one does not have a strong sense of leadership or work well in groups, they will most definitely not quality for the Institute.

I was inducted into the institute and joined its unconventional curriculum because I strongly believe that my character is revealed through my actions. I wanted to go beyond classroom walls, to implement and create with my own two hands. I wanted to go somewhere that does not limit me to textbook boundaries, where I can create my own knowledge and not have the teacher spit things at me only to have a mandate of throwing it back. Innovation Institute allows for a more advanced, more aspiring curriculum in which centers around critical-thinking. Even when I am competing against an outstanding group of 28 students, I strive to fully understand the content and application of such material, even if my grade does not reflect it. I wanted to make things happen and express myself through what I enjoy, my passion, my fervent zeal towards doing what I love, and loving what I do; which is the desire to create, to be innovative.

The Innovation Institute has propelled growth in all areas of my life, but most particularly, in my communication and leadership qualities.

The Innovation Institute has shaped me to take more risks and be comfortable with the unknown where I have not only broadened my academic acquisitions but more importantly, learned to transgress classroom confinements and to maximize available resources to cultivate my passions. It has given me the opportunity to become a valuable contributor in class and most importantly, it is a place where I truly exercised strong leadership, collaboration, and creative thinking skills.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." This quote deeply resounds within me for I believe it is possible for ordinary people to achieve extraordinary things. For me, the difference between an “ordinary” and an “extraordinary” person is not what prestige or title the person might hold, but instead it's the impact of their actions. The most heartfelt way of achieving impact is by donating time, energy, and profit to the lives of others.

My earliest recollection of donating for the better of humanity is to the Sichuan Earthquake in 2008. The devastation it created implored my eight year old self to give her life-savings of 16,000 RMB to help build homes, give medical care, and bring families together. My mom adamantly insisted that I donate my own money earned from my chores and Yāsuíqián allowance, because the rest of my family also contributed their own individual salaries. I know that because of my donation, there is someone right now in Sichuan, with their families, fully clothed, eating good food, and in a modest home where my impact has helped create a better life.

Very similarly, I contributed to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, 2011 Tohoku tsunami and earthquake, and the Fukushima nuclear accidents, this time with the combined efforts of my family.

In my everyday life, I help others by tutoring English for students with academic support in the National English Honors Society, teaching Chinese once a week, and also building art installations for the school as part of the National Art Honors Society.

Apart from school life, I had snipped 8 inches off my hair in addition to shaving the back of my head to donating to cancer patients through the Pantene Beautiful Lengths organization. That same summer, I also volunteered at the YMCA summer swim session where I prepared lessons for young swimmers.

X school cultivates the following characteristics: Intellectual curiosity, leadership, global citizenship, integrity, and courage. Describe a moment when you (or someone you know) exhibited one of these traits. (250 words or less.)

JOOHEE'S COURAGE AND SUMMER VOLUNTEERING

I believe at the core of myself are the very characteristics that resembles X School. During a summer volunteering at the YMCA swimming center, my swim coach told me that I would be instructing a class of students for the local summer program. Naturally, I was thrilled! After hours of eager preparation, I was confident of my flawlessly primed lessons, optimistic to demonstrate my expertise. I planned every lesson by the minute and prayed that my prospective subject be enthusiastic, willing, and cooperative.

What was a glistening spark of excitement turned into exasperation, as I was paired with the most dogmatic, moreover unresponsive child. For days, my student Joohee remained adamantly stubborn, standing in the shallow-end of the pool and furiously shaking her head, refusing to budge.

"Joohee, c'mon! This is so fun!" I tried to gently corral her, splashing encouraging sprinkles of water down her back. What I received in response was a yelp of shock that sent her sprinting down into the changing rooms, and bolting herself inside a locker. The next few hours were spent trying to lure her out. Each lesson, I tried to placate her from hiding in the locker and into the pool. The same aggravating process was being repeated the next day, as was the next, and the next, and the following week.

At the end of the second week, in desperation, I abandoned my agenda and conceded to Joohee's silence—I approached her, held her hand and slowly guided her toward the shallow end of the pool and to my astonishment, she followed. Moments later she spoke.

"Look, I'm floating." Yes, she was speaking! What's more, she was in the water, and she was really floating!

I looked at Joohee and for the first time, saw a flood of warmth and genuine trust that I had been so earnestly searching for. I then realized that for the past days, I had been entirely preoccupied with personal motives, prioritizing my wants over her needs. All she needed was a hand to hold! I wrapped my long, artist fingers around the small ones of her own, continuing to hold her hand. This time, when our eyes met once more, her smile beamed with faith and sent a resonating, heart-felt warmth growing in the center of my chest.

Joohee has taught me that with the simple gesture of a hand, my aspiration of helping others can be achieved as long as I surrender to selflessness as to share compassion and understanding. It was only later when she told me she had nearly drowned at a very young age, did I fully begin to understand the deeper issue of submitting herself to the same experience. Not only has Joohee taught me to have superhuman patience, but she has also taught me how to have the courage to confront challenges that I would have otherwise never considered defying.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE SHOW

I would recommend the uproariously funny Saturday Night Live series because it gives profound insight and portrays a perfect snapshot of the changing tides regarding America's ever-fluctuant politics and culture. Humor is something that is not easily translatable, hence I would highly recommend this comedy show to local Chinese friends who want to gain a more intimate outlook on American culture.

AUDREY HEPBURN

I would be overjoyed to take a visit to the Golden Age of Hollywood and be able to spend an afternoon with my role-model, Audrey Hepburn. Over the course of her remarkable life and career, Audrey’s iconic elegance, style, and charm has captured hearts around the world, creating a public image that stands as one of the most unforgettable and beloved in recent memory. I would be delighted to meet this award-winning actress, but such feeling is unprecedented to being able to have a glimpse of the woman behind the glamorous persona as a film legend, for she was both an unparalleled fashion icon as well as a woman of deep humanitarian roots.

As a teenager, Audrey persisted in dancing and ballet to raise money for the Dutch resistance fundraisers, further illuminating the origins of her tenacious spirit and fiercely passionate nature. With her unshakable presence on the silver screen, Audrey used her hard-won recognition as a means to help children less fortunate her their own. With my newfound ability to time-travel, I want to be able to help Audrey in her contributions to the children of UNICEF and to be able to travel the world in effort of helping those that are in need. She remains as a humbling reminder to redistribute my fortunes and wisdom. In addition, it wouldn't hurt to offer her a little dance with me.

Beyond her contributions as an extraordinary artist and humanitarian, Audrey Hepburn remains the epitome of style, charm, and humility in the face of timeless beauty and grace. As a result, with my ability to travel in time, I would visit Miss Audrey Hepburn to request a narrative of true beauty from the beholder of the eye.

“You have power over your mind— not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
- Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius

When I fractured my spinal cord from dancing in my sophomore year of high-school, my life took a drastic turn— for both good and bad. On top of the searing pain of my injury and splintered nerves, my mind was numbed from being constantly put on painkillers. It was like trying to think through a thick fog where everything was underwater. My mental health quickly deteriorated as I was confronted with questions such as will I ever walk again? When will I get to dance? Will things ever be back to normal? The doctor confided to my mom that my injury had very likely rendered me sterile. Growing up with a stay-at-home parent who gave up everything for her own kids, having children of my own was something I always wanted. Needless to say, I was disheartened for a long time.

Despite my avidity to continue with school, it was hard to maintain motivation and focus; especially as a part of the charter division of my high-school, where the curriculum was purposefully more rigorous. Every other day my mom had to drive for 2 hours back and forth from the hospital. On top of traffic, we'd spend about 4 hours on the road, at minimum. It was not abnormal for me to come home around 10PM, eat dinner, then start my school-work extremely late. My medical visits not only prevented me from engaging in the after-school activities that I loved, I also lost all my friends because I couldn’t afford to hang out with them. Most days, my loneliness and the blue lamp that gently glowed beside my desk were the only companions throughout the long hours of night.

This catalyzed my adoption of a growth mindset: the belief that people’s abilities are dynamic rather than fixed, which can be developed through persevering in the face of setbacks. My solitude has gifted me with time for introspection and ritualized self-care. With the combined wisdom from reading stoic philosophers and psychology’s growth mindset theory, I built up strength within my inner world in order to cope with an external circumstance that I had no control over. My injury filled me with a renewed appreciation for the things in life we often take for granted— how I’m able to cannon-ball and sprawl like a star-fish across my bed; how I’m able to put on my own clothes instead of having my mom do it for me; how my fingers are able to leap across the keyboard as I’m typing this sentence; or how I’m able to stand on my own two feet, quite literally and metaphorically. Philosophy has been the therapy for my soul, and psychology’s theories have enabled me to gracefully come out of this experience with a new approach to life. Focusing on these two passions provided a stepping stone into immense personal growth; they enabled me to cultivate a newfound positivity and inner resilience I haven’t known before. I now know how to find beauty in any situation.

I hope to continue defeating the odds, and triumphing over the obstacles pitted against me— whether that be new circumstantial hurdles, or the protest of my own body. I will rise. And I will do it with the grit that I have built after going through such a life-changing event. My mental toughness and positive, can-do attitude will get me through anything. So to life’s challenges, I say bring it on!

When I first stepped foot onto Pitzer’s canopy of exotic cacti that bequeathed its resort-like dorms, I saw the translucent shell of a cicada—delicately perched on a wooden handrail. I gently cupped the exoskeleton and carried it to my dorm, to wake up to reminders to outgrow my old skin. I couldn’t imagine how the symbolism of this talisman would soon be realized into my own journey of transformation.

Native Californian cicadas remain dormant for years underground as nymphs before emerging as adults to the brilliant world above. My two years at Pitzer have felt a bit like the cicada’s dormancy period. On the personal level, it’s allowed time for growth, discovery, and maturation. Being the overly optimistic freshmen that I was, I plunged myself into extracurriculars and the social scene of the Claremont consortium. Through joining 5C clubs, I was able to cement strong friendships with students at Pomona who shared my interests, such as dancing in the Groove Nation, writing about human rights for the Claremont Journal of Medicine and Social Justice, leading the Middle Tree Think Tank, and analyzing case-study frameworks in the Pomona Consulting Group.

Academically, I embraced my lifelong zeal for learning— double majoring in cognitive science and philosophy while trying to graduate early— and even enrolling in graduate courses at CGU. The majority of my courses were actually taken at Pomona, including my upper-division philosophy seminar course with Gregory Antil, neuroscience courses with Nicole Weekes, Richard Lewis, and I’m currently in my third cognitive science class with Laura Johnson. I was eager to make the most out of everything Pitzer offered, including its access to the consortium. However, I experienced a pivoting point that sparked my realization about Pitzer’s limitations.

When I witnessed my Pomona friends conducting research with their professors through SURP, it inspired me to pursue research as well. However, both Pitzer doesn’t have a cognitive science department; while I have tried to seek out opportunities at Pitzer, there are no designated protocols or laboratories for my research interest.

Upon meeting with curriculum advisors like Lise Abrams, it was Pomona’s faculty who’ve provided me with support and mentorship. It was Pomona’s classes that enabled me to socialize with others who share my zeal for cognitive science. Later this semester, I will be developing a thesis under Professor Johnson to examine how fluency affect our perceptions of truth. My proposed study has the potential to be published and to contribute to the existing canon of knowledge. All this has been made possible through Pomona’s robust network of resources and connections.

Like the cicada, I have tried to enrich myself with all that’s available at Pitzer—closely cherishing my time there and leaving behind a beautiful, molten cast in the place I’ve called home for the last two years. Fully nourished, I am now ready to take flight and flourish en route to become a cognitive neuropsychologist. There is truly no place better to pursue this field of study than at Pomona. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Professor Johnson and will fully take advantage of everything Pomona offers.

On one too many occasions, when my mom asks me for a cup of water, I end up making a peanut butter sandwich for myself instead; like an annoying sibling, ADHD is a fun, creative, and at times, frustrating presence that I’ve learned to befriend. Even though I’ve outgrown most of the issues I faced when I was younger, I still enjoy daydreaming about complex ideas and trying to make meaning out of them.

Double majoring in philosophy and cognitive science allows me to explore some of the deepest questions about the human experience, and think critically about the mind. The backbone of logical reasoning in philosophy and the analytical basis of cognitive science molds me into a student of life— fortifying a foundational bedrock of knowledge that will set me up for success in higher education. My long-term goal is to become a PhD cognitive neuropsychology researcher while founding a series of mental-health clinics. By bridging these two disciplines together, I aim to beget a deeper understanding of the incredible mysteries, capabilities, and limitations of the mind. My life’s purpose is to gain insight into who we are with all of our neurodiversity; what better way to do that than by studying the mind?

Where are you from?
I have such a hard time answering this question lol. To me, it is so unnecessarily formidable because I have moved around so much growing up—yet I get that it’s innocuous. Usually, home is between New York, Claremont, and Shanghai—my answer depends on who is asking. If I’m feeling especially facetious home is wherever there is wifi.

What’s your favorite cuisine? Italian. I think that’s an easy one to love.

What’s your favorite TV show/movie?
I don’t really watch any TV shows or movies unless I am with friends. If I had to pick, it would be the “Enigma Game” featuring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley, where they develop the first-ever computer prototypes called Turing machines, to crack the Nazi code and win WWII. The combination of diversely erudite characters, suspense and moral complexity makes for a captivating film. Every time I watch it, there are so many things that I have not picked up on before. As somewhat of a STEM-girly I also deeply admire both the beauty and wits of Elizabeth Bennett, the only woman on the code-cracking team, and aspire to be like her.

Do you do any sports?
Does dance count? Lol. In college, I was a part of Groove Nation, the hip-hop dance team of the Claremont Colleges. I have actively danced for 13 years of my life. That’s the only sport I can claim to be somewhat good at. Otherwise, I’m decent at tennis/squash, swimming, and skiing. Does playing air-hockey/ping-pong drunk with friends count as a sport if we are hyper-competitive with each other??? Someone let me know!

What’s your favorite food? Mangoes!! I love mangoes! I am a big foodie so I love everything, and it’s so hard to pick. But my favorite fruit would be mangoes!

Which Harry Potter house are you?
I don’t know anymore! I used to be a Ravenpuff—a combination of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff (I can’t decide) but now I think I might be the most peculiar combination of Slytherpuff i.e. Hufflepuff and Slytherin. I don’t even know how it is possible haha.

Who are your role models?
I have so many and none at the same time. What I want to do in the future nobody has done in the past before, so I cannot look up to a ‘role model’ in that way. As for people I greatly respect and admire, there are a plethora. Some include my parents, Amal Clooney, Princess Diana, Kate Middleton, Audrey Hepburn, and more recently Lizzo—I just love the message she sends out to empower young women. Business-wise, I really like Warren Buffet. Solid guy, good character, and incredible investor.

As you go through my transcript, you may be having some concerns about the downward trajectory of my grades. The primary reason being that during and post-pandemic, my family’s leather-goods business has taken a financial hit; so I have been helping out with my family business, and that has taken away from my school.

For context, both of my parents immigrated to the US in 1986 with only $200 in their pockets. Through sheer will and hard work, my parents scaled their company into a manufacturing empire—hitting over $20 million in sales in the first five years. However, the pandemic caused my family’s business to suffer. To be specific, we had a 60% loss in value, and no profit: negative earnings. This was exacerbated given the recent economic crisis and shutdown in China. I was not even sure if I could continue to attend school at this rate.

As the eldest sibling, I feel an immense responsibility to provide for my family. While we used to work with wholesalers and importers, they cut us off during the pandemic. I helped to establish an online footprint for the business—where there previously was none. A lot of my friends stayed home during the pandemic, playing games and online shopping. This inspired me to reenvision the business strategy for our family business by forming partnerships with online retailers such as Taobao Shop, the Amazon of China, and online gaming companies like Boke City.

These two partnerships are the only area that saw an increase in sales during and after the pandemic, making up around 20% of my dad's business. Although developing this online e-commerce model helped, but it is not enough to save our family business long-term. I am still continuing to actively help out with my family’s business this semester, and the fight is ongoing. As a result, my academics have taken a backseat—as I love my family so much, and they will always be my biggest priority.

I am immensely inspired by my dad’s hustle and how far it has taken him in life. I continuously grow and learn so much from my him and the rest of family—from how to be a good daughter, problem-solver, business partner, and aspiring founder. Even though I am working at PwC post-graduation, one of the most top-tier companies in the world, I also aim to become a startup founder someday—a dream that Columbia Business School will hopefully help me to actuate. In my eyes, my dad is both a visionary business leader, an incredible father, and black sheep trailblazer who has broken the chain of generational poverty in his family. My dad inspires me to walk in his footsteps and become an entrepreneur; I know that I am meant to create my own business; entrepreneurship is literally in my blood. I may even takeover his after I have developed enough business experience and acumen learning from the best companies in the world. I am excited about the possibilities that the future hold, and look forward to having Columbia Business School be a part of my journey.