CCW Spring 2011

COLUMBIA COLLEGE WOMEN

SPRING 2011

events in review

STAND OUT STYLE

On a freezing February evening, CCW Mentors and Mentees took over Saks Fifth Avenue’s 8th floor for Stand Out Style, an event focused on career preparation: making the interview, getting hired and ‘looking the part’ at all stages of your career.

The Mentoring Committee recognized that, in order to get the in-terview, you need to look great on paper. To get the job, you need to present yourself well in-person. To build your career, you need to consistently stand out, both in substance and style. What better way to address this complex equation than to combine the exper-tise of CC Alumnae with the style resources at Saks? Our dedicated Alumnae Mentors were ready and willing to provide resume reviews and mock interviews for students, and Saks’ style experts provided a fashion presentation to address a range of budgets and career areas.

The Mentoring Committee began its preparations for the event in December 2010. While student mentees registered for mock inter-views in their career interest areas, alumnae mentors volunteered to provide these interviews, and the committee began a matching process to pair up students with alums for interviews at the event. Throughout the process, human resources expert JC Koles (his company, Performance Consulting International, advises companies on effective interviewing and hiring practices), provided advice and insights on conducting these interviews effectively.

But there is more to CCW than just work! Guests were greeted with delicious refreshments and hors d’oeuvres before moving into mock interviews and resume review sessions. In addition to learning how to present themselves career-wise, guests also had the opportunity to have a mini-makeup lesson (and makeover!) from expert makeup artists, finally answering the question: what eye shadow should I wear for this interview?

The group then came together for the fashion presentation, which was paired with more delicious food from the Saks kitchen. Saks’ Tara Walsh presented models in fifteen outfits for a variety of careers, from beautifully structured suits for more formal offices to uniquely dressed-up ensembles for more creative workplaces. Tara also showed ways to make daytime outfits ready for an evening out, and helped us see the versatility in pieces that could be dressed up or made more casual with accessories and our own styling.

While even the best preparation won’t make interviewing stress-free, Stand Out Style was a fun evening that empowered students to better prepare for their next career steps, and provided helpful information for mentors as well.

To get involved with CCW Mentoring, please contact Mary Rutledge CC’07, Mentoring Committee Chair, at [email protected].

By Claire Shanley CC’92Photos by Michelle Wang CC ‘00

Above: a mentee gets her makeup done by a professional make up artist.Below: mentors and mentees gather around the food table.

chair’s letter

CHAIR’S LETTER

Student Board Member and Newsletter Designer Maria Laura Torre Gomez CC’11, Mentoring Committee Chair Mary Rutledge CC’07, CCW Chair Claire Shanley CC’92, Student Mentee Mary Martha Douglas CC’11, Member-ship Committee Chair Siheun Song CC’07, Mentor Ahiza Garcia CC’10

time, etc.), establish a negotiating range for each issue, and prioritize according to importance. Once you have this list set, you will be prepared to talk in detail during your negotiation with clear goals in mind. Moreover, this will help you establish your BATNAs (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement), which are the options you have if you don’t reach a deal. Knowing your BATNA will help you judge what to leverage, and when to walk away. As panelist Ann Bartel affirmed, “If you want to be more powerful, never fall in love with just one [option, idea, or scenario],” so ladies, know your alternatives.

2. Know what kind of bargaining situation you are in: You need to know who you are talking to during your negotiation, and that means you have to hit the books, do your homework, and be prepared when you walk into a negotiation. Try to know in advance who your allies are at the negotiation table, and use this knowledge to your advantage. It’s important to know your negotiator’s BATNA—what are their priorities, and what are their alternatives (is there someone else they can hire with your skills)? Identifying this BATNA will help you figure out what your initial offer should be, and how far you can comfortably advocate for yourself.With these two things in mind you are ready to start negotiating!

Negotiating is like any feedback loop—practice makes perfect. Rather than waiting for a supervisor to promote you, consider lobby-ing for your own promotion. If you are offered a new job, do your homework and don’t hesitate to negotiate your salary. Know that you have plenty of role models in the CCW community, and that negotiation is a complex and necessary skill for all aspects of life.

Following the event presentation, guests and speakers came together for a reception with food and wine- the conversations con-tinued late into the evening!

CCW’s Membership Committee developed and produced this event. If you’re interested in getting involved in professional and/or social event programming with CCW, please contact Membership Committee Chair Siheun Song CC’07 at [email protected]

“Know what you care about [and] Know what kind of bargaining situation you are in...”

Guests mingle and discuss negotiation strategies with each other.

events in review

NEGOTIATING 101In surveys, 20 percent of adult women (approximately 22 million individuals) say they never negotiate, even though they often recognize negotiation as appropriate and even necessary.By: Anjélica Hernández CC ’11

On March 28, CCW members came together to discuss the challenges women face with negotiation in pro-fessional contexts. Siheun Song [CCW Board Member and Member-ship Committee Chair] and Vanessa Ramirez [also of CCW’s Membership Committee] co-produced Walk the Walk / Talk the Talk: Stories & Tips on Negotiation. This panel included Co-lumbia Business School’s Ann Bar-tel, Glocap Search’s Maryam Torabi, Lystra Batchoo CC’00, of Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, and Mari Miyoshi, an Occupational Therapist who special-izes in brain function and enhancing work/life balance. After opening re-marks from Vanessa, Siheun moder-ated a conversation that convered negotiation at work and home, and the dynamics and complexities of asking for what you want.

In today’s job market, all panelists agreed that it is detrimental to not negotiate. The need to negotiate puts women at a disadvan-tage because, unlike their male counterparts, women often forget to come to the negotiation table. Women are two and a half times more likely than men to feel “a great deal of apprehension” about negotiating. Other statistics show that men initiate negotiations four times more often than women. Apprehension can stem from several sources including: • Lack of role models— a professional support system is often nonexistent for women, and with fewer successful female role models, women often fail to receive the advice they need to negotiate.• Fear of misperceptions—women are sometimes deterred from negotiating because they are afraid of how others will perceive them. They fear coming off as too cold or “aggressive” if they attempt to negotiate.

Luckily, the members of CCW have a pro-fessional network that is available to ad-vise women on this issue. In fact, one of the first things that the panelists clarified is that in most places it is often during negotiations that employers evaluate an employee’s ability to assert themselves.

So what is the best way to negotiate? You need to know two things before you begin any kind of negotiation.

1.Know what you care about: Create a list of issues that you want to cover during a negotiation (i.e. salary, job title, vacation

Speakers (who and who) at the event

Guests enjoy the food and company

Being a diplomat is not always the most obvious career choice for your average college senior. But if you like the idea of learn-ing foreign languages, working in challenging environments, helping Americans abroad, and representing the United States to the world, then consider the Foreign Service Exam.

The “exam” itself is really a process of several different stages, the first of which is the free Foreign Service Officer Test, which you can sign up for at careers.state.gov. If you pass that, your application essays will be read by HR; if you’re selected for the oral exam, you’ll report to a testing center, usually in Washing-ton, for an all-day in-person exam. Once you pass that, you’ll have to receive a Top Secret security clearance and a medical clearance, and your name will be added to a list of possible candidates for joining “basic training”-- the A-100 class at the Foreign Service Institute. If you receive “the call,” congratula-tions. After A-100, you’ll receive your first assignment out in the world.

If that sounds arduous, remember that your coworkers will turn out to be generally pretty awesome people. Everyone you’ll meet is full of life stories, intellect, and humor. As for the work you’ll do, it depends if you’re a Political or Economic officer (cable writing), a Management officer (making sure things run smoothly), a Public Diplomacy officer (PR and cultural affairs), or a Consular officer, which you’re required to be in at least one of your first two tours. Consular officers visit Americans in jail, check on abducted American children, interview foreign applicants for visas and immigration, evacuate citizens in peril, and so much more.

Ultimately, be prepared to work hard, to learn and appreci-ate the locations of Ouagadougou and Port Moresby, and to have office-cooler talk about friends rushing in to help during natural disasters and political upheavals. The Foreign Service is one of the few careers that requires you to learn constantly, over decades, and long-serving officers will tell you there’s nothing that compares.

to live and learn

LETTERS FROM ABROAD...INDIAKatie Reedy CC’09 was CCW’s first student board member, and a mentoring program participant in her senior year at the College. Now stationed in Chennai, India as an employee of the State Department, we asked Katie for some perspective on her career and how she got to India...

“...remember that your coworkers will turn out to be generally pretty awesome people. Everyone you’ll meet is full of life stories, intellect, and humor”

Katie Reedy poses at the Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

to live and learn

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Finding a job or internship as an international student can be daunting. Your international perspective and knowledge of languages can be an asset too. Due to my knowledge of the international community, I was hired as an intern at Little Pim Co., a company that specializes in foreign language learning for children. They wanted someone comfortable with diversity, who spoke multiple languages, and who understood families coming from foreign countries.

While I was lucky to get that internship, the reality is that being an international student is rarely a plus. Sure – being an international student can add to your resume through experiences that other candidates may not bring to the table. But it is also a significant disadvantage, given that employers associate negative stereotypes with having to ‘sponsor’ candidates who speak English poorly.

The trick is to not offer yourself only as an international student – which is only part of your identity anyway. You’re much more than Korean, Brazilian or Italian, right? Leverage your skills outside your identity as a national of a foreign country. Based on my experience and research, I offer the following tips for international students.

1. Social skills matter more than ever. It’s hard to underestimate the impact of good social skills on your career. In fact, across the board, in a wide variety of businesses, people would rather work with someone who is likeable and incompetent than with someone who is skilled and obnoxious, said Tiziana Casciaro, a professor at Harvard Business School.

2. Don’t be boring. Many international students might argue that their international experience has provided them with a uniqueperspective that makes them the right candidate for company X. Right – we have heard that before! We already know about your international background, so tell us more. Does any specific experience in your home country actually give you an advantage? If not, don’t present yourself as a stereotype.

3. Understand how people perceive what you put out there. On a resume, one must have focus and consist-ency. When you present yourself, introducing your skills as one-dimensional is not to your advantage. As with almost all career advice, solid execution requires knowing where your gifts lie. So ask yourself what other unique skills you have, in addition to your international identity. When asked questions about your capacities, your nationality won’t come as your first thought, and it will show employers versatility.

Liz Ramos, a partner at the consulting firm Bain & Co., believes that “At Bain, we think it is more and more important as a busi-ness person to develop one or more areas of deep expertise over time.” So don’t sell yourself short! As an international student you have great skills that go beyond your culture: start appreciating them and introducing yourself for who you are: more than a foreigner.

Francesca was a student mentee in CCW’s Mentoring Program. Look for an email from CC Student Affairs announc-ing the opening of the 2011-2012 Mentoring Application in early May, or contact Mary Rutledge CC’07, Chair of CCW’s Mentoring Committee at [email protected].

Yes, I’m an international student, but also so much more. By Francesca Trianni (CC ‘11)

“The trick is to not offer yourself only as an international student – which is only part of your identity anyway. You’re much more than Korean, Brazilian or Italian, right?”

Beth MalinGraduation year & Major: 2011--SociologyCCW Board Member Since: 2009 CCW Committee: Student MemberCurrent Occupation(s): Other than preparing for graduation, I am try-ing/hoping to find a job in either marketing or event planning. I am cur-rently preparing for a number of interviews in the coming weeks.Best advice you’ve gotten: Pursue things you’re passionate about.Favorite CCW Program/Event, and why: In September 2009 that was an event called Intelligent Style. It was my favorite event because it was cool to see alums model, it was very unique.My favorite meal so far this year: Bar Americain—amazing chicken pot pie.I define success as... doing something that you’re passionate about and makes you happy and continuing to improve on it.What has been the best part of being a student Board Member for CCW? Getting to hear about amazing things CCW alums have done both while in school and post-graduation.What is one thing most people don’t know about you? I played the

Mary RutledgeGraduation year & Major: ’07, Economics MajorCCW Board Member Since: Sept, 2010CCW Committee: Mentoring Commitee ChairCurrent Occupation(s): FinanceBest advice you’ve gotten: Stand up for what you believe in.Favorite CCW Program/Event, and why: Stand Out Style Event be-cause there was a good mix of fun and learning in a low-pressure environ-ment and the event brought a lot of different types of people together.My favorite meal so far this year: Las Ramblas, which was a tapas style restaurant, so ate about 10 different things from menu: for example, cheese croquettes, seafood paella, wild mushrooms, best part was the champagne cocktail (champagne, strawberry puree and sprite).I define success as...being content with yourself and your surroundings.What’s your favorite NYC activity: Finding and dining at new restau-rants.Favorite dream vacation: I’ve wanted to go to France my whole life- in September, I’ll finally go and will see an old friend I haven’t seen in years!

Michelle WangGraduation year & Major: CC ‘00CCW Board Member Since: 2011CCW Committee: Membership Current Occupation(s): Global press and sales manager at WAYNEFounding member of creative collective BLVCK AMERICA Best advice you’ve gotten: From a lovely card with a quote from Henry David Thoreau: “Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come sit softly on your shoulder…”Favorite CCW Program/Event, and why: CCW Summertime Social - Dr. Hauschka product giveaways and summer drinks with old friends, what is there not to love?My favorite meal so far this year: I have enjoyed several exotic meals over at a res-taurant my friends have opened in the West Village called Hudson Clearwater. The entrance is currently through a hidden garden door, contributing a sense of mystery to each and every delectable evening at this lovely hidden gem. I define success as... A measure taken against my favorite excerpt from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland:“There is no use trying,” said Alice; “one can’t believe impossible things.” “I dare say you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” What piece of art changed the way you look at the world?Olafur Eliasson’s “The Weather Project” installation at the Tate Modern. Amidst London’s perennially grey weather, the installation filled the gallery’s massive Turbine Hall with a semi-circular disc made up of hundreds of monochromatic lamps radiating a hazy yellow light combined with humidifiers emitting a fine mist in the air. The exhibition made me respect the field of design for the amount of minutiae needed to create such a powerful exhibition.You’re on the road a lot- what are your “must-haves” when traveling?- Creating my own olfactory “bubble” in transit is a priority. - A combination of engaging reading material and a killer playlist are on the top of the “must-have” food chain.

Claire ShanleyGraduation year & Major: CC ’92, Women’s Studies and Philosophy.CCW Board Member Since: 2008CCW Committee: As the chair, I’m involved with all com-mittees’ projects.Current Occupation(s): Managing Director of SIX-TEEN19, an international post-production company (film and tv).Chair of CCW, preparing to be Chair Emeritus in September 2011. Creative adventurer and design obsessive.Best advice you’ve gotten: Keep your end-game goal in mind when choosing a course of action. Don’t hesitate to claim power and do what you need to do.Favorite CCW Program/Event, and why: Eating Locally, Thinking Globally -an event with great food and wine, com-bined with amazing Columbia speakers on food matters. My producing team was amazing- everyone brought something different to the table.My favorite meal so far this year: A dinner at Del Posto was a wonderful special occasion; on a simpler note, vegetable dumplings from M Shanghai are always a joy. I define success as...influence, relevance, and autonomy.What project (work, personal, philanthropic, etc.) that you were involved in has had a significant in-fluence on you creatively and why? My work in film technology has profoundly shifted my thinking around sys-tems, processes, and what it means to “troubleshoot”. In turn, this has changed how I engage with ideas- both my own and others’. Editing and color science deal with es-sential questions of perception and brain science; when I started work in film I didn’t realize that this was part of what makes visual storytelling compelling for me. You have traveled to some interesting and exotic areas, can you share any travel stories from your work or personal trips? There are so many! My travel stories are best told in-person with lots of gestures and re-enactments, but I’ll say that my adventures usually involve something unexpected… From being followed by police in Northern Ireland, to learning the rules of the Deustche Bahn when traveling to see a friend’s band, to making sure that three editing systems clear customs to get to an anx-ious client somewhere far, far away- staying flexible and having a sense of humor have saved me in many a situation.

to live and learn

WHO’S RUNNING THINGS HERE, ANYWAY?Board members interview each other in a frenzy of fashion, quotes, and wisdom... Get to know CCW’s leadership!

to live and learn

GO FORTH AND BE FABULOUS!“Letters to CC grads-to-be from one who’s been there... (and graduated in an economic downturn, too)...”By Shelly Eversley CC ‘91

Columbia College Women make things happen. In less than thirty years since the College opened its doors to co-education, women now dominate the student population. It’s exciting to think about what Columbia College Women have achieved in so little time; it’s even more exciting to think about what the future holds.

As graduation approaches, many of you are probably nervous about what’s going to happen next in your lives. The economy is a mess and the political landscape is so polarized that it is difficult to be optimistic about the future. But I’m writing this to ask you not to worry. Okay, I’ll say it again: don’t worry. The constraints that economic hardship brings can breed some amazing creativity. Use the challenges facing our country and the world as your opportunity to think outside the box. You have the chance to use your intelligence to create something new for yourself and for others. Now is a great time to discover what you’re made of.

In his famous speech on self-reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson declared that it is our responsibility to trust ourselves. He makes it seem so simple: trust yourself. The work comes in the verb. Self-trust is a hard won asset but it’s probably the best thing you can do for yourself. In Emerson’s speech, self-reliance depends on your courage to be original—don’t force yourself into choices that just aren’t who you are.

Take your time. As you find yourself making decisions about your life and your career, give yourself permission to change your mind, to make mistakes and to try new things. Your varied experiences (and failures) are important criteria for long-term suc-cess. Progress does not move in a straight line; there are peaks and valleys coming your way. Take them in your stride.

My mother always used to say, “take care of yourself.” It drove me bananas, but she had a point. Eat right, exercise, take your vitamins, moisturize and get some sleep. Seriously.

Here’s another one from my mom: don’t forget to say “please“ and “thank you”. In the race for success sometimes we feel too busy, too entitled or too insecure to remember the little things. Manners are a big deal. Always remember to show your consideration for other people. Your life will be better if you are kind.

Intelligent people are often impatient. This is especially true when we visualize success. We expect success to happen quickly and easily so that when it doesn’t come on our first try, we get discouraged. You really can achieve whatever you imagine for yourself. But the secret is that you’re going to have to work hard and practice patience.

Be generous. Don’t be afraid to share what you know, who you are and what you have with other people. Go ahead and celebrate the fact that you are part of humanity, and that means we need each other. You have the potential to change the world. Make something happen. You can do it.

“...it is our responsibility to trust ourselves”

Jackie QuanTo Trinh Mong Huyen Quan (my name means dreaming of something grand, beautiful and pure). Jacqueline is my French name--which was given to me at birth but not my legal name.Graduation year & Major: Double Major in East Asian Studies (Chinese) and Economics Class of 1993CCW Board Member Since: 2008CCW Committee: ScholarshipCurrent Occupation(s): Entrepreneur and Dreamer (working on some projects and invested in some pro-jects)Best advice you’ve gotten: You only have to succeed one more time than you have failed. Basically, failure is OK and that it is the ability to pick yourself up and re-start as opposed to being weighted down by past failures.Favorite CCW Program/Event, and why: Eating Lo-cally, Thinking Globally– who doesn’t love eating? Actu-ally, I have gotten into gardening and growing herbs and flowers so its good to know about our food sources and learn more about eating healthy as well as supporting local farming.My favorite meal so far this year: I have two---my cheap place is Poco in the East Village and my fancy place is Corton. Poco is a great place to hang out and have a good meal with friends and it’s a budget friendly tapas place. Corton in Tribeca is a fancy but simple place where the food is well executed. It’s a good place for quiet eve-nings with a romantic partner or even business associate. Their service is impeccable and friendly at the same time. I define success as...loving your life. Life is about liv-ing and having fun with family and friends and making a contribution to society in whatever manner that you can. Thus, I feel that I am successful because I love my life…You always give great love advice to other board members. What love advice would you have for Columbia women? I think every successful love story has to have at least two components…LOVE and RE-SPECT. I believe that for a person to truly be happy--they have to have both and they have to respect and love their partner. It also takes work to stay in love, and to be in love especially in long-term relationships. It is easy to love someone for a year or two, how does it work for a decade or three decades? You have to be one another’s NO. 1. We take too much time for work and we forget that personal happiness is a key component of living. Love is like water and air, it is essential to life. It makes you hopeful and happy and generous.What is the craziest thing you did as an under-graduate? Prank called an ex-boyfriend I was pissed with (that was before caller ID). I have of course grown up since then. I understand my emotional make up a lot better as I have aged—which is a good thing! Laura Torre Gomez

Graduation year & Major: Women’s and Gender studies, Philosophy 2011 (Same as Claire’s!)CCW Board Member Since: 2009CCW Committee: Student board memberCurrent Occupation(s): overstressed student and CCW newsletter workerBest advice you’ve gotten: be yourself. Also, enter the room like you’re Emma Frost, but treat the people there like you’re Jean Grey. I guess the first and the second contradict, dont they? Favorite CCW Program/Event, and why: Spring brunch! There is a sense of melancholy in the air but also a celebrating of the year’s accomplishments.My favorite meal so far this year: Japanese BBQ that fellow board member Siheun introduced me to. She’s so hip!I define success as...getting all my homework for the week done.Can you share a secret about you that even your fam-ily doesn’t know? Isn’t it freeing to be able to let it out? I might like some Disney movies. Like Mulan. But thats it.When you are 150 and die, what would you like your tombstone to say? What would you like to be re-membered for? “She read EVERY book and article assigned in college! Please do not follow her example, and get a life.” And yes, I actually did.

Siheun SongGraduation year & Major: 2007, comparative literature & societyCCW Board Member Since: April 2009?CCW Committee: Scholarship & Membership (chair)Current Occupation(s): financial consultant & musician Best advice you’ve gotten: “Enjoy the process.”Favorite CCW Program/Event, and why: Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk— it showed me how everyone in ccw comes together to help out and make things happen!My favorite meal so far this year: Today’s potluck picnic in a park outside of Madrid, Mary Baird CC ’10 made Chana masala, and her friends brought artichoke spinach dip and a potato saladI define success as...discovery of your passions and giving them everything you’ve got. Tell us about your fantastic music background. What is favorite song, and what is one song we should definitely put on our playlist this year?My mom taught piano when I was 4 and i begged her to teach me. Ten years later, I switched to organ and studied at Juilliard pre-college while performing in musical theater and continuing as a pianist and vocalist at hunter (college high school). As a Columbia senior, I joined a band (Ava Luna) with friends from hs and college and had too much fun. I stepped down last April and am focusing now on my own singer-songwriter tunes for piano & voice. Hopefully, I’ll be gigging again this summer! I say check out Darwin Deez’s “Radar Detector” or Jamie wood’s “In the Night Air.” Recently, I’ve seen them both live and it was such a blast. What is your favorite block in NYC? I’m a fan of my local block (ave X and McDonald ave) because: 1) the names of the roads make me giggle, and 2) there are many Korean merchants serving an eastern European crowd. I love diversity! I’ve started calling my own home, “The United Nations of Brooklyn,” since I manage a property that serves the indian, ukrainian and indie rocker communities in the area.

Sarah WeissGraduation year & Major: 2010, HistoryCCW Board Member Since: January 2011 CCW Committee: Scholarship CommitteeCurrent Occupation(s): Associate at Orion Consultants. Avid Baker. Best advice you’ve gotten: “Try to find the ‘big picture’ themes/trends beyond your day-to-day analyses and projects”— Lisa Carnoy. Favorite CCW Program/Event, and why: The Mentoring Program. Because everyone needs someone to be her cheerleader. My favorite meal so far this year: Shake Shack ‘Shroom Burger, Fries, and a Natural History Crunchstallation. I define success as...(super tough question!): being able to be satisfied with your best and greatest effort. How did you become a baker? what is your favorite thing to make? How soon can I eat this? I am very fortunate to come from a long line of bakers in my family. My dad is quite the bread-man, and makes challah every week and even grinds his own wheat! My mom is what we call a quantity-cook and is able to make HUGE amounts of food in one sitting. Her most famous culinary adventure happens each spring when she makes over a half-dozen gallons of Borscht, an event which is aptly called in my family, Borscht-for-Billions. It would be tough to single out one dish that I love to make, but I will say that I do love making desserts, because there is nothing like a good piece of gingerbread cake to make you smile. If you could go back in time, which time period would you choose and why? I grew up idolizing Eleanor Roosevelt. I would love to go back in time and grab a bite to eat with her, and pick her brain on female leadership. Her work with the women’s education, racial equality, and poverty (to name a few!), provide such an inspirational groundwork for tenacious women fighting for equity.

Laura Brumberg MD Graduation year & Major: CC 1987; Pre-Med CCW Board Member Since: 2011 CCW Committee: Mentoring Current Occupation: Physician Best advice you’ve gotten: Follow your heart. What feels good in our lives happens to be what is good for our lives. It’s not a matter of “toughing it out” through unpleasant circumstances, it’s about finding wonderful moments wher-ever you are – and allowing them to lead you forward into something even better. Favorite CCW Program/Event, and why: The CCW Mentoring Launch Event. It’s really an intimate dinner party for 200 people. It begins the mentoring year with unlimited possibilities and a whole lot of fun and enthusiasm. Also, there’s sushi. My favorite meal so far this year: As above. Actually, breakfast at the Shera-ton Kaua’i – on the covered terrace, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The sun was shining brilliantly, the palm trees were swaying . . . and I was staying on Starwood points so the room and the meal were both complimentary. Good times. Complete this sentence: I define success as... connecting with the highest part of myself and following my life’s path. In my life, this tends to include helping to teach others to do the same.Did you always want to be a doctor? If not, what did you want to be when you “grew up” and what changed your mind? I always wanted to be a doctor. I was a little disappointed as I went through medical training that it wasn’t quite what I expected. For example, there really wasn’t a lot of opportunity to “help people get better” or anything like that – until much later on. However, it was excellent training in how to think analytically, how to work as part of a team, and how to take care of medical emergencies that invariably need to occur in the middle of the night. ;)Describe your perfect vacation: My perfect vacation, lately, tends to be in Hawai’i. I love getting up early and just enjoying the amazingly vivid colors of the foliage, the sound and scent and power of the ocean waves, and the brilliant light of the sun pouring through the clouds. Everything I do after that is just icing

Shelly EversleyGraduation year & Major: 1991, English MajorCCW Board Member since: I’ve been on the board since 2009, I think.CCW Committee: I’m on the CCW membership committee.Current Occupation(s): Associate Professor of EnglishBest advice you’ve gotten: Its a long race. Pace yourself so you can make it to the finish line.Favorite CCW Program/Event, and why: IntelligentStyle. Putting together that fashion show was hard work, but we really pulled together and made it cool. I also got to know how badass CCW women can be.My favorite meal so far this year: is spaghetti puttanesca--I’ve been working on my signature pasta sauce for a while now and I think I’m getting pretty close.I define success as... peace of mind.If I could meet anyone in the world for lunch: it’d be activist and playwright Lorraine Hansberry. She was unafraid to stand up for human rights even in the face of danger; every photograph I’ve ever seen of her, she’s smiling.In five years I’d like to still be smiling.My fondest memory at Columbia: staying up late in McBain (my first year dorm) drink-ing red wine discussing Hegel. We thought we were so sophisticated.

Katerina VorotovaGraduation year & Major: CC’07, Comparative Literature & Society majorCCW Board Member Since: 2011CCW Committee: Scholarship CommitteeCurrent Occupation(s): I am currently working as a strategist at Weight Watchers, doing my part in helping people live healthy lifestyles.Best advice you’ve ever gotten: My grandma gave me the best beauty advice: “Smile!”My favorite CCW Program/Event and why: “Eating Locally, Thinking Globally” because of the delicious food for the stomach and food for the brain. Many guests won great prizes and everyone got to take home an awesome gift bag full of goodies. I enjoyed attending this event as much as planning it! My favorite meal so far this year: was in Taipei, Taiwan. I conquered my fear by drink-ing snake venom, bile, and blood cocktails and chasing them with snake soup in Snake Alley. I survived. When in New York, I enjoy creative vegan meals.I define success as...accomplishing at least 50% of what I set out to do. I set ambitious goals but want to leave leeway for myself in case of failure. Life is about experimentation. At the end of the day it’s important to have the positive energy to keep going, even if you fail.How many languages do you speak? English, Russian, French and I dabbled in learn-ing Spanish, German, Japanese and Greek. I make sure to learn how to say “thank you” and “where is the toilet?” in the local language wherever I travel, if that counts :)If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? India -- I’ve never been, and would like to experience both the chaos of the cities and the peace of the temples. I would also like to see an astrologist there who did a creepily accurate reading for me, and go to a yoga retreat.If you won the lottery, would you take the lump sum or the annuity? Lump sum! A dollar today is worth more than a dollar tomorrow.

Jacqueline Seidel Graduation year & Major: 2000 - East Asian Languages and CulturesCCW Board Member Since: 2008CCW Committee: Scholarship Committee ChairCurrent Occupation(s): Lawyer, CCW supporter, triathlete in training, and person-who-wishes-there-were-more-than-24-hours-in-a-day!!Best advice you’ve gotten: Pick your battles - conceding on certain points, or choosing not to fight every single point, will give you more credit on the “bigger” points.Favorite CCW Program/Event, and why: The Mentoring Spring Brunch - it’s the culmination of a year of growing relationships between mentors and mentees. Plus, the room’s always filled with such positive energy and smiles; the great loca-tion, food and drink definitely add to it.My favorite meal so far this year: Making crepes from scratch a few Sundays ago with the bf. And they turned out really well! (It’s the simple things in life.)I define success as...being able to enjoy a balance in life, from nurturing rela-tionships with family and friends, to being financially secure through a challenging yet satisfying job, to discovering personal fulfillment in other hobbies/interests. It’s the whole “well-rounded” thing.What animal are you most like, and why? A cat I think - I’m very independ-ent and cherish my alone time. That said, there’s nothing like a good back-scratch from a loved one!Describe your perfect day: Given this insanely cold late-March weather, I’m going to say “a warm and sunny day by the beach” and leave it at that :) Oh, extra “perfection” if you give me an ice-cold drink and a People magazine, and toss my blackberry into the sea!

CCW IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE our inaugural scholarship recipient, Ayo Alston-Moore, CC’11.

ABOUT MS. ALSTON-MOORE

Ayo represents the epitome of a Columbia student – diverse in both her background and in her interests. A double-major in English and Visual Arts, Ayo currently hails from Boston, Massachusetts, but spent her high school years all over the United States. She has also had quite an international upbringing and is bilingual in German and English, and fluent in French. While at Columbia, she has continued to expand on her passion for languages, taking up Spanish and Mandarin. Ayo was also awarded the Richmond B. Williams Traveling Fellowship this past summer, which funded her independent research in France relating to French conceptions of bla ckness during the Jazz Age. Her future professional goals include practicing international law, and continuing to develop her art.

ABOUT THE CCW SCHOLARSHIP

As undergraduate students, many of us benefitted from the generosity of alumni through scholarships that made attending Columbia possible. For all of us, the diver-sity of our classmates’ perspectives enriched our Columbia experiences. CCW is committed to building networks and support for current students. Through the scholarship, CCW is furthering this commitment by providing support for high-achieving students with demonstrated financial need. The scholarship is a current-use scholarship, which is directed to a student for the upcoming academic year.

ABOUT CCW

Columbia College Women was founded in 1989 to build connections among the emerging alumnae community of the college. The organization was created with the goal of building new opportunities and networks among alumnae and students. For the most up-to-date information on CCW happenings, join us on Facebook and LinkedIn (group: Columbia College Women).

HOW TO GIVE & GET INVOLVED

Donations to the scholarship are tax-deductible, and your support is deeply appreciated! Please consider supporting the scholar-ship with a pledge; spreading the word about CCW, and the scholarship, to friends; and/or joining the CCW Scholarship Committee. We offer the option of donating in monthly or quarterly installments over the year, charged to a credit card.

The giving form is online at: https://giving.columbia.edu/giveonline/index.jsp and please make sure to designate your gift to: “CCW Scholarship - Allocation # 185707.”

For further information, please contact: Claire Shanley (CC’92) at [email protected] or Jacquie Seidel (CC’00) at [email protected].

Self-Portrait (2006), pastel on paper.

CCW SCHOLARSHIP