February’s Mentor of the Month: Kathy Yuh CC’15

Congratulations to Kathy Yuh CC’15, as February 2019 Mentor of the Month. In addition to formally mentoring students through the Odyssey Mentoring Program, Yuh hosted a Columbia College Women Lunch & Learn at Morgan Stanley last fall. Dozens of students received an office tour and heard from College alumnae who work there.

Interview with Kathy Yuh CC’15

How many people have you mentored through the Odyssey Mentoring Program?

I matched with seven students. I am so happy that many of these mentee relationships have grown into more natural and personal connections. Outside of the platform, I have met with at least five students from cold emails or via mutual connections. And using the platform, I have found four mentors for myself!

What have you gained from being a mentor?

As a student, I relied tremendously on alumni to guide me through my early career decisions, and I know I would not be where I am today without their generosity. Paying that forward as an alumna makes me feel connected to Columbia on a deep and personal level. And frankly, the students I meet are people I would love to become friends with! So I see these connections also as opportunities to make friends.

What advice you would give a student looking for a mentor?

Make sure you come prepared with thoughtful questions that are pertinent to the mentor’s background and experience. Position the conversation as an opportunity to learn about someone else’s history and to ask for advice someone wanting to follow a similar path. People generally love to talk about themselves!

About the Odyssey Mentoring Program

The Odyssey Mentoring Program (OMP) was founded on the belief that Columbia College students and alumni want to support one another, share stories and encourage one another’s success, thus creating a strong and tight-knit community. The College has more than 50,000 alumni working in myriad careers and around the country. OMP makes it possible for community members to connect in a variety of ways, from an email exchange to in-person meetings and small group gatherings.