Open Mic Podcast

In Episode 16, Caroline chats with Zusi Ine, a rising senior at Columbia studying Business Management and Political Science. Zusi is an entrepreneur and social media marketer who is also a dedicated advocate for deaf awareness. Having discovered her deafness as a teenager, Zusi reveals how her relationship with the world has changed, as well as how she continues to works towards increasing accessibility in community spaces. She shares tips on how to balance your social media presence with authentic real-life connections, as well as how to turn your passion into something more. Tune in to be inspired by the Business Baddie!

Happy APAHM everyone!! In Episode 15, Caroline is joined by Pranathi Srirangam, a first-year in Barnard College who is a part of Columbia APAHM club. Pranathi shares her experiences with online school, explains the different events hosted by Columbia APAHM, and describes how she's found community during socially distant times. Tune in to learn more about student organization event planning, favorite classes, and celebrating AAPI culture!

In Episode 14, Caroline is joined by Emily Wang, a junior in Brown University's Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME)—aka the 8-year medical program! Emily and Caroline go way back to the beginning of high school, when they both participated in a biotechnology camp at a local university! Now, Emily is majoring in Economics, on a very unique pre-med track. She shares her journey to and experiences in PLME, as well as her involvement in many community-focused initiatives. Emily is President of the Community Health Advocacy Program and Co-President of the Salsa Club, as well as Finance Chair of her sorority at Brown. Tune in until the end to learn about Brown's campus culture, the intersections of economics and medicine, and the Naked Donut Run!

In Episode 13, Caroline is joined by the adventurous Cleopatra (Cleo) Lim, a junior at Columbia studying Psychology and Creative Writing. Cleo is a member of the Varsity Swim Team and runs a food instagram page (@cleeeeats), where she documents her food adventures around NYC. The episode begins with some of Cleo's favorite spots to dine and delves into how maintaining a food instagram helps Cleo have a social life. "How," you may be wondering, "can she eat everything she posts?" Turns out, swimming does wonders for your appetite! At 21:31​, Caroline and Cleo dive into (*ba dum tss*) life as a varsity swimmer and the college recruitment process. Cleo shares her favorite fun, non-touristy NYC activities and her rationale behind completing a Psychology/Creative Writing double major. Tune in until the end to learn about food, swimming, and classes SO good, they'll literally make you cry.

In Episode 12, Caroline is joined by the talented Ria Honda, a violinist in the Columbia-Juilliard Exchange and Economics major in CC '22! Ria *debunks* common misconceptions about the exchange, while revealing how she balances her musical passion and education. From 8:40am economics classes, to 4-hour long practice sessions, to serving as President of Popsicles (chamber ensemble within Columbia's Pops Orchestra), tune in to see how Ria balances it all!

Questions discussed:

- How much of a balance is there between Columbia & Juilliard?

- Is the exchange a dual-degree program?

- How does the application process work?

- Is there a Final Jam at classical music camp?!

In Episode 11, Caroline is joined by the one and only Stan Liao! Stan is possibly the most well-known student at Columbia due to his prominent role as master meme-maker and "tyrant of Ref." He shares his experience in the world of memes, the essence of Columbia life, and the unique culture that has formed around the Reference Room in Butler Library.

More academically, Stan is a senior in SEAS studying Applied Math. He has been a banking intern and plans to work as a prop trader after graduation. Tune in to learn the secrets of meme-making, resume drops, and job searches at Columbia!

What's it like to be guaranteed acceptance to med school? In Episode 10, Caroline chats with James Kim, someone who knows exactly how that feels! James is a junior in the accelerated MD program at Boston University and shares his experience as a non-traditional pre-med. From the unique "Medical Science" major, to exploring graphic novel and music theory courses, James provides an inside look into one of the top combined medical programs in the US. Tune in to learn more about BU med, campus traditions, the BU/BC rivalry, and life in Boston!

In Episode 9, Caroline is joined by William Zheng, a Columbia senior majoring in Applied Math and concentrating in CS. Will is the President of Columbia's Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) and shares advice for students interested in exploring the field. Aside from being super smart at math, Will has experience as a TA for Machine Learning, a tech intern, a tour guide at the National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath) in NYC, and a physics and CS researcher. After graduating this spring, Will plans to pursue his Master's in CS at Columbia (since he's basically fulfilled half the credits needed for this degree!). Tune in to learn about the different opportunities Applied Math offers! William adds that his best experience was the physics lab. In his own words, he "Loves it with a capital L.”

In Episode 8, Caroline is joined by Maryam Hassan, two-year Captain of Columbia's Varsity Track & Field team. Maryam graduated from Columbia College in 2020 with her BA in Middle Eastern Studies & Anthropology. A seasoned athlete, Maryam shares a "run-through" (get it? 😉) of her track journey and shares motivational advice for the college recruitment process. Now a graduate student at Rice University, Maryam is continuing her long and triple jumping career, while working towards her ultimate goal of helping Arab and Muslim Americans reconnect with their heritage. Tune in to learn more about Columbia athletics and campus life! Fun Fact: Maryam is Facebook friends with Deantini (the Dean of Columbia College) and highly recommends Buff Chick Thursdays at Ferris Dining. 😎 Her spirit animal may or may not be a griffin.

In Episode 7, Caroline is joined by Isabela (Bela) Yepes, a QuestBridge Scholar at Columbia majoring in Earth and Environmental Engineering and minoring in Economics. Bela is a certified yoga instructor and shares habits that have helped her cope with the stress of school. In addition, Bela explains how she decided to go into Environmental Engineering, her research experience in the field, and "Why Columbia" for her academic goals. She discusses the various career options for environmental engineers and her experience with Engineers Without Borders (EWB), a large student-run engineering club at Columbia. Caroline and Bela also talk about the new three-term structure of classes at Columbia, share life hacks only Columbia students would know, and reminisce about campus traditions (Food Fest!!). Tune in to learn about engineering for humanity and life at Columbia!