Continuing Education

We asked nine (very!) recent graduates about their plans and what from the College will stick with them.

Kayla Maloney

MAJOR: Neuroscience and Behavior

WHAT’S NEXT: “I’m going to the Yale School of Nursing to study to become a pediatric nurse practitioner.”

THE CC TAKEAWAY: “Columbia taught me about inclusivity. The biggest thing for me is that healthcare is — in my opinion, and this has been shaped by Columbia — a right versus a privilege. I think healthcare should be given to all people, and I’m looking forward to working in clinics and low-income communities.”

Dayalan Rajaratnam

MAJOR: Financial Economics, with a Concentration in Mathematics

WHAT’S NEXT: “I’m working in private equity at Blackstone.”

THE CC TAKEAWAY: “I’ve learned how to think effectively and with clarity, and how to argue different points or defend different positions.”

Bianca Guerrero

MAJOR: Political Science

WHAT’S NEXT: “I’ll be in D.C. this summer doing an internship with the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, and then in September I’m starting as an urban fellow at New York City’s City Hall.”

THE CC TAKEAWAY: “I’m going to use my education to ask better questions and challenge institutions to be better places.”

Brian Sarfo

MAJOR: Urban Studies, with a Concentration in African-American Studies

WHAT’S NEXT: “I’m signed on to be an educator in Brooklyn, so I’ll be working at a charter school. I hope to go to law school after two years.”

THE CC TAKEAWAY: “The biggest thing at a school as diverse as Columbia is the relationships that you make. I do a lot of work with the Alumni Office, so I understand the benefits of connecting with College alumni, realizing that it’s an extended family.”

Maria D’Iorio

MAJOR: Neuroscience and Behavior

WHAT’S NEXT: “I’m going to the NYU School of Medicine and then to ob/gyn residency.”

THE CC TAKEAWAY: “I’ve learned how to listen to and get along with di erent people from different places with different backgrounds. And the Core exposes you to a lot of different ideas. I’m going to be working at Bellevue, a public hospital, and meeting a lot of different kinds of people — Columbia taught me how to deal with that really well.”

Chimsom Orakwue

MAJOR: Psychology

WHAT’S NEXT: “I’ll be taking a couple of gap years before medical school. I’ll work here this summer as a supervisor at the Double Discovery Center, helping minority high school students get materials for college. I hope to travel; I want to get into nutrition and wellness to help communities of color.”

THE CC TAKEAWAY: “I’ve learned to be independent. I’ve learned that I am unique and that I can have an impact on the world. I can make a real difference!”

Darius Ansari

MAJOR: History, with a Special Concentration in Business Management at the Mendelson Center for Undergraduate Business Initiatives

WHAT’S NEXT: “I’ll be doing a fellowship with Venture for America. I’ll be working at an early-stage start-up in an emerging city somewhere in the U.S. I’m finding out where I’ll be very soon. I hope it’s someplace I’ll feel at home and can become part of the community and have an impact. I’m looking forward to the next adventure!”

THE CC TAKEAWAY: “It’s taught me how important it is to be flexible and open-minded, and how to be a hard worker no matter what. Those three things have embodied my experience here and have allowed me to be successful in my internships, my club and my academic commitments. At the end of the day, just work as hard as you can for what you believe in.”

Neil Khosla

MAJOR: Mathematics, with a Concentration in Physics

WHAT’S NEXT: “I’m going to grad school at Cambridge.”

THE CC TAKEAWAY: “I learned a lot of life lessons. In terms of math, I’m sure I’ll be using that in my math degree. But you grow up at Columbia, so I think I’ll use the things I learned here every day.”

Claire Seo

MAJOR: Biology

WHAT’S NEXT: “I’ll be doing clinical research at a hospital in Virginia.”

THE CC TAKEAWAY: “The experience has taught me how to think broadly and also deeply, and taught me how to consider other perspectives.”