In honor of Women’s History Month, Columbia’s Student Government Association hosted a panel featuring women alumni from different fields, including digital marketing, music business and creative work.
At the HIVE, the panelists spoke about their experiences post-graduation, from the challenges of navigating new careers to maintaining creativity without the structure of school.
Parker Gillian, a digital marketing alum who graduated in 2019, said one thing she had to overcome was adjusting her expectations.
“The biggest challenge was honestly a mental hurdle,” Gillian said. “Realizing that your journey after college isn’t going to look like everyone else’s and that’s okay.”
She said she got her first job opportunity by speaking up.
“I was like, ‘Hey, I just graduated. Can I help you with that?’” she said. “Just putting yourself out there can get you a job.”
The alumni talked about their unpredictable journeys after college and shared that success does not always happen right away — it often takes time, effort and strong connections. Several of them stressed the importance of learning how to build a supportive network and create their own opportunities.
Ayu Eini, a music business alum who walked the stage just last spring, shared similar advice and encouraged students to take risks.
“Try everything, even if you feel scared,” Eini said. “Put yourself out there and don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do something.”
She also talked about the importance of building connections.
“Build your community,” she said. “You never know who’s in your class.”
Other panelists included alumni Neida Aguilar, Tiffany Barney and Jewel Imani.
For many students in the audience, the panel gave both advice and reassurance.
SGA president Jenna Davis said one message stood out to her.
“I really appreciated what Jewel had to say about staying consistent,” the senior fine arts major said. “I think that’s really hard—maintaining an art practice while also working, and I think Jewel is the definition of ‘you can do it.’”
Davis said the panel also helped her feel more sure about her future.
“I think I have a little bit more confidence than I did when I came into this room,” she said.
Sophomore arts and entertainment management major Linfei Jiang said the panel changed how she thinks about networking.
“One piece of advice that stood out to me the most was the idea of redefining networking,” Jiang said. “I now see it as finding people you can lean on, people who help you become more confident and open doors for you.”
She also said the panel helped her feel less alone in her concerns.
“Sometimes I have ideas, but I’m not sure how to turn them into something real,” Jiang said. “The panel helped me realize that this is actually a very normal feeling.”
Jiang said hearing from the alumni also encouraged her to follow what she is passionate about.
“It gave me more determination to continue pursuing what I’m truly passionate about,” she said. “It reminded me that doing something I’m passionate about and genuinely good at is where I belong.”
Copy edited by Venus Tapang
