The View from InitialView

It's always a delight to catch up with counselors and organizations to hear about student success. We had the honor of talking to Marylyn from African Leadership Academy recently.

ALA student stories should be told and we are thrilled to be able to provide a platform for them and students all over the world.

We are pleased to announce our Summer 2021 Intern Class! After reviewing hundreds of applicants, please join me in welcoming Jenny Han, Vivian Chen, Yu Yao, Moise Gasana, Gabriel Bio Guerra, Gao Jiahe, Raman Gupta and Li Fengyu!

High-Fives --*wink wink*-- all around! Our interns are a diverse group. We’re excited to introduce them to you!

Jenny Han:

A recent graduate from the Webb School of California, Jenny likes to describe herself as a ballad-belting, always-smiling, reading enthusiast and theatre lover. Some of her favorite musicals include Hamilton, Hadestown, and Les Misérables. As an avid reader, she can spend days getting lost binge reading the Lord of the Rings! She also loves camping and backpacking! Jenny will be attending Stanford University in the fall.

Vivian Chen:

Hailing from Guangzhou, Vivian is a recent graduate from the Affiliated High School of South China Normal University. Looking to major in statistics or physics, Vivian would also like to minor in linguistics. However, Vivian is looking forward to exploring new disciplines and eagerly awaits tackling her new challenges head on. Vivian will be attending Cornell University in the fall.

Yu Yao:

Yao Yu (Kathleen) is a recent graduate of Nanchang Foreign Language School. Kathleen still appreciates the connection she had with her InitialView interviewer, and as an intern she will be working on ways to further ensure that all students who interact with InitialView have a meaningful experience. Kathleen will be attending UC San Diego in the fall.

Moise Gasana:

Born and raised in Rwanda, Moise was part of the prestigious Bridge2Rwanda Scholars Program. Passionate about making a difference in his community, Moise wants to build products and systems that benefit the least privileged. He hopes to pursue an artificial intelligence pathway at Brown.

Gabriel Bio Guerra:

Hailing from Guarujá, São Paulo in Brazil, Gabriel is a recent graduate from the Federal Institute of Science and Technology. Growing up on an island, Gabriel is a nature lover and loves to surf! He also loves working with technology and aims to become a tech-savvy difference maker in the future! Gabriel will be attending the Minerva Schools at KGI in the fall.

Gao Jiahe:

A recent graduate of Changzhou Foreign Languages School, Gao Jiahe likes to describe herself as someone overflowing with optimism and perseverance. Possessing strong interpersonal and communication skills, Jiahe is passionate about connecting with others and is determined to utilize her skills to positively impact society. She looks forward to making a difference in her new community at Smith College in the fall.

Raman Gupta:

Raman is a recent graduate from the Global Indian International School in Singapore. In addition to being interested in technology and public speaking, Raman is also an avid gamer, roller-skater and traveler. As a hardcore foodie, Raman prides himself in offering food recommendations that will never disappoint! Raman will be majoring in computer science at Georgia Tech.

Li Fengyu:

Hailing from Wuhan, Li Fengyu will be looking to study computer science at Cornell University. While interested in backend development and machine learning, Li Fengyu is also an amateur pianist, photographer, and chess player. Li Fengyu likes to have Chopin's Nocturne playing in the background while coding.

We've had the privilege of interacting with counselors and students from the Nicholas Academic Centers over the past couple of years and are grateful for their feedback as we work together to improve engagement between students and colleges!

Have questions about EPIC and Elevator Pitch? Hear how Anta and NAC have utilized the opportunities to humanize the college admissions process:

*EPIC is a free platform for students to actively engage with admissions officers through video. It’s simple to use: students watch short video pitches created by admissions officers from over 40 universities. Students then record their own 90-second video pitches and “high five” their top five institutions. In response, students receive personal video messages from colleges in a way that promotes further engagement (and hopefully more excitement about applying to college). EPIC has been designed in close consultation with CBO partners. For example, CBOs counselors are able to use the platform’s feedback feature to provide students with input on their video pitch, which in turn helps the students build confidence and understand they have a valuable voice in the college search process.