10/15 Lunch and Learn: Navigating Columbia as an International Student
International students are invited to attend an interactive panel with GS alumni as they share insight and discuss how they were able to achieve their professional goals.
Lunch will be provided.
Featuring:
Micca Cao '20GS is driven by a profound passion for mathematics and the ceaseless pursuit of knowledge. Coming from China, Micca holds the distinction of being the first person in her family to obtain an undergraduate degree. Originally arriving in this country to study art at a community college, she later found herself graduating from Columbia with a finance degree. Currently advancing her expertise at Deloitte as a tax associate consultant. Micca aspires to become a future CPA and CFO.
Ferdinando Castro Gonzalez '24GS is an international student from Venezuela and former professional athlete, Ferdinando’s journey has been shaped by resilience, service, and a commitment to equity. Growing up amid political unrest inspired his passion for civic engagement and advocacy—especially for underrepresented voices. At Columbia GS, he earned a degree in political science with honors and led efforts to build inclusive communities across campus. As Chapter President of the United Nations Association, he expanded membership fivefold and organized global dialogues with UN diplomats. He also co-founded the Venezuela Student Association, creating the first Ivy League conference for Venezuelan students to address humanitarian and economic challenges.
Zhexi Shan '22GS is a double-major graduate of Columbia GS with degrees in linguistics and statistics. He has served the Columbia community as a Health Advocate and Peer Counselor at the Gay Health Advocacy Project of Columbia Health, as a student representative on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the Statistics Department, and as Communications Director of the GS Alliance Board. Prior to his time at Columbia, Zhexi was a founding creator and lead contributor for Duolingo’s “Chinese for English Speakers” course. Additionally, he has worked organizing New York City pride marches and events for several years, actively recruiting Columbia students and others to take part in city-wide endeavors and activism, which is how he met his husband! He is currently Data Integrity Specialist at The Fortune Society.
Aristotelis Vossos '20GS, '24SIPA is currently transitioning from a sustainability startup to a strategy role at a charter school in New York City. A dual degree graduate of Sciences Po and Columbia GS, he has long been a strong advocate for the GS community and enjoys staying connected with fellow alumni. Originally from Greece, he lived there until the age of 13 before moving to Spain, Puerto Rico, France, and later New York, following his father’s career. His international background continues to shape his perspective and professional journey.
Moderated by: Gether Cush Minon ’26SW, '27SIPA - Graduate Intern at Columbia University School of General Studies
