From Experience to Exploration: New GSers Are Ready for Their Next Chapter

What happens when years of experience in the ring, on the stage, in the military, and across industries and continents meet the opportunities of a Columbia education? For these new GSers, arriving at Columbia is a chance to build on what they already know while exploring new questions, interests, and possibilities.

Undergraduate

Xiaohui Liu

Where are you from?: China

What is your intended major?: Statistics

Tell us about your path to GS:
For the past few years, my classroom was the ring.

I grew up loving Chinese kungfu. I love the philosophy behind it: how tenderness overcomes hardness, how to find peace inside my mind with every movement. But I also noticed something sad: the younger generation in China no longer believes in traditional martial arts. They see it as gymnastics, beautiful but useless. So I decided to find out for myself: Can traditional martial arts actually win under modern rules?

I became a professional fighter, competing in Muay Thai, kickboxing, and full-contact combat sports. Over 81 professional fights, with a 79% win rate and a 51% knockout rate, I earned two Chinese national Muay Thai titles, a kickboxing championship, an East Asian Muay Thai gold medal, and a World Games Muay Thai champion title. I became a world champion not because I'm talented or strong. In fact, I am naturally skinny and not particularly athletic. I won because kungfu taught me how to stay calm under pressure, read my opponent, and yield to find an opening.

But after those titles, a quieter question began to surface: Is winning really the most valuable thing I can do? I asked myself why I started practicing in the first place. It was never just about beating someone in the ring. It was the philosophy, the idea that reaching calmness through training can transform a person from the inside out. That is what I truly believe is valuable and can help more people.

I see so many people living unhealthy lifestyles, both in body and mind. I know my own vegetarian lifestyle has worked for me, but I also know that I can only speak from personal experience. I don't yet have the scientific language to explain why it works. That is a gap I want to fill.

That's what brought me to Columbia GS. Although I was also accepted to UCLA, I chose Columbia because I wanted to be in a place with people from all kinds of backgrounds. I believe the best way to improve myself is to learn alongside brilliant people. I also wish to learn the science behind the life I've lived, and to find the tools I need to help others live better ones.

Why did you apply to GS?:
Although I was once an athlete, I know that fighting is not the only thing I will do. My goal is to make the world a better place by helping others live healthier lifestyles, both in body and mind. I applied to GS because it brings together people from all walks of life, and I believe the best ideas come from that kind of collision. I also wish to be in a university to join the community, and to really learn the science behind health and all kinds of majors that can help me better understand this world. That is something only an undergraduate education can give me.

What's the best advice you've received and how will you carry that with you throughout your GS journey?:
There are two pieces of advice I've received that I really think are helpful.

First: You can always achieve what you want, but you have to be focused. If you choose something, then keep choosing it. The outcome is not something you should worry about.

Second: Take care of yourself. If you want to do something big, start by making your room a nice and neat place, and live every day healthy and happy.

So at Columbia I will focus on what is really important, and live every day the best I can.

Sasha Hoque

Where are you from?: London, England

What is your intended major?: Biology

Tell us about your path to GS:
For the past 3 years, since graduating high school, I’ve been traveling and performing with Disney on Ice! I’ve performed in 12 countries across North America, Asia, and Oceania, often moving to a new city every week and performing for hundreds of thousands of people each year. In my time off, I traveled to an additional 13 countries, making the most of every opportunity through sightseeing, volunteering, classes, hiking, and camping. Along the way, I’ve learned so much from every corner of the world while working as part of a team to bring Disney magic across the globe. I’m incredibly grateful for these experiences and excited to bring them with me to GS!

Why did you apply to GS?:
I always dreamed of attending Columbia University and living in New York, while also pursuing my dream of becoming a professional figure skater and traveling the world with Disney on Ice. GS gave me the flexibility to accomplish both of these dreams, and I’m confident it will help me pursue many more.

What's the best advice you've received and how will you carry that with you throughout your GS journey?:
There’s an old show phrase: “It’s never goodbye, it’s see you down the road.” After three years of traveling and meeting people from all walks of life, I’ve learned that goodbyes don’t always have to be permanent. I’ll carry this with me at GS as I meet new people, make friends from all around the world, and stay connected, knowing that our paths may cross again somewhere down the road.

Gwen Vandenhoeck

Where are you from?: Brooklyn

What is your intended major?: Biology or Evolutionary Biology of the Human Species

Tell us about your path to GS:
I grew up in Brooklyn, attending Saint Ann’s School and Ballet Academy East. After graduating high school in 2020, I was invited to join the Professional Division at Pacific Northwest Ballet. I had the opportunity to dance in company productions and learn valuable lessons from the company members. In 2022, I received my first corps de ballet contract and have danced professionally for the past 4 years both at Kansas City Ballet and St Louis Ballet and have performed at The Kennedy Center and at Meguro Persimmon Hall in Tokyo. Having grown up balancing both ballet and school, it was important to me to continue that while I was dancing professionally. For the past 3 years I have attended WashU’s CAPS program. I have always been fascinated by GS and it was my first choice for full-time academics. I even attended an info session for GS in 2021. My sights have been set on Columbia for years and I cannot wait to finally be here!

Why did you apply to GS?:
What draws me most to GS is that the nontraditional program is deeply intertwined with the traditional undergraduate studies. A sense of community is created, which allows “nontraditional” students to flourish within the undergraduate program. After speaking with a current GS student, I was struck by the value placed on lived experiences and how everyone’s experience—traditional or not—is celebrated.

What's the best advice you've received and how will you carry that with you throughout your GS journey?:
I have a tendency to overthink situations and one time a friend said to me, “Let’s run the experiment”. This simple reframe helped my brain shift from nervous anticipation to genuine curiosity. By being curious, I can now approach the future with positivity. So whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed or anxious, I say to myself, “Let’s run the experiment and see what happens”!

Matthew Walker

Where are you from?: Forked River, NJ

What is your intended major?: History, Film and Media Studies

Tell us about your path to GS:
Directionless for a few years, I worked various jobs until I landed in healthcare, where I felt the importance of a community. Since by this point I had helped caretake my grandmother, healthcare came easy for me, but it didn’t feel instinctive enough to be a lifelong career. Although I knew I would eventually find my career path, I did not yet know what it was, when it would appear, or how I could commence it.

Shortly thereafter, I seriously pursued independent filmmaking. I became my own writer, casting director, set designer, cinematographer, director, and everything all at once. When I conducted pre-production research for my historical narrative feature film, I purchased old catalogs, magazines, newspapers, and anything I could. I cultivated an obsession for history, even niche history, to the degree that I had oddly memorized every bathroom fixture and rotary phone color offered throughout the 1960s.

When production required me to negotiate, contract, and license, I became captivated by the legal side of the entertainment industry. I needed to know more about labor unions, intellectual property licensing, royalty agreements, domestic and foreign distribution, everything. My childhood interests in drawing, coin collecting, history programming, war-themed video games, and reading the fine print on the back card of my older brother’s music CDs revisited me full circle. By this point, I worked for my friend at his two newly purchased optometry practices, where I helped stabilize his new business. He later extended himself as my mentor and guided me through the ignition of my early academic journey, which aligned me on a clear path toward success.

Why did you apply to GS?:
As a nontraditional student, I wanted to enhance my educational experience in a more demanding environment that reinforces my unconventional academic path. I was seeking an institution that fulfills these expectations, and Columbia University exceeds them. Since the campus is located in Manhattan, I can remain connected to my responsibilities in New Jersey while contributing to the campus and remaining committed to my education. Not to mention, being situated in the heart of one of the most historical cities in the world makes research and opportunity boundless. To study at GS will yield the opportunity to nurture my passion for the intersection of art, history, and entertainment law, become a historian, and develop the faculties required for my continued academic and professional success.

What's the best advice you've received and how will you carry that with you throughout your GS journey?:
The best advice I've ever received is to never let opportunity slip away. I was told by my close friend and mentor “it’s what you don’t expect to lead you anywhere that does.” I took his advice and ran with it. At Columbia GS, this means leveraging seminar-based research opportunities in order to challenge myself and improve my research ability beyond my current methods. I hope to also gain experience through internships or assistant roles at an entertainment law firm.

Is there anything else about your GS Story that you’d like to share?:
I spent the years preceding my academic career in pursuit of filmmaking, and it made sense why. In retrospect, I have always loved history, but it required an artistic impulse to realize it. It became clear why, at every funeral or burial I have ever attended since childhood, a thought preoccupied my mind alongside the ceremony. A lifetime of untold stories were lost forever. I thought about my grandfather’s 1935 boat ride from Aberdeen, Scotland to Ellis Island at age six, his experience serving in the United States Army, his 40-year career as a firefighter before becoming battalion chief, and a whole repository of stories being lost. I thought about the wooden model ships found in every room of his home and the small wood-carved pirate faces fastened to the wall in his kitchen. In a sense, this is what gives history its charm. I made sure we saved his military memorabilia, his firefighting gear, the axe, and everything we could because there was also something about the tangible nature of history that excited me.

My affection for history evolved into more than just my attempt to understand and interpret events or ideas that once existed. It became connecting with my past, learning about myself, and learning how to better interpret the future. History and law are foundational, since without either, America’s current freedoms and liberties would not exist. As such, the older I became, the more I felt it was important that my understanding of history matured over time with me. So, I applied to my local community. Now a one-year member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, I have attended college for just over two years, maintained a 4.0 GPA, appeared multiple times on the president’s list, and earned my Associate of Arts in History summa cum laude.

Alexis Xelo

Where are you from?: Elmsford, New York

What is your intended major?: Economics

Tell us about your path to GS:
My journey to Columbia GS has been defined by leadership, discipline, and a strong background in operations. After serving over eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps and reaching the rank of Sergeant, I transitioned into civilian operations and management roles—working as a Security Operations Supervisor, Office Manager, and Logistics Coordinator/Team Lead at Peraton. Alongside managing logistics and operations for our family bakery, these roles solidified my passion for supply chain efficiency and organizational systems. I began my academic transition at community college before transferring to Columbia to study economics. Outside of academics and work, I stay active through fitness and strength training and enjoy spending time with my dogs, Bella and Phantom.

Why did you apply to GS?:
I applied to GS because it uniquely integrates nontraditional students into the core academic fabric of an Ivy League university. GS provides the ideal environment for veterans and professionals to leverage substantial leadership experience within rigorous academic discussions. Columbia’s economics program offers the analytical framework and quantitative depth essential for advancing my long-term career goals in management analysis and logistics.

What's the best advice you've received and how will you carry that with you throughout your GS journey?:
"Focus on what you can control, and adapt to the rest." Whether leading teams in the military or coordinating complex logistics under tight deadlines, adaptability is key. I bring this mindset to GS by staying disciplined in my studies, embracing demanding coursework, and balancing academic life with my professional and personal commitments

I’m excited to join the Columbia community, learn alongside people with such diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and make the most of my time at GS.

Trinity-Columbia Dual Degree Program

Nicolle Kathleen Riley

Where are you from?: Los Angeles

What's your major?: Classics, Ancient History, and Archaeology

Why did you apply to this program and what do you hope to gain from the experience?:
I applied to the Trinity-Columbia Dual Degree Program because it genuinely felt like the best of both worlds. I knew I wanted the experience of studying internationally for college and living somewhere entirely new, but I also loved that the program would eventually allow me to bring that experience back to Columbia and continue my education in the U.S.

One of the things I have appreciated most is how much the program has allowed me to explore my academic interests from different perspectives. Especially within my major, I’ve been able to take advantage of opportunities in Ireland and across Europe that I probably would not have encountered otherwise, and now build on those experiences at Columbia. I’ve also really valued the community within the Dual Degree Program. You are surrounded by students with incredibly different backgrounds, interests, and international experiences, which constantly exposes you to perspectives both in and outside of the classroom. Personally, moving to Ireland at 18 also pushed me far outside my comfort zone. It gave me a level of independence and confidence that I don’t think I would have developed in quite the same way if I had stayed closer to home.

What are you most excited about as you begin your Columbia journey?:
I think what I’m looking forward to most at Columbia is getting involved in new extracurriculars, meeting people, and, strangely enough, the Core. For the past two years at Trinity, most of my classes have been directly related to my major, so I’m really excited to have the opportunity to branch out and study subjects I might not otherwise encounter. I think that is one of the things I’m most excited about with Columbia generally: the chance to keep developing the interests I already have while also discovering completely new ones. I’m also looking forward to finding new communities on campus and getting involved in organizations that might push me in different academic and personal directions.

What's the best advice you've received and how will you carry that with you throughout your time at Columbia?:
The best advice I’ve received is to actually appreciate the journey as you’re going through it, rather than becoming so focused on what comes next that you forget to enjoy where you are. Something else that has really resonated with me throughout my college journey has been the importance of embracing what is new—whether that is a new place, person, experience, or opportunity. Moving to Ireland taught me that some of the experiences that initially feel the most unfamiliar or uncomfortable can ultimately teach you the most and surprise you in the best ways possible. That is something I definitely want to carry with me to Columbia. There will inevitably be another period of adjustment and uncomfortability like anything in life, but instead of being intimidated by that, I want to really embrace the change and everything I can learn from it.

What's on your NYC bucket list?:
My NYC bucket list is incredibly expansive, but if I had to narrow it down, I would say I am dying to go to Shakespeare in the Park. The American Museum of Natural History also does a Night at the Museum experience, which, as someone who loves museums and archaeology, would genuinely be a dream—although I’ve heard tickets are incredibly hard to get. I’m also really excited to work my way through the museums across the city, especially The Frick, the Guggenheim, and the New York Historical Society. I’m also a huge foodie, so a major part of my bucket list is simply exploring more of New York’s food scene and slowly finding the restaurants, cafés, coffee shops, and little neighborhood spots that become my favorites.

What's one thing people are always surprised to learn about you?:
People are often surprised and confused to learn that I study Classics. I think because a lot of my extracurricular interests are in journalism or grounded in political and social issues, people don’t necessarily expect my academic focus to be on the ancient world or studying Latin. But as someone who grew up in a Greek family, I was exposed to Greek mythology, history, and literature from a young age, which initially sparked that passion for antiquity. What I especially love about Classics today is how much the ancient world continues to shape how we think about contemporary questions and debates regarding politics, identity, and culture. Even something like “The Odyssey” being adapted into a major film today shows how enduring these stories from ancient Greece are and how relevant the themes they explore remain.

Is there anything else you'd like to share about your background, something you're passionate about, or your proudest accomplishment?:
This summer, I’ve been in New York as a Columbia Social Impact Fellow. The fellowship has been such an amazing opportunity to develop further my social impact research, which focuses on cultural heritage diplomacy and law—particularly questions surrounding artifact reparations and the illicit trade of antiquities through the art market and museum collections. It has also helped me think more critically about how ownership, preservation, and cultural heritage intersect with diplomacy, policy, and public institutions. I have loved working with everyone in the cohort and meeting people through Columbia in the social impact sector. It has been incredibly eye-opening to be able to intersect social impact work on an interdisciplinary level.

My current summer hobby, which I have rekindled, is jewelry making, which I spend hours doing. I have been creating many beaded necklaces for my friends and family. I enjoy visiting thrift stores and jewelry wholesale shops to collect unique beads and gems to make earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.

JTS-Columbia Joint Program

Ethan Yang

Where are you from?: Beijing/San Francisco

What's your major?: Political Science and Jewish History

Why did you apply to this program and what do you hope to gain from the experience?:
I applied to the Columbia / JTS joint program because it allows me to receive both a Jewish education and a well-rounded education at Columbia. I also can’t forget that I will be doing all of this in a city that truly feels like the center of the world; a place where people from all over the world and from all different backgrounds come together. That is what makes this program so meaningful. I’m not only learning from books and in the classroom, but also actively engaging with the real world around me. I hope to develop a more diverse outlook on the world, strengthen my knowledge while also challenging it.

What are you most excited about as you begin your Columbia journey?:
I’m most excited about the people I will meet on my journey. I believe that, no matter the situation, the people you share an experience with are what make it truly meaningful and memorable. I can’t wait to reconnect with the friends I already know, while also meeting all the new friends I haven’t met yet. I can't wait to see where these friendships will take me throughout my journey at Columbia.

What's the best advice you've received and how will you carry that with you throughout your time at Columbia?:
The best advice I’ve received is definitely to follow my heart and do what makes me happy. A lot of people struggle to live for themselves and instead feel pressured to follow societal expectations. For me, I want to make my Columbia journey as special and meaningful as possible. I want to try a wide range of activities, step outside of my comfort zone, push myself to experience as many new things as possible, and, most importantly, keep an open mind.

What's on your NYC bucket list?:

1. Visit every major NYC sports team
2. Run the full length of Manhattan
3. Explore all five boroughs
4. Visit all major NYC museums

What's one thing people are always surprised to learn about you?:
People are often surprised to learn that I’m a pretty spontaneous person. I love traveling, especially to places that aren’t on most people’s lists of destinations. Earlier this summer, I traveled to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, two places that many of my friends had never even considered visiting. I love visiting unfamiliar places.

Tell us something you're passionate about or your proudest accomplishment:
One of my proudest accomplishments was making a documentary about the Jewish refugees who fled to Shanghai during World War II. It was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. While making the documentary, I had the opportunity to interview a refugee named Paul Schreier, and we developed a close relationship. He is now 99 years old, and getting to know his story not only as a refugee but also as a person really impacted me. Hearing his experiences and getting to know him personally taught me a lot about the connections we can form as human beings and the power of preserving people’s stories.