Alexandra Yung

Current Company & Role

Account Manager at Pinterest

Post-CBS Goals in Your Organization

Industry Lead

Prior to starting, what were you expecting the program to be like? How was it different than your expectations?

To be completely honest, I pictured people in the program to be highly competitive and intimidating. Fortunately, that was not the case. In fact, our cohort has been nothing short of a supportive and welcoming family.  

Why did you choose Columbia Business School? Or, what does a Columbia MBA degree mean to you?

Obviously, Columbia is an Ivy League institution. As a result, I knew that I would receive a solid business education with a premier-quality experience given its access to renowned educators and dynamic classmates. Furthermore, it helps that I could couple my business school experience with New York City in my backyard.

How have your classmates helped you balance work/life/family responsibilities?

We all have full-time jobs, some of us have family duties and even babies. Classmates have been empathetic and huge support throughout the experience. Super thankful for having my Learning Team, who carried me through the core courses. I absolutely adore them!

Which faculty members(s) influenced you the most, and how?

Professor Paul Ingram’s Leadership and Organizational Change class resonated with me. In fact, I carry my Values Card with me everywhere and utilize it when I need to make decisions, not only from a career perspective but also in life.

What has been your most memorable experience at Columbia Business School so far?

There are too many to consider! However, I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful gatherings that our clusters organized online and offline! Other events include celebrating classmates’ birthdays, engagements, and cross-cluster networking dinners.

Can you describe a time when you learned something in the curriculum and applied it immediately to your work environment?

I learned to develop a growth mindset, which helped elevate how I approach everything. In addition, Managerial Negotiations also helped me when I was negotiating an offer for a new career role.   

Can you describe the EMBA community and why it is special?

We all signed up for a journey knowing it would not be easy. We initially started the program via a virtual platform. Despite that, we still managed to offer our complete contribution in class as well as make ourselves available for each other for Zoom happy hours. In my opinion, that was a testament to our resilience and genuine rapport with each other. 

What advice would you give to a new student coming into the EMBA program at Columbia Business School?

Grades are important but make sure to spend time to personally know your classmates and you will find that you end up with some of the most enduring and priceless friendships of your life. 

How will you apply your learnings to a post-COVID world?

There is a myriad of learnings that I will use to apply to the Post-COVID world. First, I would take my improved understanding of finance and be more strategic in my investments. Second, I would think about how we need to have safeguards in place in case of the unexpected. Last, I would take my learnings about collaboration from class and attempt to become a better manager in all of my endeavors.

Have you taken advantage of any of our Centers or Programs; such as Chazen, Samberg, or Lang? If so, what was your experience like?

I appreciate the Lang Center’s communications and offerings about events and resources surrounding entrepreneurship. I haven’t utilized Samberg or Chazen, which I should, and thankfully I still have two terms left to do so!