Pomp Quiz

We put 10 graduates on the spot at Commencement to get their last words on leaving the College

Bindu Bansinath

Major: English

What’s next: “I’m going to do an M.F.A. in fiction at Columbia.”

The CC Takeaway: “I learned to question everything and to humble yourself. Every day was a challenge and a reward.”

Kaitlin Hickey

Major: French and Francophone Studies, and History

What’s next: “I’m doing a Fulbright in Paris, teaching English.”

The CC Takeaway: “Columbia taught me how to think critically, and I want to use that to become the best version of myself as a global citizen.”

Connor Yockus

Major: Dance, with a Special Concentration in Business Management

What’s next: “I’m working in tech after graduation and I hope, long term, in arts administration and arts management.”

The CC Takeaway: “Letting my interests and passions lead where they lead me — not having a linear path set out, just following what my heart desires in the moment.

Xiomara Bovell

Major: Comparative Literature and Society, with a Special Concentration in Business Management

What’s next: “I’m going to work at Facebook in San Francisco.”

The CC takeaway: “The breadth of learning. I’ve taken a class in pretty much every department, so trying different ways of thinking and writing and applying those learnings to life.”

Tanveer Singh

Major: Financial Economics and Political Science

What’s next: “I’ll be consulting at McKinsey.”

The CC takeaway: “The diversity of the people I met, how people expressed their beliefs and learned to synthesize that with the things they’ve learned here, and also tried to open up their identity to others — that was powerful for me. I visited the homes and cultures of a lot of people on campus through events and through multicultural organizations. Being part of that community gave me a global perspective on issues, and I hope to keep that in mind as I move into my career.”

Christin Hong

Major: Biochemistry

What’s next: “Medical school at Robert Wood Johnson at Rutgers, in New Jersey.”

The CC takeaway: “The friendships, and being able to serve in my community. I was a resident advisor and being able to work with a multitude of people and in such different ways — not only to organize events, but also to just be there and develop camaraderie on my floor — that felt like the biggest skill and experience.”

Gurnoor Tucker

Major: Financial Economics and History

What’s next: “I’ll be working in finance and infrastructure investing at Macquarie Infrastructure.”

The CC takeaway: “Learning how to work hard and working under pressure, but also thinking at a higher level. The Core Curriculum does an excellent job exposing you to some of the most eminent texts in Western literature and political philosophy, and it contextualized a lot of the beliefs that I had in politics and society. I’m looking forward to taking that into the real world and bringing a sharp mind to the workplace and wherever I go after that.”

Natasha Urbany

Major: Political Science

What’s next: “I’ll be moving back to D.C. to work as a consultant for Deloitte.”

The CC takeaway: “The people and the way in which my professors, the Core, everything about New York City, all pushed me to try something different every semester — to take a different kind of class, take a semester abroad, try sustainable development. It’s all going to push me to move forward!”

Liam McDermott

Major: Environmental Biology

What’s next: “I want to mainly travel.”

The CC Takeaway: “A more in-depth perspective on social issues and ways to approach social issues in the world using my education. I would like to try to use an interdisciplinary approach to help people and the environment at the same time.”

Kristine Dunn