Building a career support network around the world

Meet career advisor and seasoned Meliora Collective mentor Bonnie Liu ’13S (MBA)

Tell us about your time as a student.

Life as an MBA student was busy but rewarding. I enjoyed the knowledge I gained from all my courses and getting to know my classmates. I was the vice president of Simon Asian Club (SAC), and I will never forget our trip to Japan in 2012, especially my memory of watching the fireworks together to ring in the first day of 2013. My other favorite memory was being the 2nd year student coach to 1st year students, that experience really helped build my confidence and was part of the reason that I was offered a job at the Jay Benet Career Management Center (CMC) at Simon and decided to switch my career path to international education.

How did your experience at the University of Rochester influence your life?

I came to Rochester hoping to jumpstart my career in finance but life at Simon gave me more than I expected. I made many great friends, got to explore different places, and even changed my career. I always remember the day when I went to the CMC to report my job offer, and then left the office with a new offer from Simon, asking if I would be interested in joining the CMC team to help with students’ career development. I made the choice to switch my career and I would not have begun my career in international education if I did not have the opportunities I did at Simon. This year I am celebrating 10 years since graduating from Simon and 10 years in education. I could not have imagined any of this happening 12 years ago when I was first applying for Simon.

What inspired you to get involved and volunteer?

I benefitted greatly from all that Simon had to offer and the encouragement they give to students to try out different things. As an alum, I feel responsible, and I am happy to bring my knowledge and expertise to contribute to the wider University community. I am the member of Simon China Advisory Committee and in our meetings I get the opportunity to learn what’s new at the University and exchange ideas with my peers. I also joined The Meliora Collective Mentorship Program at its very inception and have had 1-2 mentees in each session since. The mentorship program is a great platform where I can connect with current students, learn what’s going on with them, and share my experiences and insights with them. Career coaching is my job, and I am happy to give back this way and help students with their career development.

What’s the most rewarding part of staying connected with your alma mater?

The most rewarding part is seeing the continued development of the University. By joining committee meetings and talking to students, I can continue bringing value to my alma mater.

What are you looking forward to next?

I look forward to our next committee meeting to learn what’s new at the University, as well as the upcoming fall session of the mentorship program to meet my future mentees.

What advice do you have for others looking to get involved?

Follow the news from the University and attend an alumni event if you can, we have a really powerful alumni network. Also, sign up to be a mentor!

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I can’t believe my time as a student in Rochester was already 12 years ago, and my class is celebrating our 10th reunion this year. I hope to visit Rochester in the near future!