True Interest Connect-a-thon
Goal: This monthly event series is designed to provide space for college students to explore “true interests” for potential academic and career directions. (We’ve experienced how challenging it can be to navigate one's career or academic path, so we hope to offer some care and support.)
What is “True Interest”?: We define it as the genuine desire to do something—not because of external rules, trends, or opinions, but because it authentically resonates with you.
Format: Online, 20-minute, one-on-one “speed-dating-style” office hours with mentors from diverse fields. You’ll have the opportunity to reflect on what excites you and gain insight into their journeys.
No need to worry about silence or awkward moments 🫠 (we’ve got this!). Before the event, you’ll complete a quick 3-minute survey about your interests so we can match you with a mentor and help spark a fun conversation!
Rules: Be respectful, stay curious, and pass along the joy and energy (that’s why we called it “Connect-a-thon”).
*Voluntarily organized by a group of professors and researchers with coffee and care.
This Month’s Mentors
Dr. Yipu (Alison) Zheng 💻 🧠 🤖
Alison focuses on AI for learning and has earned global awards for her work. Before finding her “true interest” path, she backpacked across Europe, brought Nobel Prize winners to local communities to inspire creativity, and learned how to make the world’s farthest-flying paper planes from the Guinness World Record holder.
Dr. Elliot Hu-Au 🥽 🎮 🕹️
Elliot focuses on virtual reality and game design and has created well-loved immersive experiences that enhance learning. Before finding his “true interest” path, he majored in astrophysics with the goal of uncovering the secrets of the universe and co-founded a charter school.
Dr. Nicola Law ✍ 💡🧐
Nicola focuses on UX research and has contributed to design work at leading technology companies including Google, Meta, Twitch, Uber, and Rivian. Before finding her “true interest” path, Nicola was a documentary filmmaker, a cellist (still is), and a devoted collector of stationery (still is today!).