Ascend Metro NY - Student Officers Appreciation Dinner

On May 1st, 2015, Ascend New York Metro Chapter hosted a Student Officers Appreciation Dinner sponsored by Deloitte US ("Deloitte”). More than 20 students officers from six student chapters and professionals joined us to celebrate the achievements and contributions the students have made to New York Metro.

During the Student Officers Appreciation Dinner, Christine Park, the executive board member of Ascend’s New York Metro chapter expressed her sincere appreciation for student officers’ remarkable contribution on helping members build crucial soft skills that are valued by future employers. She encouraged students to maintain the relationships within Ascend and remain involved in the Ascend community following graduation and transition into their careers. Esther Jeong, the Executive Vice President, Diane Mei, VP of Student Affairs and Charles Lin, VP of Communications gave their special thanks to and networked with student officers over dinner.

Ascend, a highly recognized not-for-profit professional organization, has experienced tremendous growth in student membership. Many students felt that Ascend has provided them opportunities to grow and shine as well as access to resources of career-related knowledge and advices. The success of Ascend was only made possible through student contributions across the New York Metro chapters and with the ongoing support of our members. We cannot stress enough how valuable every student’s participation means to us. Let us take this chance to congratulate the students who recently graduated or will be graduating. We look forward to seeing everyone in the Ascend professional network and continue to be part of the community.

Special thanks to Deloitte for the sponsorship and all Ascend professionals and students who assisted to make the event successful.

Please see below a few snapshots from the event.  

- All New Kindle Fire HD sponsored by Ascend NY Metro Chapter
- $150 American Express gift card sponsored by KPMG
- $100 American Express gift card sponsored by PWC
- $100 American Express gift card sponsored by Deloitte
- $50 American Express gift card sponsored by Ascend Metro NY
- $99 new Fitbit Flex Wireless Wristband sponsored by Diana Solash (EY)
- $35 Google Chromecast sponsored by Ascend Metro NY
- One hour of Karaoke sponsored by Maru Karaoke Lounge
- Tickets for 2 to the American Museum of Natural History and Moody's Goodies sponsored by Esther Jeong (Moody’s)
- Tickets for 2 & a VIP Animal Experience at the Central Park Zoo sponsored by Wildlife Conservation Society
- Tickets for 2 to the Central Park Zoo sponsored by Wildlife Conservation Society
- EY Goodie Bag sponsored by EY
- Beauty Products Goodie Bag sponsored by Victoria Lee (Estee Lauder, Global Travel & Meeting Services Associate)

We would like to thank the event committee, membership committee, and volunteers for organizing and helping with the event. We would also like to thank KPMG, PWC, Deloitte, EY, Moody’s, Wildlife Conservation Society, Estee Lauder and Maru Karaoke Lounge for contributing to the raffle prizes.

We look forward to seeing you at future events!

Total attendees: 35 (including 2 from Microsoft)

Participant quotes:

• Judging by the turnout and the quality of professionals in attendance I can definitely see why registration was filled within the first hour. I learned a lot about the vision Microsoft has for the future in regards to BI and Data Visualization and it served to reignite my passion for data analysis.
  
  
• Thanks for inviting/organizing. It was an awesome event last night, taking a tour in the office of Microsoft, experiencing their cutting-edge technology, and networking with great crowd.
  
  
• I had a wonderful time learning about the devices and business intelligence Microsoft has to offer as well as being able to network with peers within the financial services industry. Thank you for organizing this event!
  
  
• Congratulations! Excellent evening! I hope NY Chapter will keep this energy and momentum building.

Below are some of the testimonials from the event:

• Judging by the turnout and the quality of professionals in attendance I can definitely see why registration was filled within the first hour. I learned a lot about the vision Microsoft has for the future in regards to BI and Data Visualization and it served to reignite my passion for data analysis.
  
  
• Thanks for inviting/organizing. It was an awesome event last night, taking a tour in the office of Microsoft, experiencing their cutting-edge technology, and networking with great crowd.
  

• I had a wonderful time learning about the devices and business intelligence Microsoft has to offer as well as being able to network with peers within the financial services industry. Thank you for organizing this event!
  
  
• Congratulations! Excellent evening! I hope NY Chapter will keep this energy and momentum building.

The presenter, Lisa Ortiz is a senior campus recruiter with PwC. Prior to her role with campus recruiting, she was a client facing professional in PwC's assurance and tax practices. Lisa shared on how to power up your professional presence in order to stand out. She said, "Your resume and credential can only go so far. Companies are also looking for a personality "fit.” You need to make sure the vibe you're putting out is true to who you are.” In a recent survey of 2000 bosses, one out of every three bosses claimed that they knew within the first 90 seconds of an interview whether they would hire someone. Having a powerful professional presence is critical to stand out within the crowd.

The afternoon concluded on a sense of anticipation and excitement for the upcoming Networking Etiquette Workshop and Speed Networking event on Saturday, April 5^th, 2014. We are very grateful to Lisa Ortiz, PwC Campus Recruiter, for a lively and engaging presentation, PwC for being a gracious host and a supportive partner, and the volunteers for their invaluable assistance.

Ascend New York Metro Student Mentoring Program offers one-on-one mentoring, a relationship where the mentors help the mentees see beyond their own perspectives and develop successful strategies in their professional or personal lives. Mentors may share personal experiences and insights that add perspective. They may ask powerful questions to open up possibilities and challenge your thinking.

If you have any questions about the Student Mentoring program or becoming a mentor, please contact Ascend New York Metro at ascendnymstudentmentoring@gmail.com.

About Ascend

Ascend is the largest, non-profit Pan-Asian organization for business professionals in North America. Established in 2005, Ascend has grown to serve professionals and corporations across various professions and across multiple industries.

Ascend reaches 60,000 people with 28 student chapters and 17 professional chapters located in both the United States and Canada around major business hubs and educational institutions. In addition, The National Association of Asian MBAs (NAAMBA), Ascend's national organization, offers robust professional development and career enhancement programs designed to cultivate Pan-Asian talent. We are a 501(c) non-profit organization.

At Deloitte's global headquarter at 30 Rockefeller Center, Nitish Idnani, Deloitte Principal, and Julie Abramson, Deloitte Campus Recruiting Specialist, kicked-off the event with an informative networking workshop drawn from their own personal experiences and stories. Nitish said, "Networking does not come naturally to most people, including him. To be more comfortable and skilled at networking, you must put yourself out there and network!” During the workshop, they shared networking tips that were practical and actionable. Some of the tips were:

1. Avoid being a wallflower: Say hello to those who you know, but make it a point to spend most of your time meeting new people and making new contacts.

2. Give confident introductions: Be brave, most people will appreciate that you've taken the initiative to speak to them. Being confident is the best way to make a great first impression. People like to do business with confident people.

3. Know whom to approach: Pay constant attention to others' body language and facial expression to determine how long to stay. End the conversation with a polite exit and exchange contact information for follow-up.

The afternoon concluded with a speed networking session, where students translated the interactive presentation into immediate practice. We are very grateful to Nitish, Julie, and Danny Wang, Deloitte Senior Manager, for their practical and actionable networking tips, Deloitte for being a gracious host and a supportive partner, and the volunteers for their invaluable assistance.

About Ascend

Ascend is the largest, non-profit Pan-Asian organization for business professionals in North America. Established in 2005, Ascend has grown to serve professionals and corporations across various professions and across multiple industries.

Ascend reaches 60,000 people with 28 student chapters and 17 professional chapters located in both the United States and Canada around major business hubs and educational institutions. In addition, The National Association of Asian MBAs (NAAMBA), Ascend's national organization, offers robust professional development and career enhancement programs designed to cultivate Pan-Asian talent. We are a 501(c) non-profit organization.

Ascend NY Metro: Executive Women's Panel Discussion: "The Club” - A Myth or A Must?

Ascend NY Metro hosted an Executive Women's Panel Discussion on March 19, 2014 at the New York Life Auditorium (51 Madison Ave) in which there were over 150 attendees. The discussion examined the workplace phenomenon called "The Club” – is it a myth or a must? (A club can be a nonprofit, a corporation or a group that shares common interests or it can be an elite group at the work place which can also be referred to as the "boys club”). The concept of a club is not something one would learn in college or business school but rather observed and experienced in the workplace. Senior executives offered their advice on how to break through and what you can do to further your career today. The Panel was moderated by Janet Wong,Ascend National Advisor and Retired Partner at KPMG.The panelists were:

• Helen Wan Associate General Counsel at Time Inc. and author of the novel,"The Partner Track”
• Sunny Sun Managing Director of Global Client Management, BNY Mellon
• Melissa Kuan Managing Director, New York Life Investments
• Farhad Zaman, Partner, Transaction Services, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Janet opened up the discussion by presenting a variety of questions to the panel. Some believed that belonging in a "club” certainly helped with advancing one's career, whether it be for networking purposes or gaining a supportive environment. Others believed that taking the time to develop broad relationships is just as important as joining a club. The discussion evolved to characteristics of the "club” such as its culture, diversity and purpose. Lastly, Farhad gave the audience a tip that he calls "SET” (S is to identify your sponsor, E is to engage in different opportunities (i.e. happy hour or alumni gathering) and T is to trust your own instinct and be yourself).

This panel discussion is a part of Ascend's Executive Insight for Women (EIW) program. EIW is an Ascend National developed program that helps mid-level Pan-Asian female mangers address common challenges as they rise within their respective organizations in corporate America. Developed by Pan-Asian female executives based on contemporary issues raised during focus groups conducted in 2013, EIW provides both conceptual frameworks and pragmatic, actionable advice on addressing issues with a deep understanding of the influence from Pan-Asian cultural values. There will be two upcoming sessions in April and May. Stay tuned for more details!

Thank you to all the volunteers for their considerable efforts to make this event a success!

ASCEND officers introduced themselves and their organization, as well as provided a recap of the 2013 events. Additionally, the attendees had a chance to win raffle prizes:

- All New Kindle Paperwhite sponsored by Ascend Metro NY

- Apple TV sponsored by EY

- $100 American Express gift card sponsored by KPMG

- $100 American Express gift card sponsored by PwC

- $60 Spice Symphony gift card sponsored by Spice Symphony

- $25 American Express gift card sponsored by Ascend Metro NY

- 4 Barclays Duffle Goodie bags sponsored by Barclays

All of the proceeds from the raffle sales went to the Typhoon Haiyan relief operations of CARE.org. As promised Ascend NY Metro has already made a $1,000 donation to this cause. If you would like to make a donation, please visit: http://www.crowdrise.com/AscendHaiyan/fundraiser/ascendnewyorkmetro

We would like to thank the event committee, membership committee, and volunteers for organizing and helping at such a great event. We would also like to thank the sponsors for contributing to the raffle prizes.

We look forward to seeing you at future events!

The event was first started off with some industry background on how Asian professionals are performing in the U.S.; what are the challenges that Asian are experiencing in climbing the corporate ladder; and why there are not much Asian executives in Corporate America. Furthermore, the panelists shared the difficulties Asians are facing when getting sponsorships, and compared the difference between sponsorship and mentorship. Sponsorship means the sponsor is willing to give his / her political capital to support you, but mentors could be your colleagues, seniors, or anyone in the industry telling you what to do. Lastly, the panelists recommended the attendees to start thinking about what is meant to become an executive or partner; and what are the things that we might have to do in order to become director or partner. For example, you have to consistently deliver quality work, and build a strong personal branding.

Lastly, we would also like to thank PwC for the contribution and collaboration for this co-sponsored panel discussion. We would also like to thank Esther Jung, and all the volunteers in making this panel discussion a great success.

Thought of the day: "The large extent of success is from planning, thinking, and aspiration. Give passion on excelling the work you perform. Be the best that you can in the field. Don’t forget to recognize the work you perform, and learn how you could do better. And the last thing is don’t always forget to seek for opportunities!”

Please see below for a few pictures from the event:

After the opening remarks by Andrew, students in groups of no more than four had the chance to candidly ask professionals for career advice. There were three thirty-minute sessions, where students had the opportunity to speak with a different mentor at each session. Students were encouraged to drive the conversations within the groups, for a more enriched experience.

To cap off the event, students and mentors had the opportunity to network with one another, over lunch. Overall, about 20 mentors and 80 students were in attendance at this year’s New York Metro Ascend Mentoring Circle. Students from Baruch College, Fordham University, Pace University, and St. John’s University (along with students from other schools), were joined by mentors at this event. The mentors ranged from Associates to Partners, representing various firms such as BBVA Corporate & Investment Bank, Swiss Re, Deloitte, PwC, EY and KPMG.

Below are some pictures from the event:

The group discussed the challenges and nuances of effective communication across different generations (i.e. Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y). When different generations work together, they often collide as they have different values, ideas and ways of communicating in the work place. No matter what "generation” one belongs to, we need to get to know other people, like colleagues or clients, and find out their preference and style of communication, upon which after that we can shift our own communication style to increase the effectiveness of communication. Getting to know other people’s preference and communication style may be time consuming, but the effectiveness of communication will be increased, so it is worthy to spend time on that.

After the workshop, there was a happy hour and social event in which the presenter and attendees were able to network with one another and share their thoughts about the workshop.

We would like to thank BNY Mellon for their contribution and collaboration for this workshop. We would also like to thank all the volunteers in helping make this workshop a success.

Please see below some pictures from the workshop.

Metro New York – Ascend Metro NY 8th AnnualPicnic

On a beautiful sunny Saturday on September 14^th, 2013, Ascend NY Metro held the 8^th annual picnic at Central Park. As a traditional event of Ascend NY Metro, the annual picnic provides a valuable opportunity for professional, student members and guests to network with people in a casual and relaxes setting.

This year’s event had a great turn out. About 185 Ascend members and guests attended the event. Everyone was able to catch up with old friends and make new ones. Attendees enjoyed the lovely weather, delicious food, and even live jazz from street artists. The 5 hour elapsed so fast that most attendees stayed until the end of the event.

During thepicnic, four gift cards were given away through a raffle drawing. Danny Wang from Deloitte & Touche LLP was invited to draw the lucky tickets. Congratulations to the winners!

Big thanks to planning team and volunteers for pulling off such a great event!

Please see below for some pictures from the event. We hope to see you next year!

Inaugural Professional Mentoring Program Kick-Off & Speed Networking Event

On July 25^th 2013, the Ascend Professional Metro NY Chapter successfully hosted 16 seasoned professionals, and 16 up-and-coming next generation professionals for the kick-off of the inaugural professional mentoring program, and rapid rounds of speed networking.

The Professional Mentoring Program is modeled after, and inspired by the success of the Ascend Student Mentoring Program. Both programs focus on one-on-one mentoring and building relationships that are mutually beneficial. The mentors hail from the Big Four firms, bulge bracket financial companies, and well established consulting firms, with an average experience of more than 15 years.

At the kick-off event, Stanley Woo, a mentor, a KPMG Partner, and a NY Metro Chapter board member, addressed the group on his perspectives on how he thought that the Mentorship Program could be a mutually beneficial to both mentors and mentees.

Irene Chan, the Vice President of Events at Ascend NY Metro Chapter, and the founder of both mentoring programs, gave a quick presentation on the goals, expectations, and her vision for the professional mentoring program. She also shared the mentee selection process.

Diana Solash, Executive Director at EY and ex-president of the Ascend NY Metro chapter, encouraged all mentees to be prepared when they meet with mentors in the future; set the agenda and even attended Ascend events together. Diana also shared 5 tips about mentorship:

1. Build and invest in relationship building

2. State your ambition & understand what it takes to get promoted

3. Take a lunch break and get to know the people around you

4. Do not be afraid of promoting yourself

5. Do not be afraid of taking risk

The highlight of the evening was the speed networking. At ten minutes per round, each mentee moved around the room until they had spent some time with each mentor. This quick interaction allowed the mentors and mentees to rank one another to help facilitate the final pairing.

Cecilia Wang, one of the rising professional mentees also shared her view on what she would like to achieve from this event:

"I am looking forward to the invaluable opportunity to network with the executives who are kind and generous in sharing their career path and life stories. All those advices have been inspiring and energizing for my early career. I hope to build a long lasting relationship with the mentors and hopefully give back to this community one day.”

Jenny Guan, shares her experience with the program:

"I have attended the Ascend professional mentoring program since last year. This program has been a great experience to me. My mentor has provided me with guidance on my developmental areas and helped me to set up plans to move toward my career goals. I encourage my peers to apply for this program or find a mentor at work to guide them through career paths. When I first applied to the Ascend Professional Mentoring Program, I had the expectations of finding a mentor who was knowledgeable, had the experience in mentee’s respects and could support the growth and development of the mentee. I have benefited more than what I have expected from this program. I am looking forward to another great mentoring year.”

The evening concluded on a sense of anticipation and excitement for new meaningful relationships. We are grateful for all the mentors for their commitment to this program, KPMG for being a gracious host, and the volunteers for their invaluable assistance.

An interactive workshop followed the panel discussions and participants were divided into separate break-out groups. The mentors shared their personal career stories and participants had the opportunity to have a more focused discussion with mentors.

A reception was held after the workshop. Participants enjoyed refreshments and had an excellent opportunity to network with fellow professionals.

The event was a success and Ascend received several positive feedbacks from participants:

"Ascend and New York Life really did a wonderful job putting together a program that incorporates very distinguished panelists of Asian descent, intimate networking with the mentors at the table, and free-form networking with almost 180 professionals! The event allowed me to learn valuable lessons from senior-level panelists to my peers. Each person I talked to had their own unique experience and advice to share to build up my career building tool kit!” – Linda Tan, New York Life

"The Ascend event at the New York Life building delivered the ideal mix between learning and networking. The panelists were excellent in sharing their valuable experiences and practical advice on stage. The Q&A and the break-out sessions were perfect for the audiences to have a more intimate dialog with seasoned professionals. Overall, i think the event was a huge success and i look forward to the next one.” – Kevin Wu, New York Life

"With respect to the Ascend Leadership Conference, I am glad that I attended it. Much of what the moderator and panelists shared resonated with me. A few things which I took away from the conference included the following: (a) don’t strive for perfection. Rather, adapt and change, (b) speak up accordingly, (c) take risks. Discover your passion; (d) define what success means to you.” – Nina M. Baynosa, New York Life

Special thanks to New York Life Insurance Company for hosting this event and thank you to Daniel Kim for the pictures.

Ascend Metro NY - Student Officer Luncheon, Student Mentoring Program Kick-off, Professional

Panel Discussion and Networking Session

On June 8^th 2013, Ascend Metro NY hosted a half day event sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP ("PwC”), which included a Student Officer Luncheon, a Student Mentoring Program Kick-off, a Professional Panel Discussion, and a Networking Session at PwC. Over 100 professionals and students from the Ascend Metro NY Chapter attended this half day of events.

During the Student Officer Luncheon, the executive board members of Ascend’s student Chapters shared their accomplishments during the 2012-2013 academic year and also shared their plan for the upcoming semester. Three officers were from Baruch College, Fordham University, Rutgers Newark, Rutgers New Brunswick, and Queens. The Ascend Metro NY Co-Vice Presidents of Student Affair, Andrew Mahahir, presented the Certification of Appreciation and gifts to the student officers, all attendees enjoyed food and the opportunity to network with each other.

After the Luncheon, student mentees and professional mentors who participated in the Ascend Student Mentoring Program met with each other for the Student Mentoring Program Kick-off. The Student Mentoring Program was founded in 2008 to strengthen students’ abilities to market themselves and develop their soft skills to prepare for their career development. Students were required to go through a Mock Interview Event on April 6, 2013 before being selected into the program; they were chosen based on their qualifications and accomplishments.

The Mentoring Program kick-off event was followed by the Professional Panel Discussion which featured the following professionals:

Andrew Mahabir, Senior Consultant, Deloitte & Touche, LLP

Danny Wang, Audit Senior Manager, Deloitte & Touche, LLP

Hong Li, Manager, Ernst & Young, LLP

Winnie Mui, Audit Analyst, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.

Esther Jung, Associate, PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP

Diane Mei, Staff, Ernst & Young, LLP

Andrew Mahabir, the Ascend Metro NY Co-Vice President of Student Affairs and Senior Consultant at Deloitte & Touche, LLP, moderated the panel discussion. The panelists discussed various topics such as career development, mentoring tips, and shared their personal experiences. The panel also included senior and young professionals from the Ascend Student Mentoring Program, who shared their experiences being a part of the program. The panel discussion was followed by a Q&A session between panelists and attendees. The panelists got to share their point of views on school-to-career transition, how to make the most from an internship program, and various interviewing tips.

A special thanks to PwC for sponsoring and hosting the half-day events.

We also would like to thank everyone that assisted in organizing the events and all the volunteers.

Below are a few pictures from the event.

On April 20^th 2013, Ascend New York Metro Chapter, New Jersey and Connecticut/Westchester chapters held its 2^nd regional Inspiring Across Generation (IAG) conference at one of New York City’s iconic location, the Yankee Stadium. The theme for this year’s conference was Leadership in a Global Economy: Create, Connect and Collaborate. The goal of this event was to bring opportunities for dedicated individuals to network, build mentorship and develop essential skills for their future career. Over 700 professionals and students attended the event. Event sessions began with Executive Insight Series and Corporate Executive Initiative Seminar in the morning, followed by special guest presentations, panel discussions, mentoring circles, career fair and concluded with a merry networking reception. Along with 2009 World Series Champion, Hideki Matsui, over sixty business leaders joined the conference. The career Fair, partnered with Chinese American Insurance Association, was also held throughout the conference day. Over twenty sponsors were present.

The event was a great success and Ascend has received positive feedbacks from many participants.

"For all the sessions with various senior level speakers, they were really inspiring for young / early professionals like us. It is most useful and helpful in a way for us to set a correct attitude toward whatever work and jobs we are now with and give us some thoughts about how to manage our own career under post 2008 crisis. Mentor/mentee session was another highlight of the day. The set up enabled everyone to speak at the table. Mentors were extremely welcoming, nice and opened to share their point of views. However, the mentee set-up was a bit random as I found many fresh undergrads mixed with early professionals which made conversations jump around topics as those two groups had different focus for their stages. The end of day reception was definitely a great way of ending the day, for both organizer and participants. After talking to some of the participants, I feel Ascend is pretty successful in attracting college students as their network opportunities."

By Jiamin Yuan IAG professional participant

I’ve been a member of Ascend for a few years now and been proactively seeking for opportunities in participating professional events. When my company Ernst & Young offered the chance to sponsor me to attend the Inspiring Across Generations (IAG) event held in Yankee Stadium, I was very excited as this will be my first opportunity to attend such an iconic professional networking event in such an iconic location.

The event was well organized. There were knowledgeable volunteers working every spot in the event making sure it goes smoothly. The setting was very nice. Offering tea, coffee and snacks was very considerate. All sessions were timed appropriately.

The topics were relevant, especially to most of us who work in the complex global environment. We are all busy at our day-to-day assignments and head down to reach our daily achievements. Sometimes it’s easy to forget to take a step back and zoom out to assess long-terms goals and efforts. IAG offered such a privilege to hear from so many senior management personnel on how they made it to the leadership positions. So many valuable career lessons were shared in the panel discussions and networking events. I especially appreciate the opportunity to meet with so many professional women who are ambitious and goal-orientated.

I know I will take home with encouragements, power and thoughts. I will be better prepared for any challenges on the way.

By Christina Wang, IAG professional participant

It was my first time of attending the ASCEND event, which turned out a great experience to me. First of all, the event was excellently organized; a lot of leaders in the professional business world were invited and attended the events, such as Jim Turley, Global Chairman and CEO, Ernst & Young, Wei Sun Christianson, Co-CEO Asia Pacific & CEO China, Morgan Stanley; Greg Fleming, President, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. It showed ASCEND’s strong connections and networks in the business industry. Secondly, the event provided great opportunities for professionals and students to interact with those global leaders. Audiences can post or text questions to an electronic platform and their questions were answered by the global leaders right away. Thirdly, it was also great chance for students and professional to network. For example, I met couple of manager and senior managers from my company, Ernst & Young. It’s nice for me to catch up with them in the events. Overall, the IAG event fulfilled its mission and provided great opportunities for Pan-Asians in the United States to network.

By Jacky Li, IAG professional participant

IAG Conference is one of the best experiences I could ask for in joining Ascend. This event gave me the platform to connect with inspirational individuals I would have never met otherwise. It’s simply amazing to speak to and share experiences with this diverse population ranging from business executives to student leaders. Each person I met and many personal stories they shared have motivated me. These individuals took personal success to a whole new level by creating a community to lift young people like myself and providing guidance and supports along the way. And Yankee stadium is the best place to make all this happen.

By Ying Zhu, IAG student volunteer

We hope everyone enjoyed the IAG conference and truly had some insightful takeaways from the event. Ascend IAG committee would like to thank all sponsors, speakers, mentors, and everyone that attended the event. It was also a valuable experience for the IAG committee to organize this event for Asian professionals and students. We look forward to seeing you all in future Ascend events.

Below are some pictures from the event:

On April 6, 2013, Ascend Metro NY hosted a mock interview session for the student members of Ascendto select mentees into theFY2013-2014 Student Mentoring Program*. 68 students participated in this session and over 40 experienced professionals volunteered to be interviewers. Upon completion, in addition to having the opportunity to be selected into the student mentoring program, students were able to practice their existing skills in a comfortable environment and gain valuable interview skills.

A special thank you to PwC for sponsoring and hosting the event and to the professionals for offering their time to interview.

We also would like to thank everyone who has assisted in organizing the event.

*Ascend Student Mentoring Program is an annual 12-month program to strengthen college students’ (mentees) soft skills and better prepare them for their career development. Our program focuses on 1-to-1 mentoring with mentors who are mainly accounting and finance professionals with numerous years of working experiences.

On a sunny Saturday afternoon on March 9, 2013, Ascend NY Metro held a session on Selling & Client Relationships through its Executive Insight Series ("EIS”) program.

The EIS program helps prepare high potential Pan-Asian managers and young executives for high-impact roles in major U.S. corporations. Participants gain valuable insights into leadership, critical decision-making, and successful career paths.

The Selling & Client Relationships module focused on the value of sales, whether it be pitching a proposal to a client, presenting one’s self for an upcoming promotion or seeking job opportunities. There were more than twenty participants across all levels, from junior to executive positions within major corporations, with varied backgrounds. Wes Hom and Janet Wong, both well seasoned in their professions, brought alive their teachings with enthusiasm. The participants were engaging and involved in the discussions. Sharing each other’s professional experiences brought to light new perspectives and useful advice when it comes to navigating through the selling process.

The module was a success in that the participants were able to garner insight into the selling space that can lead to long term, sustainable success. Wes and Janet provided tips and advice that were both motivating and inspiring.

Ascend NY Metro will be delivering modules of the EIS program in the next few months. Please stay tuned for more details!

Thank you to all the participants, volunteers and instructors for making this program a success!

In between reviews,there was a panel discussion about effective resume writing. The panelists, Ying Zhou, Luwei Ding, and Niyati Shah along with moderator Andrew Mahabir,shared their thoughtful insights and experiences on their own resumes and work experiences. During this discussion, students also had a chance to have their questions answered by the panelists or other professionals.

After the resume workshop, there was a networking event at Park Avenue Tavern where Ascend members enjoyed food and drinks.

A big THANK YOU to the professional members that volunteered their time to provide constructive feedback to the students as well as the Event Committee members and all volunteers who that helped put this event together.

Below are a few pictures from the workshop.

ASCEND NY Metro and the NY Metro Chapter of AREAA* (Asian Real Estate Association of America) hosted a joint holiday celebration and networking event on Monday, December 10, 2012 at Providence, Triumph Room. The attendees had an opportunity to mingle with friends and fellow members from their respective organizations and learn about the other’s organization.

This event turned out to be a huge success with over 200 attendees, including students and professionals from both organizations.

Both ASCEND and AREAA officers introduced themselves and their organization, as well as provided a recap of the 2012 events and discussed the upcoming 2013 events. Irene Chan, Andrew Mahabir, Leo Yuan, Niyati Shah, and Serena Wong introduced themselves from ASCEND and Andrew Pak and Arthur Hung introduced themselves from AREAA.

A Thank You to the sponsorship from Langdon Title Agency, LLC, we raffled off an Ipad Mini during this event.

We would like to thank the event committee, membership committee, and volunteers for organizing and helping at such a great event. We look forward to seeing you at future events!

* The Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) is a nonprofit professional trade organization dedicated to promoting sustainable homeownership opportunities in Asian American communities. AREAA's membership represents a broad array of real estate, mortgage and housing-related professionals that serve the diverse Asian American market.

On December 1st, 2012, Ascend’s Baruch chapter hosted a volunteer event from 10AM to 1PM at Riverside Park Conservancy’s "Green Street Island” located on 139th street in Manhattan to help with the park’s cleanup and preservation.

Riverside Park Conservancy nurtures Riverside Park’s well-being, helps preserve its historic nature and leads the community in developing active stewardship. Founded in 1986 by a small group of community activists, today Riverside park Fund is a strong nonprofit partner with both the City and the community in conserving, improving, and beautifying Riverside Park’s 330 acres.

During the community service event, volunteers helped with the cleanup of tree debris and leaves that was caused by Hurricane Sandy. In addition, members helped spread mulch on the grass and trees throughout the park’s "Green Street Island” to help the soil retain its moisture and nutrition throughout the winter season.

Despite the cold and windy weather, and having to wake up early on a Saturday morning, the community service event resulted in much success with over 25 Ascend members from Baruch College and Hunter College attending and helping out. The positive outcome of this event has resulted in potential plans for volunteering again during the spring season!

The night kicked off with Deloitte Senior Manager, Danny Wang, introducing the first speaker of the event, Rajiv Basu, Deloitte Lead Audit Partner. Mr. Basu shared his experiences as a professional moving through the ranks of Deloitte and setting the stage for the main portion of the seminar by questioning the audience as to why they believe there are few Asians within the C-Suite of corporate America

Finally, Mr. Hom emphasized professional Asians need to maintain a balance of Asian qualities and new behavior and skills. Mr. Hom's presentation discussed the challenges Asian Americans face in entering the C-Suites of corporate America and focused on these 6 specific skills individuals must possess to rise to prominent leadership positions:

· Communication skills

· Leadership and collaborative skills

· Adaptability and learning

· Differentiated thinking- Making yourself unique and being creative

· Strategic and Holistic thinking

· Taking risk with integrity

Mr. Hom stressed the importance of differentiated thinking and being creative as the most important skill to achieve positions in the "C-Suite”. Presenters offered advice on topics such as finding a mentor and networking effectively. Both presenters were well-received by the audience as they shared stories about their own careers as an Asian.

We interviewed the participants on that day and below are one of the responses:

"Ascend's LEAD Seminar discussing the "Myths of Asian Leadership" brought to light issues that I was not keenly aware of before the November 27^th event. As only a first-year at Deloitte's audit practice, I never thought much about the leadership positions at my own firm or corporate America in general and the individuals who fill these prestigious roles. Listening to both presenters discussed the obstacles Asians face in moving up the corporate ladder, I realized that I had to be more aware of how I presented myself to my colleagues and to begin developing the leadership skills which Mr. Hom's was emphasizing throughout his presentation. Although it is early in my professional career, I have to learn to go beyond my cultural upbringing and move outside of my comfort zone in order to further develop my career.”

Overall, the workshop was insightful and interactive. Ascend professionals were able to ask questions during the session. Luckily, members were able to walk away with a newfound understanding of how to effectively develop skills to become more competitive.

We would like to thank the event committee, membership committees, and volunteers for organizing and helping at such a great event.