Mentorship | First New York In-Person Career Development Workshop Successfully Held
Apr 14, 2026 · 1 view
When you are just starting out in your career and facing uncertainty about which direction to take, having the guidance of an experienced mentor can often help you avoid unnecessary detours.
Guided by the traditional Chinese wisdom that “among any three people walking together, there is always something to learn from one of them,” the “Mentorship” Program Team of the RUC North America Alumni Association brought its first in-person career development workshop to Manhattan on April 12, 2026.
Under the theme “Exploring and Co-Creating Career Paths,” the workshop brought together current students, early-career professionals, and experienced practitioners for an in-depth exchange on career development.
Breaking Through: From Broader Trends to a Personal Career Profile
Unlike a traditional lecture, the workshop adopted an interactive approach combining coaching and group discussion, encouraging participants to challenge assumptions and expand their perspectives.
Against the backdrop of rapid changes brought about by AI, participants first examined the U.S. employment landscape and explored the opportunities and challenges facing international students and young professionals seeking to build their careers in the United States.
The workshop then moved into its core co-creation session. Participants engaged in an in-depth process of self-reflection, examining their core capabilities and motivations while considering market opportunities and potential action plans.
Through a structured process of developing their personal career profiles, participants gradually transformed initially vague ideas about their professional futures into three concrete and viable career paths.
With feedback from fellow participants and guidance from mentors, each participant sought to view their own strengths and possibilities from different perspectives, distinguish signal from noise, and refine a career path best suited to their individual circumstances.
Passing on Experience: Connections Create Value, Time Drives Dreams
“Time is a tool to drive your dream. The more connections, the more wealth.”
This career insight, shared by veteran professional Alan Yang, who spent more than a decade at GE, resonated strongly with participants during the sharing session.
Drawing on more than 30 years of professional experience in the United States, Alan encouraged younger alumni to recognize that wealth and opportunity come not only from individual effort, but also from building broad and meaningful connections with others.
Beyond these memorable insights, Alan also shared a practical reading list, recommending three classic books spanning business and psychology:
The Science of Scaling
Business Secrets from the Bible
How to Win Friends and Influence People
He encouraged the younger generation to broaden their knowledge and perspectives while building resilient and meaningful professional networks.
Co-Creation: Growing Through Continued Support
Career development is, at its core, a process of discovering both oneself and the world.
The successful workshop was made possible through the careful preparation of the RUC North America Alumni Association and the generous support of PICO Clinics, which provided the venue and event gifts.
As a bridge between campus and the workplace, the “Mentorship” Program seeks to go beyond one-time exchanges of experience. Its goal is to provide sustained, meaningful support and connection throughout alumni’s professional journeys.
Looking ahead, the program will expand the frequency of its activities and deepen the focus of its programming, bringing the spirit of passing knowledge and experience from one generation to the next to more RUC alumni in the United States.
May every alumnus navigating the challenges and possibilities of the workplace find greater clarity, direction, and confidence through the wisdom and support of the community.
Hosted by
RUC North America Alumni Association
Mentorship Program Team
Venue Sponsor
