Hello there! I'm Rachel Zhang, Career Coach for international students. I am passionate about supporting you, whether your next journey leads you to a job, graduate school, or any other path you decide to pursue. As a proud member of the Direct Service Team, I'm on a mission to link you up with the fantastic tools and resources that can supercharge your career development. You can count on me for personalized 1:1 advising and exciting programming. Together, we'll navigate the pathways to your dreams and aspirations, making sure you have all the support you need.
My Advice to Students: I know this might sound cliché, but go into the career that you are passionate about. I LOVE talking with students and getting to know them. I LOVE seeing their happy faces leaving my appointments and feeling confident about their next action steps. I get excited every day because I don’t know what adventure I will have today and that’s what gets me to campus at 7:45 in the morning(I’m not kidding, you can go look for my car in the parking structure). Exploration is a part of the journey. It took me a while to realize this is the job that I wanted to be in. Take some time to think about what you want(not what I think, what your professor thinks or anyone else thinks) for your future. I will be here to support you and connect you to tools/resources every step of the way.
Education Experience
M.A. in Higher Education, Student Access and Success, University of Michigan
B.A. in Communication and Education, Community and Organization(ECO), University of Washington
Favorite Experience: During my junior year, I was at a deciding point where I could either double major in education or not. I felt so confused about what I could do with my degree in communication and education. I started to talk to my academic advisor. I was in his office every day at 8 a.m. sharp. He was so supportive and connected me to professionals and professors who have similar interests to ask for their advice. That’s the moment when I realized I wanted to be someone just like him, which is offering support to students when they need it. So I went to grad school to pursue a degree in higher education and here I am, supporting students and passing on the help I received, creating a cycle of care and empowerment.