President

Originally from Guangzhou, China, Zixi studied Actuarial Science-Finance at University of Connecticut (‘24) where he was also the President of their Actuarial Society. Prior to joining Columbia, Zixi gained his professional experience as a valuation actuary at Voya Financial, a New York-based financial, retirement, investment, and insurance company. To add to his impressive resume, Zixi has already completed SEVEN SOA exams. Now you know who to reach out to with SOA exam questions!

As the ASCU President, Zixi is in charge of proposing initiatives, coordinating member correspondence about upcoming events, and serving as the primary point of contact for external collaborations.

Outside of his role, Zixi enjoys singing, traveling, gaming, and exploring trendy restaurants. One may also say that he is a mille crepe cake and mochi connoisseur! We are more than delighted to have him joining our team and looking forward to seeing his leadership in action this year!

Vice President

Hailing from Lucknow, India, Yash completed his undergraduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at VIT Vellore (‘24) and had a professional experience as a research intern prior to joining Columbia.

Throughout this year, Yash will be collaborating with the President to execute initiatives, supporting the Social Chair on event logistics, becoming another major driver to bring us forward.

As of April 2025, Yash also assumes the role of Vice President at Indian Student Association at Columbia (ISAC).

Outside of ASCU, he likes to spend his free time playing guitar and hitting the gym. His favorite dining spots in the city include Beast & Butterflies in Midtown to wind down and Community Food and Juice for near-campus treats. We are thrilled to have his enthusiasm and determination on board this year!

Secretary

Growing up in Francistown, Botswana, Khanyisile is a Michigan State University alum (‘24) where she majored in Actuarial Science with a minor in Risk Management and Insurance. With experience as an Accounting and Finance Assistant for her alma mater, she is sure to bring a keen eye for organization and detail to our team.

For her role as Secretary, Khanyisile records meeting minutes, harmonizes communication between the board and members, and handles administrative essentials.

For this upcoming season, she is all about fall vibes! She plans to enjoy pumpkin spice lattes, watch Gilmore Girls, and bring her fall fashion forward. Outside classes, you can catch her working at Plowshares Coffee Roasters, grabbing a pasta at Max Soha, or enjoying the peaceful Union Theological Seminary on campus. Moreover, Khanyisile is also a slam poet and once backpacked through Costa Rica for three weeks!

Treasurer

Pearika flew from Mumbai, India where, there, she also completed her undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (‘22). Prior to joining Columbia, she dived into entrepreneurship as the founder of an event management company, gained experience as an investment analyst at a fintech startup, served vice president of the book club, and was a vice captain of the study council. Needless to say, she was awarded as Miss Versatile in her previous program.

Outside the class, she loves people-watching in a park, joining trivia nights every Wednesday at Amity Hall, and exploring places wherever our Social Chair recommends. And did you know that she was trained in theater for two years and a professional dancer for more than ten years where she was placed third in a regional competition. You better not steal her moves!

Social Chair and Public Relations

The last ‘A’ is silent, but he is NOT! Philip will be serving as Social Chair this year. Born in Bangkok, Thailand, but Philip is no stranger to New York, having earned his degree in Real Estate with a minor in Mathematics from New York University (‘23). His professional work experience spans from Lambent Services, a New York-based executive talent agency, to his role as an analyst at Snowden Lane Partners, a nationwide Registered Investment Advisory firm. He also completed an internship at DAOL Securities, a multinational financial securities firm, and even has a published academic article on urban environmental laws related to The Little Island project.

As Social Chair, Philip will be responsible for not just keeping our community connected, but also organizing and documenting events, managing and creating contents on our Instagram and other social media platforms, which frankly, including writing this bio of himself by himself.

Outside of Columbia, Philip enjoys taking pictures on his film cameras, flanuering and biking around the city, visiting galleries and museums, and trying new restaurants with his friends. His current favorite food spots include pastor tacos at Taqueria Ramirez, pasta lunch at Anton’s, and fun dinner at Kiki’s. He is sure to bring vibrancy as being the social façade of the Club, and we are very pleased to have him (of course, I’m pleased to be here)!