ALUM SPOTLIGHTS
BRIAN KIM-KOUTSIS
Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company
Applied Economics & Management, 2025
How has your CUABS experience shaped your time and journey at Cornell?
“CUABS completely transformed my Cornell experience. It gave me the confidence to pursue goals I didn’t know I was capable of. Going through new member education and our professional development series lit a fire in me—I walked away knowing that if I put in the work, I could do anything.
But even more than the professional growth, CUABS gave me the kind of friendships that cracked open my world. Upperclassmen who became mentors, best friends, and big siblings introduced me to opportunities, people, and communities that shaped every corner of my Cornell journey. I genuinely don’t know what my time on the hill would have looked like without this family—it changed my trajectory in ways I’m grateful for every day.”
What was a standout moment you shared with close CUABS friends?
“Lucas Maley and I graduated early and spent 3 months backpacking through Asia together. From near-death hiking experiences in South Korea, to flying through the sky with a massive fan on our backs in Laos (paramotoring, highly recommend), to snorkeling with millions of rainbow fish surrounding us in the Philippines, it was the most bonding and transformative experience I have ever had. What was originally a sophomore spring, down-bad, mid-banking recruiting, far-fetched fantasy, turned into a more incredible reality than we could have imagined. CUABS gave me my best friend and the best memories of my life.”
CUABS IS FAMILY.
EMILY HONG
Investment Banking Analyst at Allen & Company
What’s your favorite CUABS memory?
“My favorite CUABS memories have probably been the progression of banquets — from the one my class (Fall ’21) planned all the way to the ones where my class started to say goodbye (not CY though stay strong <3). As I think back on my four years of membership in CUABS, so much has evolved, but at each semester’s banquet, I am reminded of the love and true sense of family in this perfect organization.”
What is CUABS to you?
“The first club I joined at Cornell University was the Cornell Undergraduate Asia Business Society (CUABS), and it was my first community on campus. As someone who has moved repeatedly throughout my adolescence, I was always looking to find a place to call home — and for me, CUABS became that. While my family was back in Shanghai, I met upperclassmen who took me under their wing. Very early in my academic career, I was able to find strong role models who inspired me to take on new challenges at Cornell after seeing their personal and professional accomplishments. Their presence dismantled quiet limitations I had placed on myself. Now as a senior, I am confident CUABS will always be a constant in my life — a community beyond graduation and a home at Cornell that I can always come home to — and I hope to serve as a role model to those who follow.”
…A COMMUNITY BEYOND GRADUATION