Aspire with The Ivy Dream

Elaine Oghoore is a junior at Brown University, where she is pursuing a degree in Business Economics. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, she is passionate about a career in financial services. Before attending Brown, Elaine graduated from The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut. In addition to her academic pursuits, she co-founded Sweet Rush Nigeria, a homemade bakery known for its delicious banana bread. Elaine is committed to combining her entrepreneurial spirit with a strong interest in finance to make an impact in the financial services industry.https://www.theivydream.com/

Jasper Burns is a Stanford Law student and Knight-Hennessy Scholar. He served 8 years in the U.S. Navy, flying EA-18G Growlers, deploying aboard the USS Carl Vinson, and later supporting the intelligence community in D.C. He also served as a White House Social Aide and concluded his Navy career as a Military Fellow at McKinsey & Company. He graduated from Boston University with a double major in Computer Science and Economics, interned at the White House, studied Chinese in Shanghai, and won the largest committee at World Model United Nations in Rome.https://www.theivydream.com/

Michael Lee, member of the AIGAC & an Ivy League-educated Professional American Filmmaker, helps you weave an authentic story that leaves the admissions committee in awe!The Ivy Dream LLC is the only admissions consultancy that refunds 50% to clients if they don’t get in to one of their preferred schools.In this podcast, we humanize Ivy League students for you by sharing their unique journeys and struggles!We hope that this podcast gives you the audacity to fly and to “aspire” to get into a top school.https://www.theivydream.com/

Danielle Mikaelian is a Columbia University graduate with a BA in English Literature. She occupied positions on over ten Columbia executive boards, being named Columbia's 2021 Student of the Year, a King's Crown Leadership and Excellence Award Recipient for Community Building, a Robert Harron Award recipient, an Alumni Prize Finalist, and a member of the National Residence Hall Honorary. Some highlights of Danielle's Columbia experience included serving as Wellness Chair for Columbia's undergraduate and graduate schools, being elected to the board of Columbia's Undergraduate Law Review, overseeing all student publications as Head of Publications for the Activities Board, and acting as President of the Columbia Armenian Society. She also interned at SAGE Publications, a major publishing company, for two summers in a row. Danielle built off her editorial experience at SAGE by becoming Editor-in-Chief of the Columbia Women in Law and Politics Journal and acting as an editor for the Columbia Journal of History and Columbia Journal of Global Health.Danielle Mikaelian is currently in her third year at Harvard Law School. At Harvard Law, she is a Dean's Scholar Prize Recipient and an executive board member of the Harvard Association for Law and Business. Danielle Mikaelian has also worked as a Student Attorney for Harvard's Cyberlaw Clinic, Entrepreneurship Project, and Recording Artists Project. She has served as Co-Managing Editor for the Harvard Journal of Sports and Entertainment Law, a Submissions Editor for the Human Rights Journal, an Editor for the Business Law Review, and an Editor for the International Law Journal. For the past semester, she has been working alongside the Federal Reserve of Boston as a Legal Fellow. Outside of school, Danielle Mikaelian is a published poet who has been named a 2024 Akerman Scholar, a 2024-2025 Ms. JD Fellow, a two time Huys Foundation Scholar, an Armenian Bar Association scholarship recipient, an Arisdine Krikorian scholarship recipient, a WhoWeAre scholarship recipient, an ArmeniansForSuccess scholarship recipient, and a Ms. JD Law Student Limitless Leadership Award recipient. She plans to move to New York after graduating to work in transactional law and is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of law students. Danielle Mikaelian has spoken at schools like Columbia, UCLA, Berkeley, and USC to help provide advice to aspiring law school applicants. https://www.theivydream.com/

Bill De La Rosa is a JD/PhD candidate at Yale Law School and Oxford University, Hurst Horizon Scholar, writer, and public speaker. Raised in South Tucson, Arizona, he became the primary caregiver for his family following his mother’s removal from the United States during his sophomore year of high school. Bill graduated from Bowdoin College Phi Beta Kappa with degrees in Sociology and Latin American Studies, receiving notable awards such as the Dell, Gates Millennium, and Truman Scholarships. He was also named the 2016 national Hispanic Scholar of the Year.As both a Marshall and Clarendon Scholar, Bill completed two master’s degrees at the University of Oxford—one in Migration Studies and another in Criminology and Criminal Justice—and is now pursuing his PhD in Criminology, where he focuses on the human impact of U.S. border security policies. With extensive experience advocating for immigrant rights, Bill continues to advocate for immigrant rights and hopes to inspire others through public service and legal scholarship.https://www.theivydream.com/

Kenzie Elizabeth is a performing artist who is currently earning her MM in Vocal Performance: Musical Theatre at New York University. In 2018, she attended American Musical and Dramatic Academy (LA & NY campus) for a year before transitioning to Western Oregon University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Acting. Her original music has an Alt-Pop feel with similarities to artists such as Sara Bareilles, Regina Spektor, and Fiona Apple. She also takes inspiration from Lizzy McAlpine and WILLOW.She has a 260k+ following on TikTok.IG/TikTok: @kenzieeofficial https://www.theivydream.com/

Lesley Yupa is a first-year student at New York University studying psychology and global public health. Passionate about health and education equity, she hopes to pursue a career within the medical field as a physician.Lesley worked in the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, where she helped verify physicians and practices membership databases and payments throughout the COVID-19 vaccine support program and assisted in the Data Collection for Equity Program. She conducts DNA Nanotechnology research at the NYU Ned Seeman’s Lab and is an active volunteer trainer at Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital. Lesley is also a 2024 Coca-Cola Scholar, Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar, Milken Scholar, and a recipient of the BigFuture Scholarship. In her free time, Lesley enjoys dancing, listening to podcasts, and learning how to rock-climb.  https://www.theivydream.com/

Kuzey Kantarcıoğlu is a first-year student at Stanford University with an interest in computer science and linguistics. Fascinated by the function of language in both humans and computers, he aspires to advance AI language models. Originally from Istanbul, Turkey, he was an international college applicant. Outside of academics, he enjoys learning new languages and playing guitar, drums and trumpet. You can get in touch with him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kkuzey/https://www.theivydream.com/

Born in New Jersey and raised in Mexico and Philadelphia, Ben is a senior at Brown University studying International and Public Affairs and Entrepreneurship. He also serves as a mentor and business advisor to graduate student founders in Harvard Business School's Field X and Field Y courses. Ben has experience building companies, including his own, in industries such as technology, social media, entertainment, and education. He has performed internal risk management consulting for Goldman Sachs in New York City and marketing consulting for Soulsight. Ben is a passionate musician and has experience as a professional singer. Ben is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School’s Summer Venture in Management Program, was a Latitude Fellow at D.E. Shaw & Co., an MLT Career Prep Fellow, a 2021 Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar, and a Bridging the Gap Power Awardee. He also studied at the University of Edinburgh while pursuing his undergraduate degree. In his free time, Ben enjoys traveling, playing tennis, scuba diving, and cooking.https://www.theivydream.com/

Andrew Steen is the Founder of Laptis, a tech-enabled platform that streamlines access to effective substance use treatment. Andrew started Laptis as an extension of his deep desire for public service and social impact after he left the military.Andrew is also a rising fourth-year JD/MBA student at Harvard University and a graduate of Vanderbilt University, where he got his B.A. in Mathematics. Prior to Harvard and Laptis, Andrew was an Army Ranger. https://www.theivydream.com/

Machmud Makhmudov is a JD/MBA candidate at Stanford, Knight-Hennessy Scholar, political organizer, writer, and higher-ed admissions coach. Born in Uzbekistan, he grew up near Atlanta and played baseball at Oberlin College, where he studied Politics and earned both a Truman and Rhodes Scholarship. After reading for an MPhil in Political Theory at Oxford, Machmud worked in speechwriting and on a number of political campaigns, including the Biden 2020 campaign. He also worked at the White House on the COVID Response Team and has recently spent time in corporate law firms as well. Machmud is a proud immigrant who hopes to continue to pursue public service in a variety of capacities throughout his life.https://www.theivydream.com/

Hayley Batson (she/her) is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. She received a BFA in Theatre, studying at The Atlantic Acting School, Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, and Stonestreet Studios as well as minoring in Producing. Hayley is continually pursuing opportunities in the entertainment industry and loves collaborating with other artists whether in front of the camera or behind the scenes.  You can get in touch with her at [email protected]: instagram.com/hayleybatsonhttps://www.theivydream.com/

Subham grew in a small village called Bidhan Nagar in northeastern India – a region graced by the proximity of four nations: Bhutan, Bangladesh, China, and Nepal. This exposure to a myriad of traditions kindled in him an aspiration that transcended the conventional. He received his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur – the oldest IIT, inaugurated in 1951 by Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s inaugural Prime Minister.Subham advanced his educational pursuits with a master’s in Operations Research from Columbia University. He started his professional career at McKinsey & Company, specializing in strategic operations, digital transformations, and advanced analytics. He transitioned to join ConnectWise, a Thoma Bravo portfolio company, where he assumed the role of Strategic Initiatives Manager on the Growth Strategy team. In parallel, Subham co-founded Alokya, a venture that marries functional art with social purpose, partnering with rural South Asian artisans to meticulously craft premium products from sustainable materials.Currently, Subham is pursuing an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania – a strategic step towards realizing his vision as a social entrepreneur and leader. His passion for Alokya is more than a business venture; it's a mission to elevate India’s traditional folk art on a global stage and to weave a fabric of opportunity for millions of underprivileged artisans. His story is one of ambition, bridging worlds, and a relentless pursuit of impact, guided by the rich heritage of his homeland and a visionary outlook for the future.https://www.theivydream.com/

Meet Parizoda Asatilloyeva, a first-year international student majoring in Political Science at Columbia University.“Hailing from a small city in Uzbekistan, my transition to the bustling metropolis of New York has been nothing short of transformative. The rich combination of academic and cultural experiences here has broadened my perspectives in ways I never anticipated. At Columbia, I've had the privilege of connecting with individuals from every corner of the globe. This diversity not only heightened my awareness of personal biases but also fueled a newfound appreciation for my own cultural identity, a unique representation on this cosmopolitan campus.What sets Columbia apart for me is not just its esteemed academic environment but also its unparalleled location. Every glance out of the window reveals towering buildings that seem to house our future selves. This dual essence of education as both an academic and professional journey inspires me daily, creating a unique blend of motivation and opportunity that defines my experience at Columbia University.”Tune in to listen to Parizoda talk about her unique academic and personal journey exclusively from the dorms of Columbia University!https://www.theivydream.com/

Born in Tokyo, Japan and raised in Geneva, Switzerland, John chose to open doors in his career rather than follow his family’s path of becoming a medical doctor. After graduating from Collège du Léman, he went on to read Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge. He began his career in London, UK as a technical business development for a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization in the Pharmaceutical Industry. It was then that his started to recognize his entrepreneurial dreams which led him to transition into investing at a leading Japanese early-stage technology VC fund, The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners.John is a current 2nd year MBA student at Harvard Business School and an aspiring entrepreneur in the Healthcare and Life Sciences field. This podcast session explores John's academic and professional journey, life as an MBA student, as well as specific advice on the admissions process towards an MBA program.https://www.theivydream.com/

“I definitely felt like I wasn’t supposed to be there but I know that a lot of people felt the same way. You just have to trust that people (on the admissions committee) put you there for a reason...”, reflects Madison Halla, while talking about feeling the imposter syndrome.Madison Halla is a current senior studying musical theatre at NYU Steinhardt, class of 2024. She grew up in northern VA. She is passionate about helping others fill in gaps of knowledge that she once had concerning the process so they can audition with more confidence and certainty.Tune in to hear her speak in detail about her application process, the pedagogy at Steinhardt and life at NYU as an artist. Towards the end of the episode, she also performs some songs for our audience in her very remarkable voice.During COVID, she built her social media channels where she has many videos with tips on navigating the musical theatre college audition process. We recommend that you check them out:YouTube: @MadisonHallaInstagram: @madison_hallaTikTok: @madison_halla_https://www.theivydream.com/

“I remember when I landed I was listening  to ‘The Empire State of Mind’, which is the classical New York song and I was in a little bit of shock and I had a little bit of fear and I was so excited, like I had a lot of feelings but I came with an open mind that this could be anything..” reminisces Polina, a New York University undergrad.Polina Tyurikova is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Business Studies. She is from Moscow and attended a private boarding school in Switzerland for 4 years. Upon finishing her degree, she aspires to apply her knowledge of psychology to big corporations as an HR or Marketing Research professional.https://www.theivydream.com/

Born and raised in Aurangabad, India, a city famed for its Taj Mahal replica and mesmerizing caves, Prateek hails from a family of educators. Although he grew up playing multiple sports, a career in sport didn't materialize, leading him to pursue a bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.He began his career at Bain & Company as a management consultant.  After strategizing pro-bono for not-for-profits, he transitioned to The Bridgespan Group to work full time in social impact. Subsequently, he joined the leadership team at Rocket Learning, concentrating on early childhood education in India. He went on to purse his MBA at Harvard Business School to blend his experience as an athlete with a passion for business and impact. Now situated in Denver, he holds the role of Chief Business Analyst at West2East, actively pursuing his vision of promoting universal access to sports for children from an early age.https://www.theivydream.com/

“Anytime I leave the library, in the corridors, in the hallway, I always hear so many languages but I almost never hear English...”, exclaims Valeriya while talking about the support system of international students at Columbia University as they navigate college life together through their shared struggles.In this episode, listen to Valeriya talk about her college applications, getting into her dream school and the turmoil of moving to a different continent at 18.Valeriya is a first year student at Columbia University, majoring in Applied Mathematics. She is from Russia and she graduated with honors from a top math-school in Moscow. She enjoys seeing how math can be applied absolutely everywhere! https://www.theivydream.com/

“During my time at Rosey, I did student campaigns that advocated for the creation of more resources for the student body like new period-product dispensers and I also helped negotiate with the administration to introduce new forms of sex education on campus..”, recounts Ali, a first year Yale undergrad student about his student advocacy projects that helped him stand out to the admissions committee.Tune in to listen to Ali talk about his unique journey in the second episode of Aspire, our higher education podcast.Ali Otuzoglu is an undergraduate student at Yale, interested in policy research and journalism. He writes opinion columns for the Yale Daily News. As an artist, he plays piano and builds ceramic sculptures.https://www.theivydream.com/

“...the reality is that the Harvard classrooms get super emotional. You can’t imagine how many times people cried in the classroom or that I even cried in some of the sessions..” says Arela, a recent graduate of Harvard Business School, in the first episode of Aspire.Tune in to hear Arela talk about her journey in this unfiltered insider account of ‘Life at HBS’!Arela Solis was born in Mexico and grew up in Mexico City and Switzerland. She studied business with a major in Economics at EITAM, Mexico and later pursued an MBA at Harvard Business School. She has been working with startups for the last 9+ years. Post HBS, she joined a Series B food-tech company, Wonder as their Chief of Staff and later led their Field Operations. She has recently shifted to the healthcare sector as the Head of Operations of a pre-seed start-up in Latin America. https://www.theivydream.com/