Barnard College Barnard College

Barnard Ambassador Program

Launched in Fall 2022, the Barnard Ambassador Program connects alums at select companies to one another and to the student community through the leadership and facilitation of an alum ambassador at the institution. Barnard has a strong presence at a wide variety of organizations. Now, when recent graduates are hired at select firms where Barnard is well-represented, they have an in-built network of individuals with whom to connect. Company Ambassadors also serve as organization representatives at panels and events throughout the year to share their experiences with current students. 

Read more about the program below! Questions can be directed to beyondbarnard@barnard.edu.

 

Meet the 2024-2025 Alum Ambassadors

Company Ambassadors

  • Nilam Patel ‘16, Accenture, Strategy & Consulting Manager
  • Alexandra Gluckman ‘20, Goldman Sachs, Private Equity Analyst
  • Jaclyn Loo ‘05, Google, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Global Devices and Services
  • Kelsey Price '08, Google, Spanish and Latin American Studies
  • Hawa Tunkara ‘21, J.P Morgan, CIB Analyst

Read more about the 2024-2025 Alum Ambassadors

Nilam Patel ‘16, Chemistry

Accenture, Strategy & Consulting Manager

Nilam is a life science-focused consultant with a focus on disruptive technologies and innovation in R&D, healthcare, and Medtech.

Alexandra Gluckman ‘20, English Major, Philosophy and Economics Minors

Goldman Sachs, Goldman Sachs, Associate, Private Equity Investing

Alexandra Gluckman graduated from Barnard with a B.A. in English and minors in Economics and Philosophy, cum laude. At Barnard, Alex was a Senior Interviewer, Athena Leadership Scholar, and Peer Tutor. Inspired by her Renaissance literature studies at Barnard, Alex went on to attend the University of Oxford, where she completed an MSt in English (1550-1700). Currently, Alex is a Private Equity Associate at Goldman Sachs in the External Investing Group (“XIG”), where she has worked since graduating from Oxford. Within XIG, Alex is on the investment team for Petershill Strategies, Goldman Sachs' dedicated General Partner (“GP”) stakes strategy that seeks to partner with leading alternatives firms through GP stakes in established platforms or cornerstone investments in early-stage managers. In addition to her work at Goldman, Alex is a board member for the Hackley Alumni Association, a committee member for the UJA-Federation of New York’s Young Wall Street and Third Generation Holocaust Survivor communities, and a company ambassador and young alumnae committee member for Barnard. Alex lives in New York City and in her free time enjoys exploring museums and bookstores.

Jaclyn Loo ‘05, Political Economy

Google, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Global Devices and Services

Jaclyn Loo is an experienced digital marketer known for connecting untapped consumer insights to new business opportunities. Jackie is currently a senior global product marketer at Google, where she helps guide Pixel portfolio product initiatives from initial positioning through launch, lifecycle management/growth and long-term strategy. Known for her endless positivity and inclusive leadership style, Jackie also has extensive experience in ads marketing and industry thought leadership on behalf of the Google Travel team. Before joining Google in 2011, Jackie held roles in product management, business development and sales.

Kelsey Price ‘08, Spanish and Latin American Studies

Google, Senior Head of Business Strategy & Intelligence - YouTube Brand Connect

Kelsey Price has spent over 15 years working at the intersection of tech, media, and strategy. She joined Google in 2011 to help build out the first multicultural sales and marketing practice, where she and her team supported Fortune 500 advertisers in delivering more inclusive digital advertising. She later joined YouTube BrandConnect, Google’s influencer marketing platform, to start and run their Business Strategy and Intelligence practice. Before joining Google, Kelsey worked at McKinsey & Company as a Business Analyst and served as a Fulbright Scholar to Spain. She holds a BA from Barnard College of Columbia University in Latin American Cultures with a Biology Minor, and also holds an MBA from Wharton. She currently resides in New York City, and she is actively involved in the Alumni Association of Barnard College (AABC), where she serves as the Chair of the Professional Leadership and Development Council. 

Hawa Tunkara ‘21, Economics

J.P Morgan Chase, Financial Products Content Associate

Hawa is an ambitious and determined professional with an interest in economics and finance. Currently serving as an Associate within the digital financial tools division at JP Morgan Chase, Hawa plays a pivotal role in driving financial product solutions and digital content for students.

Seeing Possibilities Begins With Representation, and Finding Belonging Begins with Community

The Barnard Alumnae Ambassador Program capitalizes on the strong desire of our alum community to contribute to a lifelong network of resources, support, talent, collaborators, and mentorship for each other and current students. At Beyond Barnard, we believe that if you can actively see and project yourself into a role and gain insight into best practices for getting there, your confidence in navigating that journey blossoms. Additionally, research and experience has shown us that school and workplace retention and success begins with finding community in new spaces, and this program seeks to create those connections as our graduates traverse the next stage of their academic and professional lives.  There are a variety of ways that our ambassadors build community which have included:

Graduate/Professional School Alumnae Ambassador Cohorts

Small groups of five students are paired with an alum currently studying law, medicine, clinical psychology or public health at the graduate level to have three group mentoring meetings over the academic year to discuss their experience applying to and navigating their graduate program from the viewpoint of someone currently living the experience.

Fireside Chats

Fireside chats with Barnard alumnae typically include a panel, open Q&A, and networking. They provide a chance to learn about the wide range of opportunities their industries have to offer. Alumnae share their unique career pathways to their current roles and lessons learned along the way, the value of both quantitative and qualitative skill in industry and room for both STEM and humanities majors to thrive, and the importance of hiring candidates with a variety of academic and personal backgrounds. Alums have also discussed recruiting insights and best practices to help candidates navigate the process confidently. 

Skills-based Workshops

These education sessions led by alums focus on helping the student and alumnae community build skills relevant to their job searches and professional and financial wellness. Examples of past sessions including using LinkedIn to navigate an uncertain job market and financial literacy sessions.

Alumnae Chats

Larger groups of alumnae come together to have small group information meetings and Q& A with students to discuss their professional paths, current roles, and provide tips and advice as only an industry insider can. Students can meet with one alum or engage in a round robin style afternoon of meetings depending on interest. 

Welcome Emails to Graduates

Ambassadors send email welcomes to members of the most recent class of Barnard graduates who are joining their company or school with encouragement to reach out with questions, to get together for coffee, or for help connecting with other Barnard alums at the institution.