Meet Yucheng Pan, a great reason to make the trek to the Quad! As president of the Harvard College in Asia Program (HCAP) and CEO of The Triple Helix (TTH), Yucheng is definitely a Campus Celebrity. Get to know her before she graduates this school year!
House: Currier
Year: 2015
Concentration: Molecular & Cellular Biology, English
Hometown: Deerfield, IL
Describe yourself in three words:
An autumn day
Where do you see yourself in the future?
What really gets me—social and economic inequalities in developing cities. From sanitation in India to health insurance in China, there’s no shortage of significant problems. I hope to tackle these problems from a business perspective, and I would like to learn much as possible in the next few years. After graduating, I have plans to join McKinsey and then to enroll in the deferred program at HBS or Stanford GSB.
As a senior, what advice/tips do you have for Harvard Students?
Like many, when I started college I thought I knew exactly where I was going. That was quickly overturned. The most amazing thing about Harvard is that it opens your eyes to unlimited possibilities—through extracurriculars, summer internships, even dining hall conversations. So when you feel unsettled, be glad. And don’t be afraid to take the plunge and try something new because that’s when you find yourself. Taking the plunge means taking THOUGHTFUL risks, and thoughtful risks come from self-reflection. Only the activities that light up your eyes are worth doing, and anything worth doing is worth doing well.
What’s one thing you still want to do here before you graduate or regret not doing?
I would have really loved to take a creative writing course, especially with such amazing teachers as Amy Hempel and Jamaica Kincaid. I used to love writing, but during college it was important-but-not-urgent, so it came after things that were important-and-urgent and sometimes even unimportant-and-urgent. It’s time to pick up the pen again.
Favorite Harvard memory?
For Halloween sophomore year, my roommate and I found a pair of gigantic pants. We could both fit, with her standing in front of me! To incorporate the pants into a group costume, our blockmates dressed as characters from Winnie the Pooh. I and my roommate were Kanga and Roo. We definitely had to practice walking and dancing. If you had seen us, you’d remember it too!
What are all the things you are involved with on campus?
I am deeply involved with The Triple Helix (TTH), a nonprofit, undergraduate-run forum to discuss the role of science in society. Surprisingly, TTH has taken me beyond campus—our network encompasses universities in five countries. After starting as a writer, I’m now leading efforts to expand online publishing and social media and to increase the interaction amongst members at different universities. I’m committed to TTH’s mission to make science relevant and accessible to everyone. In addition to TTH, I also produced and stage managed for TEATRO!, a Spanish theater group, and worked at the Harvard Crimson.
Explain HCAP in a sentence or two. What’s the best part of being HCAP President to you?
The Harvard College in Asia Program (HCAP) is a 2-part conference and cultural exchange with 8 Asian universities. We explore topics such as civil rights and sustainability from incredibly diverse perspectives. The best part about HCAP is that we bring together amazing and amazingly diverse people here and abroad—all that we have in common is a love for cultural exchange! However, the best part about being HCAP President is working with the incredible board members. They’ve become some of my closest friends and, together, we get to shape the Harvard conference and enable all the memory-making!
Where have you traveled with HCAP? What has been the best experience or trip?
My first trip was the best trip—to Mumbai. I have never see a place so diverse in its people and cultures. The memories play out like a montage: reuniting at the airport, kneeling in a Hindu temple, visiting dye houses in Dharavi, taxiing along Marine Drive at night, eating kulfi and coconut. I loved getting to know my companions from Harvard and St. Xavier’s College.
If you can travel somewhere you’ve never been before, where would it be and why?
My first impulse is to say Italy. It has the trifecta: enthusiastic people, rich art, and superb food. But beyond that, I’ve heard so much about it from an Italian friend. I would like to experience the rhythm of life there—small town life, where you wake up to the neighbor’s rooster and the local market, and a strong cup of coffee awaits the day.
Any plans for Winter Break?
I can’t wait to see my family and high school friends! I CAN wait to get my wisdom teeth pulled, but that’s finally happening as well. Then I’m traveling to Cape Town with two friends for a week, and finally heading back to campus to kickoff the HCAP conference!