Student Spotlight: Alexander Yu (MUP 2025)
Student Spotlight: Alexander Yu (MUP 2025), Pan Asian Student Alliance co-chair
Can you share a bit about yourself and what inspired you to attend a school of public service?
After graduating college in 2020 from NYU, my first full time job was an AmeriCorps VISTA position in Buffalo where I worked on capacity building at a non-profit community development financial institution (CDFI) and interacted with numerous small businesses. The organization later hired me full-time at their New York City office, but one of the problems that came up repeatedly with clients was the problem of marketing and attracting customers/foot traffic. This got me thinking about what could help these small businesses draw more business at a basic level. And after thinking back to an Urban Politics class I took during my undergraduate degree— talking to both working planners and planning students and conducting my own research—I was attracted to the field of urban planning and public service to address this issue. I was fascinated by the ethos of the field that holistically utilizes land use, sustainable transportation, and economic development to encourage walkable neighborhoods that bolster vibrant communities and therefore small businesses that heavily rely on foot traffic. And although my academic and professional interests have evolved since, this is still the root of my interest in coming to Wagner and a school of public service.
Is there any skill or lesson that you learned in the past that has contributed to your success here at Wagner?
Going back to both my educational background in economics and my past career in small business development, these experiences trained me to have an open mind when looking at the world. For economics, it helped me frame a multitude of different topics in creative ways and use the logic behind economics like the concept of incentives to focus on root causes of issues. With my job, working with clients trained me in interacting with people from all walks of life and putting myself in their shoes. These mindsets have followed me to my coursework and my internships while at Wagner, and assisted me in instilling creativity and methodical practices with my work.
What does it mean to you to be a co-chair of PASA?
My Asian American and specifically Chinese American background has always been important to me, so what drew me first and foremost to PASA was the chance to embrace this heritage by creating community and opportunities for AAPI students and a wider Wagner audience. Therefore, I am grateful for the chance to work with my fantastic e-board members on different events fostering this sense of belonging and the discovery and promotion of Asian American culture in NYC.
What kind of programming does PASA offer? How can other students get involved?
We do a wide range of programming from social events like our annual Spring Festival fair, career events, walking tours, and volunteering events related to the AAPI experience. If you are interested in getting involved, please follow us on our Instagram page and keep reading the IDBEA newsletter, other Wagner newsletters, and the Wagner events page to stay updated on our little community! We're also recruiting for our e-board, so watch out for that announcement very soon!