Meet one of our new recruits from the Fall ‘19 recruitment cycle!
Originally from Cypress, California, first-year Biochemistry and Applied Math double major Eleanor Pae is a force to be reckoned with. Though it is only her first quarter at UCLA, she is already very involved on campus as a Junior Consultant for 180DC, a Digital Media Team member for Total Wellness, and a Cell Team member in the Biomedical Engineering Society. In the past, Eleanor interned at the City of Cypress Public Works department as a research and engineering intern, working with civil and environmental engineers to input data and conduct field work.
Q: Why did you join 180DC, and how did you hear about it?
I joined 180DC because I have always been interested in business and have learned about different fields through high school business classes. During Week 0, I mentioned my interests in business, biotech, and entrepreneurship to some upperclassmen, and they recommended that I join a consulting club. Since I have a wide variety of interests in many different industries, I thought consulting was a great career path to explore. I was drawn to 180DC’s emphasis on social impact consulting because I enjoy contributing to the community and have previously been involved with nonprofits. Joining 180DC at the beginning of freshman year was one of my best decisions and I’m grateful to have found an organization that supports my professional and personal goals.
Q: What is the most valuable thing you've learned throughout your time at 180DC?
I learned invaluable soft skills like teamwork and problem solving. While I’ve also learned a lot of professional skills through 180DC like resume building and casing, I think it’s especially important to learn how to adapt and be flexible when dealing with projects. Working together with a team on a certain project to reach an end goal helped me realize how important it is to be able to communicate and tackle obstacles as a group.
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time, I really enjoy playing with my dog Almond (who I miss) and going to the beach with my friends! I’ve always loved spending time with animals whether it be volunteering at the animal shelter or spending quality nap time with my dog because of the comfort and love they bring. I also love the water and spending time at the beach whether it’s swimming in the ocean, playing games, having bonfires, or exploring the pier. It’s a very calming place to go to with so many things to do because you can never run out of activities at the beach.
Q: Give us a travel recommendation.
I really enjoyed my trips to Hawaii and South Korea! The beaches in Hawaii are different from the ones in SoCal because the water is clearer and the sand is slightly rocky. I would recommend trying new adventurous activities like ziplining and parasailing because they were extremely fun, even for someone who doesn’t do well with heights. I enjoyed my trip to Korea because I was able to connect with my heritage and culture, visit many tourist attractions, and buy clothes for really cheap! Going with friends to Seoul is fun because the nightlife is vibrant and there are always many activities to do. Korea also has a lot of cute animal cafes and going to the sheep cafe was definitely one of the highlights of my trip.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In ten years, hopefully I will have gained experience working in consulting and biotech to be able to enact change in the healthcare field. I hope I will have worked at firms and in industry to help develop and work at a biotech start-up company because I want to incorporate my skills in business and healthcare.