Jeffrey Zhang Email & Phone Number

I switched majors three times—pre-med, business, and finally, computer science. I switched schools three times. It took me five years to graduate. And even after graduation, I jumped between jobs, from Microsoft to Oracle to American Express, trying to find where I fit.But looking back, I wouldn’t change any of it.Each twist and turn taught me something new. I picked up skills in marketing, product, sales, and even tried my hand at being a creator. I made YouTube videos, TikToks, and even became a life coach for a little while. I’ve always chased what interests me, even when it didn’t make perfect sense at the time.A lot of this was possible because I’ve been lucky. I went to Cornell. I had incredible mentors, friends, and professors. I worked at amazing companies and, most importantly, I had a supportive family who gave me the freedom to explore without the weight of traditional responsibilities.But part of the reason I bounced around so much was because I lacked direction. I didn’t have that one person guiding me, nudging me to stay the course, or showing me the bigger picture. And I realize now how much that kind of mentorship could have shaped things differently.That’s why Pegasus means so much to me.Pegasus is a project I’m building to provide the mentorship I wish I had growing up. I want to help students—especially those who feel lost or unsure—find their path, develop their passions, and have someone in their corner.I’m also working on SpeakUp Ventures, an accelerator focused on helping AAPI students learn entrepreneurship. This project came from a deeply personal place. During COVID, when violence against Asians surged, I felt helpless. I live in NYC, and every news story made me think—what if that had been my mom or little sister? I started SpeakUp Ventures because I believe entrepreneurship can teach young people to create change, speak up, and build solutions to the problems they care about.At the end of the day, everything I do comes back to this: I want to help people, especially those who feel helpless and alone—just like I did.

Listed skills include Leadership, Event Planning, Writing, Management, and 8 others.