define alumni

It’s being there: Janet Phan

“Time is the most precious gift,” said Janet Phan, ’09, ‘13. “Without all of the time and knowledge people have given me, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

“My parents immigrated to the U.S., and I was the first member of my family to go to college. There was so much I didn’t know. I’d never heard of things like career fairs or internships….And now, I want to give back to UW students and the programs I’ve been part of.”

Today, Janet is a successful IT consultant at PwC and a recent grad of Michael G Foster Business School’s Masters of Science in Information Systems program. As a UWAA member, she mentors business school students, members of her UW undergrad sorority, Delta Zeta, and high school students. She is proud to share the things she learned from the UW colleagues who mentored her. One graduate business student in particular reminds Janet of her own experience trying to navigate her career path. “I’m helping guide him through it. It’s important to me for people to find an area they are passionate about.”

It’s how Janet defines being a UW alum—by being there for others the way others were there for her. “I want to share as much as I have learned from people at the UW as I can. That’s why I stay involved.”