Risa Yokoyama
Pre-MS Job Title and Company:
Marketing Intern at Fosun International
Post-CBS Goals:
Product Marketing Manager or any marketing role with a touch of creativity
CBS Activities or Clubs:
Peer advisor, Events Representative, Management Consulting Association, Greater China Society, Wine Society, Dean’s Advisory Board
Favorite NYC Activities:
Love the little jazz bar “Saint Tuesday”
Fun Fact about yourself:
I’m getting my AOW scuba diving license in Hawaii soon!
What drew you to pursue a Master of Science degree at Columbia Business School?
Coming to Columbia Business School right after college, I knew I was drawn to creative marketing, but I also understood the importance of analytical rigor that could ground my creativity. The MSM program became the perfect place to explore that balance. Its wide range of strategy and data-driven courses not only challenged me but also clarified what I truly wanted to pursue.
I remember in my application to Columbia Business School, I wrote: “I don’t want to be just another cog in the machine. I want to be capable and creative enough to catalyze profound transformations in the world.” This mantra is exactly what drew me to Columbia Business School—where I had the chance to hear and interact with some of the brightest minds in the world, to immerse myself in a city as diverse and limitless as New York, and to utilize powerful resources to strengthen my mind with knowledge and my soul with vision, preparing me for my bright future.
Which courses or professors have had the biggest impact on your learning so far?
If I had to choose the most memorable professor at Columbia Business School, it would be Prof. Marco Viola. I still remember walking into Marketing Consulting Skills during the first weeks of school and being hit with the incredibly vibrant energy he brings into the classroom. Prof. Viola doesn’t just teach the material; he cares about whether it genuinely changes us—how we think, how we communicate, and how we show up in the world. And somehow, in those few hours each week, you actually feel yourself getting better. The class was intense in the best way: weekly group assignments, constant presentations, and no hiding in the back row. It pushed me far outside my comfort zone, gradually becoming a stronger, more confident communicator. And the classmates I worked with in that course have become some of my closest friends at Columbia Business School—friendships built under pressure, but kept by choice. I am very grateful!
Have you taken electives outside your core MS program? If so, what stood out?
I loved the course “Media Marketing and Entrepreneurship” with Prof. Sharad Devarajan. Even though it was a block week course—an intensive, full-day week of learning—every minute was genuinely captivating and fun. I didn’t even need to take unnecessary bathroom breaks at all. The course explored the business of TV and streaming: how the industry is evolving, where we are needed, and how emerging technologies like AI and the Metaverse reshape entertainment. I’ve always been fascinated by film and media, and I originally worried that business school might pull me away from that world. But instead, Prof. Devarajan—who created the Indian Spider-Man, now joining the Marvel universe—shared the unfiltered realities of the industry and invited incredible guest speakers, including the former CEO of HBO. This experience definitely reignited my passion for entertainment and perhaps working in that industry.
What’s been the most valuable insight or skill you’ve gained from learning at Columbia Business School?
I’ve come to the realization that growth happens at the intersection of discomfort and possibility. Columbia Business School constantly puts you in situations where you’re a little stretched—whether it’s presenting in front of your peers, tackling a consulting-style case you’ve never seen before, or working with classmates whose backgrounds and ways of thinking are completely different from your own. Through that, I learned not just technical skills like data analysis or marketing strategy, but something far more important: how to adapt, collaborate, and communicate with confidence even when the path feels uncertain. Columbia Business School taught me that being uncomfortable isn’t a sign you’re unprepared—it’s a sign you’re evolving. And that mindset has become the most powerful skill I’ll carry with me into every role I take on next.
What have been some of the most valuable relationships or connections you’ve built through this program?
One of the most rewarding experiences of my time at Columbia Business School was joining the Peer Advisor program at the start of my second year. We were the very first cohort of Peer Advisors for the MS program, something many of us had advocated for the year before, so there was a real sense of ownership and excitement from day one. I initially joined because I wanted to feel more rooted in the community before graduating, and to support incoming students in the way I wished someone had supported me. What I didn’t expect was how transformative it would be. I found myself connecting with students from backgrounds wildly different from my own—people I likely never gotten close to otherwise. It can be easy for East Asian students to naturally form comfort groups because it feels like home. But spending full days mentoring, laughing, and working with students I had never spoken to before opened up an entirely new sense of belonging and shared purpose.
How has access to Columbia Business School’s resources and alumni network shaped your professional opportunities or mentorship experiences?
Columbia Business School offers a constant stream of career panels, industry talks, and required workshops throughout the year, which really shaped the way I approached my job search. When I was exploring different roles, I simply emailed the Career Center with the type of job and the geographic areas I was considering, and within days they sent me a curated list of alumni I could reach out to. It was such a simple gesture, but it opened up an entire network of people who were willing to share advice, offer perspective, and even connect me further.
What would you tell a prospective student about managing the fast-paced structure of the MS program? Any application tips you would like to share?
The MS program moves quickly—faster than you think it will—so the biggest advice I’d give is to be intentional from day one. Classes, recruiting, group projects, and social events often overlap, and it’s easy to get swept up in everything at once. People who thrive are the ones who learn to prioritize early, ask for help when they need it, and give themselves permission to say no sometimes. For the application process, my biggest tip is to be unmistakably you. The MS program is small, and what admissions looks for isn’t perfection—it’s clarity. Be clear about why you want this degree, what excites you intellectually, and who you hope to become by the end of it. But don’t worry if you don’t have everything “figured out” yet. Most of us didn’t. What matters is curiosity, openness, and the willingness to push yourself—because once the program begins, it moves fast, but it also transforms you just as quickly.
What has been the most rewarding part of your MS journey so far?
The most rewarding part of my MS journey has been the sense of community I built, often in the moments I didn’t expect. Whether it was late-night group project sessions that turned into real friendships, conversing with MBA and PhD candidates which led to an invitation to work on their research project, or having professors who genuinely cared about our growth, the relationships I formed have shaped my experience more than anything else. The MS program is demanding, but it’s the people you go through it with and the ways you grow together that make it truly meaningful.
Post-MS career interests?
I’m considering either staying in New York or going to Hong Kong to work as a product marketing manager—or in any role that sits at the intersection of data, creativity, and strategy, particularly within tech, entertainment, or other consumer-facing industries.