Impact Report 2025–2026 • 9 Zhiyu Wu High School: Bodine High School (’21) College: Drexel University, B.S. in Business Administration, Marketing with Honors (’25) Job Title/Employer: Marketing Leadership Development Analyst, Restaurant Brands International (Burger King Brand) In what ways did combining your own hard work with ongoing advising or financial support lead to the career you have today? “My determination pushed me to work hard academically, pursue seven internships, build relationships, and step outside my comfort zone. Heights helped me channel that ambition into opportunities. I graduated from Drexel summa cum laude with a 3.91 GPA, received multiple full-time offers, and ultimately joined Restaurant Brands International. Today, I support Burger King’s digital delivery business across more than 7,000 U.S. restaurants and have built a new life in Miami.” Who in the network, including advisors, mentors, and peers, stood by you to build your confidence and help open doors? “A huge shout-out to the many Heights advisors, mentors, staff members, and peers who believed in me throughout my journey. They offered advice, resources, and reassurance that I belonged in spaces that were new to me. I later had the opportunity to give that support back as a Heights Student Engagement Liaison, mentoring 70 first-generation and low-income students. That full-circle experience showed me the importance of opening doors for those coming after you.” What tools or resources from the Heights ecosystem helped translate your personal grit and drive into early success? “As a first-generation college student, I always had the ambition to push beyond what was familiar, but I did not always have a roadmap. Heights gave me mentors, career resources, financial support, and most importantly, a community that believed in me. During college, I pursued seven internships across multiple cities and industries, which ultimately helped me earn multiple full-time offers. I chose Burger King and moved from Philadelphia to Miami, fulfilling a dream I had for my early twenties.” Aissetou Diawara High School: Girls’ High (’15) College: Temple University, B.S. in Public Health (’19), MPH in Social and Behavioral Sciences (’20) Job Title/Employer: Associate Director of Transition and First-Year/ Postsecondary Success, Heights Philadelphia How did having a strong network of support help you power through a tough challenge or pivot point on your journey toward your current career? “Early on, I had plenty of moments where I felt unsure about my career path. Heights opened doors by connecting me to my first two internships, and my advisor introduced me to professionals in the industries I wanted to explore. Having people in my corner I could always call who would just listen, talk me through the uncertainty, and remind me of my power kept me grounded. They gave me the space to breathe and the push to keep going.” Looking back at your time as a student, what tools or resources from the Heights community helped translate your personal grit into early academic and personal success? “As a student, you don’t always know the exact steps to take. Having an advisor meet with me one-on-one, walk me through the confusing parts of college, check in on me, and make sure I had what I needed gave my effort real direction. It meant I didn’t have to guess my way through it alone. Additionally, resources such as SAT prep helped improve my test scores, which resulted in merit-based scholarships.” How does your journey — from student to staff member — demonstrate the power of combining individual determination with community support for Philadelphia youth? “My journey shows that our students’ potential is limitless when systemic barriers are met with a community of care. Philly students have so much courage, but trying to do everything on your own is exhausting. When you take a student’s drive and give them people who show up and refuse to let them fall behind, everything opens up. My story shows that when you give a student support, they won’t just make it; they’ll come back to help the next person make it too.”
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