Columbia University in the City of New York | Class of 2028

Prospective BA Computer Science + Financial Economics Candidate

Tinklyn was introduced to art, dance, and piano at three - “Speak With Art” are three words she describe herself and her art exhibit as. Math, physics, chess, and many other "classic Asian kid" extracurriculars came shortly after. For the next eleven years, they all carried the same weight: they were all things Tinklyn's mom made her do. She felt little personal attachment to any of them.

When the pandemic hit, everything changed for Tinklyn. With more time, she delved deeper into art and connected with her local art community. During this period, Tinklyn met Alan, a remarkable nine-year-old cancer survivor who shared her interest in drawing but lacked the resources she had. This chance encounter gave her a new sense of purpose - she wanted to provide opportunities to people who don't have access to things she does. Inspired by Alan's resilience, Tinklyn started hosting charity art classes and donating the proceeds to BC Children's Hospital.

Everything starts with a means of creative expression, and it's been Tinklyn's greatest joy to provide those means for others. She now leads 3 international non-profit organizations that brought together the right collaborators to target each initiative to those who needed it most. Tinklyn's ability to engage with a community to discover its needs is truly an intersection of social responsibility, human behavior, and society. More than just learning what's needed, she can turn that knowledge into practical action - it is no exaggeration to say this is why she wants to combats critical problems that our world faces.