The Verticals

The Verticals are our way of dividing major career and intellectual possibilities in order to best pair our mentees with suitable mentors. Each vertical is described below with the hope that each potential mentee will be attracted to one or two of the following broad categories which they can explore with their assigned mentor.

Technology / Engineering

Thirty years ago, the thought of being connected to every person in the world was an anathema. Today, we can send terabytes of data in a matter of hours, or even minutes. We can develop complex, creative and innovate structures, be it bridges or nano-sized test tubes, which have redefined our understanding and concept of utility. Many startups were started small; in basements and garages - many by high schoolers. For sharp thinkers, creative dreamers and passionate hard workers, technology and engineering is the way to go, and with such an emphasis on STEM today it's a great place to be to affect positive change in the world.

Business & Marketing: Entrepreneurship / Intrapreneurship 

There's something magical about being at the helm of a business and successfully creating or nurturing a new product, service or reinventing a means of delivery. Business and entrepreneurship open doors to countless innovations, improvements and developments in the human society. Explore the world of building businesses and brands, whether as an intrapreneur or an entrepreneur. And remember not all business has to be for profit alone. In a world where social impact and social good matters, business can be a vehicle for positive change making as well. If you believe that Schumpeter was right in claiming that thriving entrepreneurship is good for both the individual and for the socio-economy at large then this is the perfect vertical for you.  

Law  & Public Policy

The study of the law has always been one of the oldest and noblest of professions. It's also one of the most versatile of professions, with lawyers becoming presidents, statesmen, constitutional experts, public defenders and corporate mavericks. From Cicero to President Obama, the study of law attracts perhaps the most versatile of people. The law intersects neatly with issues of public policy and that is why we've bunched them together in a vertical for your interest in a career in either one or both. 

Finance / Banking

The realm of finance is diverse as it is expansive. One leading newspaper's tagline, "[w]e live in financial times" is actually quite apt, given how increasingly interlinked the world and it's markets are. The central bank interest rates set by one country can have enormous bearing on a host of others.  In such an era of an ever-globalizing world, finance is a career of marvelous intellectual stimulation and verve. If you have an interest in the numbers behind how the world works, a yearning for disciplined attention to detail and a desire for a lucrative career then this is a vertical you'd want to be interested in. 

Arts / Design / Photography

If your calling in life is towards the creative side of things and you have an inner eye for design, photography or any other form of the arts then you should consider this vertical. The world is always in need of newer and fresher artists, bringing new color and joy to the world at large. This vertical will connect you to artists and photographers who attended design schools and are now following many different paths, each equally rewarding and stimulating.   

Fashion

We'll admit right off the bat that this is not a vertical to go down popularly with the parents. But if you think your creative yearning takes you to the realm of fashion, then it can be a very edifying profession to partake in. This vertical aims to initiate you into the different streams in the world of fashion. It can be Byzantine, and like everything its a lot of hard work, but if the inner aesthete in you wants to make the world a more beautiful place, this could be your chance to get to know it better.  

Journalism

The media is often referred to as a building block of government and states; the fourth estate as Burke would have us believe. In a globalized world, journalism acts as a medium of exchange for the entire world and a platform for all disciplines to interact with each other. Investigative journalism goes deep into some of the complex problems in the society that are hidden from plain view, and attempts to highlight them to the public for their correction. Journalism can be a fast-paced and rewarding career, and in today's world requires multi-disciplinary skills and an unquenchable appetite to question and learn. 

Development / Public Health

Development provides the facilitation for most disciplines to expand their boundaries. Without development, we can not hope for prosperity of human race. Developmental work across the globe can be very expansive and is deeply rewarding; whether it requires bringing clean water to a village in Haiti or provide micro loans in a developing country. Similarly public health is another career of enormous consequences for society and aligns neatly with developmental work. Be a part of this movement to be more inspirational, more accessible and able to push the horizons. 

Medicine / Dentistry

Perhaps the most important backbone of human society. Medical science has always attracted some of the brightest minds across the world. It has seen impressive development over the last few years, making it an even more enticing career. Whether you want to do cutting edge research that could prevent innumerable diseases, like Professor Nazneen Rahman or save lives by traveling to distant parts of the globe to provide medical assistance to people in desperate need, medicine is a most noble and rewarding profession. But remember it takes enormous dedication and commitment - it's also the career requiring the longest amount of studying. Be prepared for a long haul before you can actually practice. 

Academia

The world of academia can be deeply intellectually rewarding and socially beneficial. It's another career that takes years of studying and library hopping, but the delayed gratification can be worth it. A professor can shape the lives of tens of thousands over a career, whether through direct teaching/mentoring or through research and books. Backed by the power of technology and the advent of MOOCs (Online learning), the reach of the academic has left the ivory tower and turned truly global. How could you impact change in modern day academic. Would you like to be the next Paul Krugman or perhaps the authority on Emmanuel Kant? Academia is the bedrock of an innovative and intellectually stimulated society and if you're inner scholar is calling out, this is your beau ideal vertical.