Priorities in Order
Judy Yi (M.B.A. ’01) finds time to volunteer and time for adventure
By Terry Coniglio
When she's not out helping to beautify the city with Trees Atlanta, Judy Yi is helping the organization's outreach through social media.
“You never have enough time for anything in your life,” says Judy Yi (M.B.A. ’01), volunteer and world traveler. “It’s about making time for your priorities.”
After working for seven years as a management consultant, Yi’s priorities took an about-face. She quit her job and spent almost two years backpacking around the world, visiting more than 25 countries.
Before returning home from her adventure, however, she applied and was accepted to Georgia State’s M.B.A. program. When she landed back on U.S. soil, she hit the ground running.
“It was a great segue back into the workforce,” she said. “I went back to school eight years after finishing my undergrad, and I was just in a different place in my life.”
After graduation, Yi quickly landed a job in marketing and sales with BellSouth, which, at the time, was only hiring M.B.A. graduates, she said.
“I graduated on a Friday and started my new job the following Monday,” she said. “So, I definitely know there was a return on my investment.”
Yi says she’s always felt compelled to volunteer, and she served on the GSU Alumni Board soon after she finished her studies.
“When I graduated I was looking for a way to pay back the university, and I think that is the whole point of volunteerism,” she said.
These days, Yi is an active volunteer with Trees Atlanta and serves as their social media outreach advisor.
“When I started volunteering with Trees Atlanta, I realized I came to the table with a lot of skills they could use,” she said. “At the time, I was just exploring social media, and Twitter and Facebook were really taking off. As I started exploring, I thought, ‘I’m going to bring Trees with me.’ Through that experience, I was able to learn the craft and help them with their social media presence.”
Despite her busy schedule and her job demands as director of global sales operations for the marketing company Silverpop, she says she will always find a way to help others. It’s a priority.
“It is important to make time to volunteer and to follow your passion,” she said.