Alumna Spotlight - Qi Guo (Cathy) DRC’13

Since graduating in 2013, Qi Guo (Cathy) DRC’13 has spent her professional life pursuing an integral Douglass ideal—equitable and accessible education for all. Guo’s advocacy for education on behalf of women everywhere has led her across the world, from China to the United States to Africa and beyond. Through her continued work at the College as part of the Douglass Advisory Board, her tenure as a graduate student at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and her work with education nonprofits around the globe, Guo has become an experienced voice in global education policy.

“There are so many experiences I have cherished throughout the years, but the main thread throughout them all has been education and public affairs,” said Guo. “Education is an avenue where I feel I can make a difference, particularly through a global lens.”   

Guo came to the US at age 18 as an international student at Douglass. At the College, she thrived in a community that empowered her dreams and served as a home away from home. Guo found her interests through a variety of Douglass offerings including scholarships, high-impact mentoring, and the Public Leadership Education Network (PLEN), a program that advances public policy students at Douglass. These experiences, in combination with her master’s work at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, helped launched Guo’s passion for education policy.

After her schooling, Guo used her talents to serve nonprofits around the world. She has worked for The United Nations (UN) Women in China Beijing Office, an agricultural development nonprofit in Uganda, and a refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece. In all of these roles, she worked as a humanitarian advocating for  women’s advancement and education.

“Each experience taught me something new about my passions,” said Guo. “Working for nonprofits is not only a fulfilling experience, but it helps further my own education. It helps me understand dynamics of global conflicts as well as how we can work to change them. These experiences taught me that I’m passionate about education for all and equality for all, and that doing this work can have a real impact on the world stage.”

Currently, Guo is the executive director of WinPlus Education and Technology, a company based in Boston, Massachusetts. Guo directs the US branch of the firm that helps to bring educational resources to K-12 Chinese students. 

“The main goal of our work is to provide affordable but also personalized courses and services to an international market,” said Guo. “We’re using online platforms to livestream courses to Chinese populations. It’s been difficult during Covid-19, but we are still doing such great and meaningful things to help folks across the world.”

Harnessing technology is a major way the company helps disseminate educational resources throughout the globe. For Guo, technology is a key tool in the future of global education.

“It’s a globalized world, and we want education to be accessible,” said Guo. “This is a historic era, and while it has been tragic for so many, we have learned some important lessons. Through technology, we learned how to produce educational content more effectively and efficiently. We used the disadvantages as our advantages.”

In addition to her professional work, which often takes a global lens, Guo has continued to advocate for education here in New Brunswick. Guo is a member of the Douglass Advisory Board, a group of Douglass alumnae who work with Dean Litt and college leadership on special projects and college matters.

“It’s a calling,” Guo said of her membership on the Board. “The impact of the work of the Board is phenomenal. It’s a group of dedicated women who have decades of experience in different sectors and warm hearts for Douglass. It makes me feel powerful to volunteer with them. As alumnae, we have a role to enrich the experience for Douglass students.”

Guo’s passion for working on the Board stems from the power of her own Douglass experience along with years of valuable friendship and mentorship with Dean Litt.

 “I think the key for me is my desire to give back.  Douglass is the first place I landed when I traveled from my home country. It was really important to have advisors, deans, professors and fellow students who empowered me—especially not being familiar with the US,” said Guo. “The support I had at Douglass, from Dean Litt and the entire community, still makes me very emotional. I want to help the College continue making that experience a reality for all students.”

In addition to serving on the Board’s Alumnae and Student Engagement Committee, her company, WinPlus, hired Douglass students as interns to learn about the nonprofit and educational spheres. Throughout the pandemic, Guo has also acted as a mentor to Douglass’ international student population.

“Throughout the COVID experience, I was able to provide my own insights and educational experience to international Douglass students,” she said. “It was a frustrating time for them, and I was happy to be there as a resource.” 

Douglass thanks Guo for all of her incredible work as an advocate not only for Douglass students, but for women’s advancement across the globe!