SAFETY
FIRST
and my professor can see what I’m doing,” she says. “Everyone knows that everything is new for everyone. If the professor makes a mistake or if there are technical issues, we understand that. Professors have been very understanding that people might be in different time zones, or now have new family responsibilities.” While this academic year wrapped up in a manner no one envisioned, Bychkovska is grateful for the college’s leadership and extraordinary efforts to continue offering quality education under unique circumstances. “It’s great to feel cared for. Columbia College made sure that it’s as smooth as possible for us students.” –KF
At the moment, profit is far down the list of her business’ priorities. “I want to help people. We’re all having difficult times right now.” She also has enjoyed the realworld lessons from Dee Mathison’s business communication class. “We’ve talked about, ‘If I were a CEO, how would I approach this? How do I interact with my customers?’ I’ve taken it seriously,” she says. Within three days, she opened up Lilly Hop Shop on Etsy, a popular online marketplace, where shoppers can order masks in adult or child sizes in several colors and patterns. “I’ve always wanted to make something of my own, but I’ve never had someone say, ‘Hey, this is worth money!’ Dee’s the one that gave me that push.” –KF
Summer 2020
– Yulia Bychkovska
Now, thanks to a pair of classes at Columbia College-Kansas City – unrelated to the degree in healthcare management she’s currently seeking – Meshesha is potentially going down a different path, one whose landmark is a new business.
23 Affinity
“It’s great that we have so much technology that we can feel connected even when we aren’t physically connected.”
Lilly Meshesha has been passionate about healthcare for almost as long as she can remember. In April, with the current pandemic occurring and her inability to find masks in any stores, she figured she’d make her own. “I realized, I have this skill,” she says. “Why not make a better mask?”
