School News
September 04, 2025
On a bright afternoon at Columbia University, Zimo Liu ’21 can often be found sitting on the Low Library steps facing Butler Library, a favorite gathering spot for students. “It’s very chill,” he says. “You sit with friends, chat, and watch campus life go by.” The bustling Ivy League campus might seem far removed from the tree-lined paths of Rumsey Hall, but for Zimo, the lessons he first absorbed in Washington Depot continue to shape his life in meaningful ways.
Traveling more than 7,000 miles from China, Zimo arrived at Rumsey for a campus tour, which happened to fall on Halloween. His interviewer greeted him in full costume, face painted, with a basket of candy in hand. “I was so nervous walking in,” Zimo remembers, “but the moment I saw him, I thought, wow, this is fun. This is different.” Students stood to greet him as he entered classrooms, teachers asked him how he was doing, and a peer tour guide showed him around with warmth and humor. “I had never felt that welcome anywhere before. Especially as an international student whose English wasn’t great, it was powerful.”
That sense of community sustained Zimo through the inevitable challenges of adapting to a new country and language. He remembers struggling to understand casual greetings like “What’s up?”, and working hard in ESL classes with faculty who both challenged and supported him. He threw himself into dorm life, sports, and campus activities, and by eighth grade, Rumsey had become a second home.
When the pandemic struck in 2020, Zimo’s bond with Rumsey deepened in unexpected ways. He chose to stay on campus longer to support younger international students, only to find himself the last one left when flights home were canceled. For several weeks, he was the sole student living on campus. “The school literally stayed open just for me,” he recalls. “Teachers took turns spending time with me, making sure I wasn’t lonely, taking me out to play pool or just hang out. Any other school might have closed its doors, but Rumsey didn’t. That experience showed me how much the school cared for me as a person.”
After Rumsey, Zimo attended Groton, where he continued to develop resilience and academic strength. After Groton, he was accepted to Columbia University, where he has emerged as a visible campus leader. Last year, he and a group of friends formed a campaign party cheekily named Roaring Forward to run for student government. Zimo campaigned tirelessly, knocking on every dorm-room door, creating campaign videos, and talking directly with hundreds of students. “My knuckles turned purple from knocking so much,” he says with a laugh. His hard work paid off: he was elected as a class representative, and this spring, he won re-election in a landslide.
Through student government, he has helped organize events ranging from ice skating trips to sustainability initiatives, from giving out sweatshirts designed by classmates to stocking dorm basements with free essentials. “When I see someone walking around campus in one of the sweatshirts we created, or when someone thanks me for a meal we organized, it feels meaningful,” Zimo says. “I know I’ve done something real for this community.”
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When asked what parts of Rumsey carried through most strongly, Zimo points to confidence in connecting with others. “Rumsey taught me not to be afraid to talk to people. Everyone was so welcoming there that I came to believe the world was full of kind people. That might not always be true,” he admits, “but it gave me the courage to approach anyone.” His work giving tours for the Admissions Office, greeting prospective families, and speaking at events gave him early practice in public leadership, skills he now uses daily at Columbia.
For Zimo, Rumsey was the foundation, not only of his academic journey, but of his identity as a leader. “I became more genuine, more honest, more myself at Rumsey,” he says. “And that’s still with me today.”
