Lushana Peterson ’15

If you ever have me and Robyn Schwab Aaron ’07 in the same room, we will probably be gushing over pretty wedding details, camera equipment, or business strategy. I have been lucky to develop a mentor-mentee relationship with Robyn over the past three years, a friendship that started over our Cornell connection and shared love of photography.

When I first reached out to Robyn, she graciously agreed to take time out of a Sunday afternoon to meet over coffee. I was impressed with how willing she was to let me pick her brain, but even more so when she offered me the opportunity to learn hands-on about photography as a business.

Since then, we have been through weekly office visits, a block-long internship, and three wedding seasons where I have been her assistant and second photographer. She taught me about brand and business strategy, client engagement, work-flow management, and of course, helped me refine my technical and stylistic skills of photography. Most importantly, we have developed a friendship that has aided in our professional success as a team.

When working with Robyn, you notice that fear is not an obstacle for her. She has challenged me to never sell myself short, but also listened to my fears and doubts as a friend. Robyn has helped inspire my drive and motivation to leap for opportunities without fear of failure.

With Robyn’s openness to share both her successes and challenges, our relationship and bond as friends has been a pivotal part of my Cornell experience. I will always value my relationship with Robyn as a mentor, peer, and dear friend. I hope to have the knowledge and expertise to one day create the same opportunities for others as a mentor myself.

Lushana Peterson ’15 lives in Chicago and works as a recruiter with The Jacobson Group. She travels to Iowa periodically to work with Robyn Schwab Aaron ’07.