Lilian Cao
liliancao360@gmail.com
(415) 638 2621
EducationCORNELL UNIVERSITY / College of Human Ecology / Ithaca, New York
2023-2027 (Expected)
B.Sc Design + Environmental Analysis with a focus in Urban Design
Relevant Coursework: Human Centered Design Methods, Construction Documentation, Design for Workplace Management, Research Methods in Human-Environment Relations, Sustainable Design, Global Urban Studies, Field-Based Urban Analysis.
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT / Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering / Delft, Netherlands
Spring 2026
Exchange Semester
Relevant Coursework: Materials and Manufacturing, Reimagining Mobility, Computer-Aided Design, Experience/Motivation/Behavior.
Experience THREAD MAGAZINE / Cornell University Independent Organization / Ithaca, New York
Design Lead (Fall 2025)
Direct the full design production of an 80-100+ page semesterly fashion and culture magazine, translating high-level conceptual creative briefs into cohesive and print-ready visual narratives.
Lead and mentor a team of 25 designers, overseeing development of initial layout drafts and providing technical feedback on typography, composition, and photo editing.
Coordinate a fast-paced 21-day production sprint period, refining and polishing all design drafts and assets to ensure each spread meets Thread’s standards.
Engineer the complete magazine architecture in Adobe InDesign, including the master layout, table of contents, staff credits, and stylistic elements like headers and footers.
Curate all final layout selections, evaluating design drafts to ensure 100% alignment with the issue’s creative direction and visual identity.
Navigate hard deadlines involving third-party print vendors, frequently during peak academic periods, to ensure on-time delivery to the printer without compromising design integrity.
Design Director (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)
Responsible for 20% of total magazine layout. Oversaw magazine production timeline, delivered iterative feedback for design team of 25 people.
CORNELL UNIVERSITY / Office of Sorority & Fraternity Life / Ithaca, New York
Media Intern (August-December 2025)
Produced up to 3 weekly Instagram posts, including graphics, carousels, and Reels, to drive engagement within and outside of the Cornell Sorority & Fraternity Life community.
Utilized Canva, Photoshop, and Lightroom to create high-quality visual content and professional event photography.
Maintained strict adherence to SFL branding guidelines and Cornell University’s visual identity to ensure a cohesive digital presence.
Drafted strategic captions using Cornell Communications-approved language to uphold institutional image and reputation.
Managed digital copyright compliance, navigating music licensing and asset usage rights with professional diligence.
Conducted interviews with community members to create compelling narrative-driven social media content.
CORNELL UNIVERSITY / Campus Activities Office / Ithaca, New York
President of CUTonight Funding Commission (Fall 2025)
Directed an 8-member executive board overseeing a $160,000+ annual operating budget, managing the rigorous fiscal review and disbursement of funds to ensure institutional impact and financial accountability.
Served as the primary strategic partner to the Cornell Campus Activities Office and University Directors, aligning student-led initiatives with institutional governance and university-wide policy frameworks.
Re-engineered the funding infrastructure and evaluative criteria for 150+ diverse organizational stakeholders to ensure equitable resource distribution and transparency. Delivered briefings to university administration on the socio-economic impact of student programming, utilizing performance metrics to influence institutional policy updates regarding event-based funding.
VP Communications & Media of CUTonight Funding Commission (Fall 2024 - Spring 2025)
DELTA DELTA DELTA, ALPHA BETA CHAPTER / Ithaca, New York
Director of Philanthropic Sustainability Initiative (Spring 2025 - Spring 2026)
Spearheaded the transition of the chapter’s philanthropic clothing resale operations from Depop to Instagram, optimizing for community engagement and increasing the digital following by over 330%.
Reinvigorated the shop’s visual identity by establishing a cohesive aesthetic through professional product photography, lighting, and curated digital assets.
Evaluated and curated donated apparel for marketability and quality, managing the end-to-end lifecycle of 20+ unique assets.
Conducted competitive market research to develop a tiered pricing strategy, maximizing philanthropic revenue while maintaining accessible price points for the student body.
MEDIUM DESIGN COLLECTIVE / Cornell University Independent Organization / Ithaca, New York
Editorial Subteam Lead (Fall 2025)
Treasurer (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)
Skills Software: Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom), Rhino3D, Revit, SketchUp, Enscape, AutoCAD, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Canva, Figma, Blender, Sims 4, Minecraft.
Experience with
Epilog laser cutting.
Rudimentary carpentry; band saw, table saw, chop saw, drill punch, wood router, hotwiring.
Sewing, by hand or with machine; hemming, darting, pleating, ruching.
Human Subjects Research (IRB) Certified (2024-2027).
Formerly CPR certified (2022-2024).
Languages: English (native speaker), Cantonese (intermediate profiency), Mandarin (intermediate profiency), French (intermediate proficiency), Dutch (learning).
Interests Architecture.
Urban planning, design, and history.
Industrial design.
Interior architecture & design.
Graphic design.
Digital photography.
Baking, cooking.
Other TEMPLE OF ZEUS CAFE / Cornell University College of Arts & Sciences / Ithaca, New York
Student Worker (May 2025 - Present)
STARBUCKS COFFEE / Belmont, California
Barista (August 2021 - May 2023)