Alice Liu '01 didn't need much convincing when she was offered a job at a growing start up early in 2006. The company's mission greatly appealed to her.
 
"Their overall philosophy - gather the world's information, make it universally accessible for everyone - sounded so great," said Liu, a four-year letterwinner for the Yale softball program.
 
The company was Google. Liu accepted the position, and it is a decision she has never regretted.
 
Liu started at Google in online advertising, helping companies learn the right strategies to get the most out of their ads. She then moved into real estate and workplace services and is currently the facilities manager for the YouTube headquarters in San Bruno, Calif.
 
During her time, Google has become one of largest and most successful companies in the world.
 
"It has definitely grown beyond my imagination," she said.
 
Even as an employee, Liu has had a hard time keeping up with the new ventures Google is involved in.
 
"I remember one day I came home, and my mom told me she had read in the trades that Google was going to put out a phone. She asked me if I knew anything about it. I was like no, no. We don't do that. And then low and behold we started putting out phones," Liu said. "I guess I missed the memo."
 
In her role in real estate and workplace services, she served as a liaison between the employees and management. The position then slowly evolved into a more official facilities manager role. Google purchased YouTube in 2006, and when an opportunity there arose, Liu was excited for the chance.
 
"YouTube is so popular I figured I needed to get with it," she said.


 
The current job entails serving as a representative for all the YouTubers in the building and overseeing all facets of YouTube's facilities. She also is involved in construction projects. Google is in the process of building two new offices for YouTube.
 
"I know YouTube as a business. I know the YouTube people – what they'd like in their buildings," she said.
 
Of course, much has changed over the last 15 months because of the pandemic. Like companies all over the world, Google is working on how its employees can safely return to the workplace.
 
"There has been lots and lots of brainstorming and meetings and talking though when people come back how should we have the desks set up, how do we serve food, can we use the shuttles," she said.
 
Liu grew up in California's Silicon Valley, so she was quite familiar with the tech world.
 
"When I was younger, it was always I want to be a part of that," she said.
 
At Yale, Liu was a cognitive science major and her experience in New Haven certainly has been a benefit.
 
"The people at Google are a lot like the people at Yale," she said. "They are bright, they are friendly. Everybody has a secret talent."
 
Liu also has used the lessons she learned as a member of the softball team in her work.
 
"I learned the value of teamwork, the feeling of wanting to do your best because you know it will help everyone else around you," she said. "At Google, as a part of [the facility] team, I'm indirectly helping everyone making the products. I also learned to get along with different personalities and to work together for the common cause."
 
Softball remains important to Liu. She still plays in a co-ed rec league on weeknights and in tournaments for an adult travel team all day Saturdays.
 
At Yale, Liu was one of the top centerfielders in the Ivy League, tracking down fly balls all over the outfield. Now, she has it a little easier, playing only right center in the slow-pitch, four-outfielder alignment.
 
Liu remains close with many of her Yale teammates. Several recently put together a happy birthday video montage for Jesseka Bartholomew '03. Liu also was able to watch the Bulldogs in person when the team traveled to San Jose State for a tournament right before the pandemic hit.
 
"I never imagined [softball] would take me where I got to go," she said. "It's allowed me to meet a lot of people that I wouldn't have otherwise met. It's a big part of my life."