Kevin Su
Kevin Su, who grew up in Shanghai, is currently pursuing his MBA at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. He is expected to graduate in 2011.
Q: What kind of education and professional experience did you have before beginning your studies at Tuck?
A: I graduated from Fudan University with a bachelor degree in electrical engineering. After that, I worked as an engineer for Intel (INTC.NASDAQ, 4335.HK, INCO.Euronext) for two years in Shanghai and then in Oregon. I was looking to move into management consultancy and eventually got an analyst job at Olive Wyman. I worked there for two years before starting at Tuck.
Q: What advice would you give to a prospective Tuck Business School student?
A: Get in contact with someone who is currently studying or has previously studied at Tuck. You can do this through the Tuck website. Getting a feel for campus life and the school’s strong community is very important. Tuck is looking for candidates who will add to the university and continue to strengthen its reputation by enthusiastically helping other students. This is the special thing about Tuck: Everyone who is involved with the school is so helpful that it is a good environment to be in.
Q: How do you think your MBA will benefit your career?
A: I already have a new job set up with UBS (UBS.NYSE, UBSN.SIX) after graduation. Having an MBA was a prerequisite for this position, and the fact that it is from Tuck helped me a lot. In the long term, having an MBA from Tuck is like having a golden ticket. Generally speaking, an MBA can help people move between industries without having to start from the bottom. It also gives me access to a huge worldwide alumni network of leaders from Tuck, who may be able to help with career moves. This works both ways: I currently spend a lot of time with prospective and first-year students, and I will continue to make time for Tuck students and alumni throughout my career, like they have for me.
Marcela Brevis
Marcela Brevis, a student from Chile, is currently enrolled in Fudan University’s International MBA program.
Q: Why did you choose to study your MBA in China?
A: I wanted to study in China because it is so far away from Chile, and Chilean people do not know much about the country. It is also one of the biggest economies in the world, so it is naturally a good place to study an MBA.
Q: Why Fudan?
A: The two most important factors in my decision to study at Fudan were its reputation and the number of foreigners in its classes. When I chose to come to Shanghai, I applied to several different universities and was accepted to all of them. I then asked some of my friends in China to ask locals which university they would go to if they were me – they all said Fudan. Besides the university’s reputation, I wanted the majority of the class to be Chinese, so that I could work with them, learn their business culture and have a greater understanding of their thinking.
Q: How do you expect to use your MBA in the future?
A: My long term goal has always been to start my own business. And since I have been studying in China and seen what opportunities are available, I hope to launch my business here. The huge network that I’ve gained from studying an MBA in China will be extremely useful. My husband is also studying his MBA at Fudan. For him, it will provide greater flexibility in the future in terms of which industries he can work in.
Vahab Emami
Vahab Emami graduated from the International MBA program offered by Fudan University and MIT Sloan School of Management in 2010. He now works as a business development manager at an engineering firm in Shanghai.
Q: Why did you come to China to pursue an MBA?
A: It was a strategic move. The great trend for Iranian people is to go west, so I wanted to do something different and take advantage of the networking opportunities that come along with doing an MBA in China.
Q: How did Fudan’s partnership with MIT enhance your studies?
A: Having the worldwide reputation of MIT alongside Fudan’s reputation in China is obviously very attractive. MIT lecturers would visit the university and give talks. As an MBA student at Fudan University, you are also able to apply to study at MIT for one semester with MIT students and carry out a project. I learned a lot from this experience, while gaining an even bigger network.
Q: What advice would you give to people who are thinking about pursuing an MBA?
A: An MBA is not just about having a title – networking is very important, and the quality of your school is very important. Because I am Iranian, it is vital that the country where I study an MBA in and work in has a good relationship with Iran. For other people, it depends on what they want in their future. China definitely has a good future and is a great place to study an MBA.
Yoshiko Kurotsu
Yoshiko Kurotsu, who grew up in the US and is now based in China, graduated from Rutgers Business School’s MBA program in Beijing in 2008.
Q: Why did you decide to pursue an MBA?
A: The main reason was personal enrichment. I wanted to find a place where I could talk to people who have similar interests to me, and have resources for questions that I wanted answered.
Q: What impressed you most about Rutgers’ MBA program?
A: The academic environment at Rutgers was very good. We were able to ask questions and get to know each other in a friendly atmosphere. Even after graduating, I have continued to talk to my old professors and ask them questions. It’s been great to have this continuous support from Rutgers.
Q: Why did you choose to study in China?
A: I am based in China, so it is important to have the Chinese voice represented in order to help me understand the country’s business mindset. For example, their approach to a problem or a financial statement is a little bit different than the Western perspective. The questions [Chinese students] asked were from a different standpoint, things that I hadn’t considered before.
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