Global Citizen and Leader: Experience, Advice, Mentors and More

Global Citizen and Leader: How do you get there from here? 

Tokyo, New York, Shanghai, London. These are cities some are lucky enough to visit. For a select few, these places make up the experience of growing up and getting out in the world. Rosemary’s story underscores what’s going on more and more for bright and ambitious students. They follow their dreams across the globe and in so doing educate themselves in academics, culture, and in the world of work too.

Questions:

Can you tell us a little about your background? Where did you grow up and go to secondary school? What languages do you speak with family and friends?

I actually moved about every three years of life growing up, so that brought me from Sichuan, China to New Jersey, Oklahoma, North Carolina, New Jersey again, and Tokyo for high school! In Tokyo, I attended the American School in Japan. The last semester of high school my family moved back to China so I finished out my last semester in Shanghai. I speak mainly English with friends and Changlish with my family.

ASIJ class of 2004

ASIJ  (The American School In Japan) is one of the most respected international schools in the world. Can you describe the atmosphere and how well-integrated it was in terms of students interacting with each other who are from around the globe and how much it tried to be like a US secondary school.

I couldn’t have asked for a more incredible experience. My high school in New Jersey was about 800-900 kids per grade, so ASIJ (about 120 in my class) felt like a family. I think about half of the kids were from expat families of various nationalities (though mostly American), with the rest split between Japanese nationals and half Japanese/half American. We had incredible, passionate teachers from around the world who really anchored the community.

 It was an interesting environment because, being a largely expat community, kids would frequently move in and away from ASIJ – yet the school somehow managed to maintain a very strong sense of unity. The school itself is very friendly and welcoming. All of us understood very well how it feels to be the new student, thousands of miles away from our old home and friends. Most of us were immersed in a foreign culture, in a language we didn’t speak, trying to fit in within and absorb the amazing city of Tokyo. Also Japan itself, I think, strongly influenced how students interact with each other. Hospitality and respect define the Japanese way of life. For a high school, it was an insanely “nice” environment – pretty much as non-judgmental and non-cliquey as it gets. This all forged a very strong school culture.

In other respects, I do think that ASIJ does a good job of trying to be like a US secondary school. Instruction is in English, and ASIJ sends a lot of students to colleges in the US/UK. The curriculum is rigorous – I remember getting my butt whipped in my math classes and language classes (I took Japanese and Spanish. Interesting digressive fact: Japanese people are insanely good at Spanish! Surprisingly, there are a lot of commonalities with how things are pronounced, and as a result, Japanese accents are shockingly good. That made for a rough start for me in Spanish!) The teachers were definitely the glue of the community. I think all the students could point to at least a few teachers who they were very close to. ASIJ definitely prepares its students very well, academically and socially, for college.

You are a member of the TCK (third culture kid) family in that you attended an international school and also came from a background that was not that of Japan. How did this affect you?

I think it actually gave me a stronger sense of identity. Prior to moving to Japan, I just had no idea where I came from. I was Chinese American, but without any childhood roots in any one location. At ASIJ, I don’t think I met anyone who was from New Jersey, or North Carolina (the last two places I had lived). And yet I immediately identified with ASIJ students – ironically, I think we were united by our lack of an easily pinpoint-able identity. And with that, I gained more confidence. I was not a good student prior to moving to Japan, and being a “third culture kid” gave me a stronger sense of focus and curiosity. I guess I still don’t know where I am from, but it doesn’t bother me at all anymore.

How did your parents instill a love of learning and a desire for success? Do you think that you inspired your brother or other students by your actions? Are you intimidating to others in any way?

I am very lucky – my parents are very open minded. For “Asian parents”, they really did not tiger parent out on me. I remember when I was in middle school, my parent’s friends all made their kids play the piano. And for hours a day – one kid I knew literally practiced six hours a day. My parents didn’t force me to play the piano, which is really a big deal for Asian parents. My parents saw that I enjoyed creative writing and encouraged me in that hobby instead. I am not knocking the tiger parent approach, but in my case, I really believe I developed a lot further personally through my writing. So I am very grateful to my parents for letting me discover that on my own.

I was way too dorky and silly to inspire any other students. Same answer for being intimidating. As for my brother, I probably annoyed him more than inspired him. The two of us are very different and channel our energies differently. For example, academics came much more easily to Jeremy. But he also was just way more laid back and could spend days and weeks on end playing video games. I couldn’t fathom it. I probably worried too much about him and nagged him too much to shape up. Should have just taken a page from my parents’ book instead – he found his way just fine!

You were a very successful student in secondary school. In fact you were awarded one of the most prestigious merit scholarships available to undergraduates in the US and around the world. Can you describe how you demonstrated your abilities in leadership, service and academics?

Debate club at ASIJ

In general, the ASIJ student body is very involved, so I think a lot of it was just me trying to keep up. I mean, nobody went home after school, everyone would stay late with this club meeting and that practice event, so that’s just where all my friends were. There was one club that really sparked everything for me, and that was debate. It was one of the first clubs I became actively involved in at ASIJ, and it was a big deal to me because it was completely out of my element. I used to be painfully shy and terrified of public speaking. Debate was probably the scariest thing I had done up to that point, and forcing myself to do that made future challenges seem a bit less stressful. It ended up being one of my favorite activities ever, and the great experience just made me more eager to seek out other experiences that were outside my comfort zone.

How easy/hard was your transition to your university? Were the classes what you expected? Was the atmosphere what you thought it would be?

I don’t know if everything was what I “expected” because I just don’t remember what I was expecting. I don’t think I had any clue of what college was going to be like.

That said, there is definitely that initial element of homesickness. It does help that the first semester is so busy - the community is just so vibrant and from the start you are surrounded by so many people and so much to do. You also helped, Parke! From the very beginning, you had your door open in case I ever needed advice or someone to talk to, and that made a huge difference.

I guess one thing I was not fully anticipating was how much I would fall in love with my university. Going to football games, learning the Good Ole Song, joining arms with your fellow students and seeing the whole stadium come together… how do you capture that feeling in words?  Or going to the Lawn at night with your friends  and just sitting on the steps, soaking in the warm glow of the Academic Village, with stretches of stars above you and the commanding presence of Old Cabell Hall before you.  The simple memory still gives me chills. Yeah, I definitely fell for my university.

Rosemary with first year university suitemates

What did you choose to study and why? Did you find a mentor in the faculty and did you get to know many of your professors? How about activities? What did you become a part of and how did this supplement your academic education?

I lucked out very early on and just happened to love two classes I took in my very first semester: Intro to Macroeconomics with Prof Elzinga and Social Psychology with Prof Oishi. So I took more Econ and Pysch classes and my interests just kind of snowballed from there. The approachability of the faculty also helped tremendously. Prof Oishi is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. Given my childhood, I was very interested in the cultural component of psychology. A simple question after class one day somehow rather quickly evolved into me working in his cultural psychology lab. And then before I knew it, I was with the other lab students on a Sunday night, having dinner at his house and playing with his toddler. You can’t beat that.

Professor Burton with students

Later on, I met Professor Burton in Econ, who really became a father figure and role model to me at my university. Professor Burton is one of the smartest, most generous, and most successful people I have ever met. And by “successful”, I mean that he absolutely loves what he does, and would spend his life doing it without ever getting paid a penny. His passions in life are (in no particular order) his family, tennis, the world of finance/business, and helping students. He has mentored more students than I could possibly count.

From an activities standpoint, Parke, you helped me with one of my favorite experiences of all – editing the International Student Newsletter. (The newsletter featured a collection of stories from international students at my university; the goal was to share these students’ experiences with prospective applicants, with the hopes of making my university seem less foreign to international applicants). As a first year, this was a great way to meet other international students and really get to know them well. Of course, it also gave me the chance to work with my favorite Dean ever J. 

Outside of the newsletter, I really had amazing experiences in particular with Sustained Dialogue, Adopt a Grandparent, and Alternative Spring Break (my group went to Ghana in the summer of 2006). All of these activities helped broaden my perspective and were great bonding experiences that introduced me to many of my best friends at my university. For example, Ghana was such a powerful experience for me, I remember sobbing my eyes out when it was time to leave. When we got back to my university for the next school year, my team remained a family, and we would often have cook-outs replicating the dishes we learned in Ghana.

Alternative Spring Break in Ghana

Your academic performance at university ended up being quite exceptional. How did you do so well? Were the classes easy or did you just put in a tremendous amount of work or something else?

Well, I’m not proud to admit it, but I was (*am) a big nerd. I knew my fair share of the libraries on grounds (must do before you graduate: study in the Law library!). The professors (and TAs) are definitely another huge component. Simply enjoying what I was studying was definitely a third. But I think the biggest component was my friends. I was surrounded by some of the most incredible people I have ever met in my life. My suitemates, in particular, really inspired me. We were all very different – I’m not sure our paths would have crossed had we not been suitemates – yet we connected very well and really became a support system for each other. They all also adopted me into each of their families – for the next four years, I would spend every single holiday or break with one of their families. My first-year roommate is quite possibly the best person I have encountered on earth. I learned so much from her on how to be a better person. If we woke up tomorrow and God decided to show himself and say to the world, “hey! I’m real! And actually I had put on earth all along this angel who went to my university and called herself Abi” – I would not be surprised.  Anyway, I digress, but I think being in such a supportive and inspirational environment, it’s natural to push yourself harder and do better.

Did you ever feel that you were subject to stereotyping for being Asian? Who did you hang out with mostly?

I don’t think so. Going to high school in Japan, that was just not something I ever really thought about. So I guess I was not pre-conditioned to being aware on that element.

I hung out a lot with my suitemates, and those in my brother suite, a friend I knew from high school and her hall, and basically friends I met through these friends. I also became very close friends in particular with people I met in Sustained Dialogue, and my Alternate Spring Break trip to Ghana. In the latter part of college, I also became close friends with a group of Commerce school students who were also moving to NYC after graduation. We all became a mini family and have stayed very close in New York (and after as most of them have since left the city).

Rosemary with university alums in NY

Did you ever change your mind about what you wanted to do after you graduated?

Oh, yes. In retrospect, I was actually quite lost after graduation – I don’t think I had a clear sense of what I wanted to do in the first place.

I did know pretty early on that I was interested in business, and in even potentially starting my own company one day. However, I hardly knew the difference between a balance sheet and a cash flow statement. So I figured investment banking would be a great way to learn the ropes of finance. While that was true, as it turned out, I also learned that I didn’t actually have much interest in finance. At that point, I was really stumped. I thought all my assumptions on my career goals were out the window. I ended up leaving banking a year early, and I felt like a total and utter failure.

I eventually realized that I actually still was fascinated by companies and how they do business. But I was more fascinated by the day-to-day management decisions, and less by the big financing transactions I was focused on in banking (those, of course, are still very important, but aren’t the whole story). I decided to try out equity research, which really focuses on learning companies in one sector. It was a total match for me. Through my work over the past four years, I’ve had the opportunity to build relationships with brilliant management teams, and really get to know on a very deep level truly inspirational companies in the healthcare sector.  I now have a vision of what I hope to do in the future.

Moral of the story is a bit clichéd, but absolutely true. It’s OK to fail. Life is all trial and error, and you won’t learn about yourself if you don’t try. And when you do fail, stop feeling miserable long enough to force yourself to learn from it! While it absolutely sucked to feel like a failure after banking, were I to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Since leaving university you have had great success working for a top investment management company in New York. Can you describe your job when it first started and now in your role as a director?

The great thing about equity research is how small the teams are: you really get to assume responsibility really quickly. When I first started, I was on a team of three, which included myself (associate), a PhD (director), and my managing director. After seven months, the director left, so it was just me and the MD. Because it’s so flat, there is a lot of control over your own personal development.

In the beginning it’s really about learning as much as possible so you can fluently analyze a company and industry trends. Over time, the role becomes much more relationship based. You’re forming relationships with world-renowned physicians, hedge fund clients, and management teams of companies. Equity research analysts strive to, through their expert understanding of an industry and where it is going, guide investment decisions within that industry. I enjoy it because the goal of the job is to think creatively about very pertinent issues shaping our world. Currently, I spend about half my time doing the actual analysis, and the other half debating this analysis with investors.

Overall, I highly encourage anyone interested in business to take a look at equity research. It’s the less glamorous cousin of investment banking (and there are pros and cons to both), but it provides a pretty front-row seat to companies that is very hard to get from any other job for young graduates.  

What kinds of hours do you put in and how would you describe the climate among your co-workers?

The work week varies a lot depending on whether I am traveling, whether there is breaking news, and whether we are dealing with quarterly earnings. Usually my work week is about 70 hours, though this can stretch toward 80-90 if one of the above three are involved. Overall, though, it’s very reasonable for the financial industry. There is also better visibility on when I’ll be working as opposed to in investment banking, which matters a ton for work/life balance. The climate amongst co-workers is very collegial, though I think this varies from firm to firm in research.

You have again demonstrated leadership in your job so it’s clear you have been a leader throughout your life. What do you think makes a good leader? What makes you a leader? What is your management style?

I have yet to manage someone, so I think the real test on leadership is still yet to come. I can say what I am not, which is your “classic” type of leader. I have many friends whom I admire immensely for the way they can walk into a room, instantly command everyone’s attention and respect, and naturally grab hold of a situation. I definitely don’t have that gift. I do think, though, that I am a fairly good listener. In group situations and in my work circles and friend circles, I tend to help resolve conflict and disperse tension within the group. So not sure if that counts as a leadership style… but ask me in a year! I think I’m due to learn a lot more about leadership styles in business school. J

You are applying to a graduate program. Why have you decided to do so? What skills do you help to develop that you don’t already have?

I’ve always enjoyed school, so a graduate degree (in my case, business school) was something that I’ve known for a long time I would love to pursue. However, I also needed to be very practical about it, and didn’t want to get a degree until I had a clear thought process on how I would use the degree to further my career. Focusing on medical device companies through equity research gave me that clarity and enabled me to glimpse roles I hoped to have later on in life. My goal through business school is to use it as a platform to directly enter the healthcare industry, but in a more operational role rather than financial role. I also hope to further explore soft skills such as leadership by learning through example from my fellow classmates and professors. But at the end of the day, I hope that business school will stretch and re-engineer the way that I think about business and the world in general. I’m looking to maximize my horizons, immerse myself in a diverse community, and leave with lifelong friends.

After your graduate work do you have plans about where you’d like to go and what you’d like to be doing? 

The future: Testing glucose levels with a contact lense

Having a close-up view of incredible healthcare companies and how they have changed the world has definitely invigorated me. After business school, I hope to join the industry – likely medical devices given my experience there, though I’m interested to explore biotech and pharma as well. I hope to gain hands-on experience in commercializing products that will make a huge difference in improving patient lives.

What advice do you have for students thinking of coming to the US for university? What skills should they have in hand and what skills should they develop while in the US? Would change anything about your approach to education if you could?

I really had a great four years so I wouldn’t change anything. I think most everyone has a different approach to college and they end up just great (my brother Jeremy also went to my university and our paths were completely different, but he loved his experience just as much as I loved mine), so I won’t try to suggest a formula. I would say just try to be as excited about it as possible. You don’t have to take your classes that are relevant for your career (for example, I took acting my 4^th year, and some of my favorite classes outside my major were in Commercial Law). That’s the beauty of college – this is a rare opportunity in your life to just learn whatever you want to learn.

The most important part of college is to make sure you spend time with people. Relationships are hands down the single most important part of college. Ten years down the road, you probably won’t remember 90%+ of the technical stuff you learned in your major, but you can always pick up a book or take an online class. Not so much for relationships. 

Artificial heart valve

Anything else you want to add?

Well, I am clearly a bit biased in suggesting this, but I do encourage learning more about healthcare regardless of what your interests are, and maybe even considering it as a career path. It’s really incredible how much transformation the industry is going through – over the next 10, 20, 30 years, healthcare will be radically different from what we know today. Hopefully, “different” will equal “improved”, though we definitely need as many passionate people involved as possible. Spend a little bit of time in this industry and you’ll see that monumental changes for the better are within reach. Mobile phones one day may function as the brains of an “artificial pancreas” for diabetic patients, your pillow one day may reverse your progression of heart disease. And of course, this doesn’t even include the stories of new vaccines to eradicate cancer, or the mind-blowing potential of big data within healthcare. I recommend taking a look… who knows, it could turn into an opportunity to have a tangible impact on the world.

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A short while after this interview, I received this update from Rosemary:

Just wanted to provide a quick update with some great news - I received an offer of admission at London Business School!!!!!! :)

London Business School

It came as no surprise that Rosemary was accepted to one of the top business schools in the world. Her work experience, her leadership, and her global perspective would appeal to any top program.

Rosemary’s experience and advice should educate many. Her words about healthcare seem especially useful for anyone of any age reading this interview. In the coming years there will continue to be huge breakthroughs in treating problems and preventing them too. The rate of change in the sciences has never been faster more dramatic in its effects.

While Rosemary modestly talks about her accomplishments I find it telling that what she and many other successful people I know say: It’s the relationships and the friendships that last more than what one learns in major that matter most in life. Too often people focus on a gpa only and in my experience it's those who develop skills that include learning how to communicate effectively both in an exam and in a group of people across a table who make the best future leaders—in virtually any field.

The cliché of keeping your eyes on the prize does have some merit in terms of focus and hard work. But the prize that Rosemary has earned in her life so far is not the names of the schools or firms she’s worked for. It’s a global understanding of issues and people. I want to thank her for taking time from an incredibly busy schedule to share her words here.

I owe Rosemary more than an abstract thanks. Her international newsletter helped students around the world hear the stories of current students in the US. This newsletter inspired me to try to continue to let students like Rosemary tell their stories on this blog in hopes they will give people a sense of the range of experiences and interests of students who have already travelled far  literally and figuratively to pursue their dreams.

I am very lucky to have been able to follow Rosemary through her university education. I watched her grow throughout her university career and then got to hear about her successes afterward. I know she will have more great news coming her way in life. She’s one I hope I can continue to profile here as she goes through her subsequent education and career successes.

Graduation with friends