About Me

Hometown: Shanghai, China
Current Position: Associate, Third Bridge, Shanghai
Previous University: Shanghai Maritime University
Undergraduate Degree: Finance
Q: What was your background before you entered the MS in Finance program?

A:  I graduated with a finance degree from Shanghai Maritime University. I did several internships in my field while I was in school, and I also started my own business—a sushi shop! Managing that operation was difficult and complicated work, but it gave me experience I couldn't get from books. It made me confident I could be successful in a finance career.

Q: Why did you choose Northeastern?

A: I knew their finance courses would deepen my understanding of the field, and Boston is a wonderful place to live and study. I had also heard that D'Amore-McKim's career management courses and networking events were very valuable to students, which attracted me.

Q: You got involved with managing the 360 Huntington Fund—a mutual fund in Northeastern's endowment that's run by a student management team. What kind of impact did that have on you?

A: When I learned about the 360 Huntington Fund, that it was real and that we would have actual responsibility buying stocks, I knew I wanted to do it. I had managed a simulated fund as an undergraduate, but there was such a big gap between that and reality, it wasn't very useful.

I was chosen as an analyst for the 360 Huntington Fund, which completely changed my skill set. I learned to choose stocks based on analyzing companies' financial data and to seek out new investment opportunities by paying attention to industry news. But the bigger impact was that I learned to express my ideas independently and clearly in public. This experience taught me to be a more critical thinker, and now I pay more attention to logic and feasibility when I'm solving problems. I think everyone pursuing an MS in Finance should join the Fund—it's an amazing opportunity.

Q: How did your MS in Finance degree prepare you for your job?

A: I work as an associate at Third Bridge, an investment research firm in Shanghai. All our clients are financial consulting firms or hedge funds. When they need to know the answer to a question about a company or industry, I do research and call experts to find key information. For example, my company recently investigated whether a hedge fund should invest in Luckin Coffee in China, which defrauded its investors with fake information—that was fascinating work.

The background of knowledge I gained in the MS in Finance program is an asset as a research associate because I understand the information I'm uncovering and I can relate it easily to my clients' goals.

Q: What advice would you give prospective students who are considering D'Amore-McKim?

A: The MS in Finance degree makes it possible to work in many different industries, and this program has absolute advantages over others in terms of future employment. The 360 Huntington Fund gives you experience you can't get anywhere else. The Graduate Career Center not only helps you find the right mentor, but they also help you develop your communication skills and professionalism. This program helped me tap my potential and prepared me to seize more opportunities.

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