Why did you choose to come to the University of Wisconsin Nicholas program?
I have long been attracted to the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a preeminent university which enjoys a global reputation in many fields. Out of the several Big-Ten MBA programs that offered me full scholarships, I selected UW because I was impressed by its "real-world" focus and was attracted to the Nicholas Center because of its unique position as the first program in the nation to train students in applied corporate finance. I also wanted to enroll in a program that would provide personal support to students. The Nicholas Center for Corporate Finance and Investment Banking was exactly what I was looking for.
| Sheldon Liu Nicholas 2006 |
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| Liberty Mutual |
What are your career objectives?
My long-term career objective is to head the China office of a global financial institution. Luckily, with the help from the Nicholas Center, I have made one solid step toward this goal by landing a job in January with a Fortune 150 financial service firm in its leadership program, which will expatriate me to my home country after several years' leadership rotation both in the USA and around the world.
Did you have prior work experience in finance?
Prior to graduate study, I worked for HSBC Bank's China Office in its Banker Development Program as Credit Risk Executive. I had the opportunity to rotate in both Personal Banking and Corporate Banking departments.
What has surprised you about Nicholas?
I was extremely impressed by the close-knit environment of the Nicholas Center and the personal support from the team. I am particularly grateful to Cindie, the director of Nicholas, who guided me throughout my job hunting and helped me in negotiating with my intern employer to delay the internship to accommodate my family issues.
What has been your most rewarding experience during the MBA process?
I had valuable opportunities participating in four real-world corporate finance projects under the guidance of our academic advisor, Professor Jim Seward, who is an expert in both theory and practice. The projects, ranging from Fortune 500 firms to startups in size, and from manufacturing to hedge fund in nature, provided me with hands-on experience of analyzing problems from different perspectives, gathering data from multiple sources, discussing with teammates from various backgrounds, and presenting confidently to the management of project sponsors.
What's your favorite thing to do in Madison?
Madison is known for its beautiful scenes, and one of my favorite things is to have drinks and talk with friends on the Memorial Union Terrace by Lake Mendota.
Why recommend Nicholas (especially for international students)?
In terms of reputation and employment records, there is little difference among dozens of non-top-15 MBA programs. It is essential to pick a hidden gem that will offer similar learning experiences and career opportunities as those top-10 schools. UW Madison's Nicholas program is such a choice. The staff are similarly committed, the faculty are similarly talented, the program is similarly well-thought, and most importantly, the four international students of Nicholas this year have all landed excellent jobs comparable to top-10 schools.
What would I have done differently in my first year?
I should have worked even harder in the two applied finance courses taught by Professor Mello. I should have been more willing to work on black and white data. I was at first unaccustomed to this and thus tended to avoid making tough decisions based on limited information in those case studies. But this is actually the way top financial firms work. I am glad that through these demanding courses I have improved my ability to tackle ambiguity more confidently.
Tell us a little about your internship experience.
I interned at the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), a leading technology commercialization institution in the nation. My main responsibility was to build financial valuation models to value technologies and products to facilitate their commercialization. I also conducted due diligence on discount rates for multiple industries and evaluated an internal start-up equity anti-dilution model. It was an exciting experience to endeavor something brand new to me.
More Featured Alumni Interviews |
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| Sheldon Liu (2006) | Rachel Nielsen (2006) | ||