About Me

Hi! My name is Anna, and I’m a graduate from the University of Chicago with a degree in Political Science. I am originally from Guangdong, but immigrated with my mom to Canada in elementary school. Since then, I have lived in North America, bouncing back and forth between the United States and Canada until I decided to come back to China for grad school. I originally had ambitions of becoming an academic after graduating from boarding school, but quickly decided the sterility of academia wasn’t for me. In college, I was a founding member of one of the country’s largest student-run policy think tanks; was involved in pro-bono consulting; and dabbled in economic research.

During my summers, I interned with Chinese financial institutions to gain a better understanding of the markets here. Most of my family is still in China, so coming back to develop professionally is something I’d always wanted. In my spare time, I enjoy hiking, volunteering with various causes that I find interesting, and hunting down new museums and restaurants around the city with my friends.

My Way to Finance and EMF Program

Having been an exchange student at Peking University, I was sure that I wanted to return to China after graduating. One of my classmates from elementary school told me about the EMF program. At the time, I was deciding between law school and recruiting for a consulting position after graduation, but neither option offered me a clear path to return to China, where the markets are much more vibrant. I enjoyed my internships in finance, but at the time of my enrollment, my school did not offer an undergraduate curriculum in finance specifically.

I was looking for a master’s program that would teach me not only the theoretics of finance but also the on-the-ground realities of the Asian financial markets. I liked that EMF’s curriculum placed a heavier emphasis on application than theory. I was also attracted to the diversity of its students’ backgrounds, which was definitely something that drove me away from Mandarin-speaking programs.

Being Seen and Catered to

The application process was a breeze to navigate thanks to the Admission Manager’s prompt responses to my many questions. Though I am not formally registered yet, I have already benefited profusely from the Professional Development Center’s many services, including an investment banking bootcamp and the many resources shared by the team. Here I’d like to give a huge shoutout to our Career Counselor, with whom I’ve had very personal conversations about how to best structure my career going forward.

Despite not being physically present in Shanghai yet – given the current visa restrictions – Our Class Manager has made all of us feel at home with one another with the events she’s hosted, as well as the intimate advice she dispensed when I shared with her my fears and expectations surrounding the program. The EMF team made me feel very welcome from the very beginning of my application process to the post-acceptance programming, and I truly feel as though my personal goals and concerns are seen and catered to. I’m definitely looking forward to beginning my classes in September, whether they be in-person or online.

Future Expectations

I’m very privileged to have the opportunity to attend EMF in my pursuit of a career in financial services. As I do not have an academic background in finance, I expect the first semesters to be challenging as I catch up to the rest of the class in mastering the technical aspects. At this point, I’d like to first investigate some different careers in financial services before deciding on an industry to specialize in. Outside of my studies, Shanghai has some of the best food and culture China has to offer, so I’m expecting my down time to be filled with adventures! Perhaps the aspect I’m most excited about is meeting my classmates from around the world, with whom I will embark on my professional journey going forward. Ultimately, I’m expecting the next two years to be professionally enriching and filled with hard work, but not without their share of fun and friendship.