A ClearView from Alumni

ClearView Prep Website A Collection of Insights from Alumni to Give You a ClearView. new TWTR.Widget({ version: 2, type: 'profile', rpp: 4, interval: 30000, width: 250, height: 300, theme: { shell: { background: '#2e2d2e', color: '#ffffff' }, tweets: { background: '#ffffff', color: '#211d21', links: '#040e7a' } }, features: { scrollbar: true, loop: false, live: false, behavior: 'all' } }).render().setUser('ClearViewAlumni').start(); Want to Contribute Your Experiences from your Alma Mater? Click here and get some major brownie points from ClearView! var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-28656802-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();

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5 Key Questions Answered from a UC Irvine International Relations Grad



Alum:  Anthony Kunihiro 

Class of:  2003

University:  UC Irvine

Major:  International Relations

Degree:  BA

Current Title:  Principal Consultant, Epiport Communications

1. What do you love most about your experience at school?

The academic experience was enriching with passionate professors and lecturers with diverse cultural, academic, industrial, and geographical experience. Although majority of the student body at UC Irvine are from California, a relatively large percentage of them are from immigrant families or are immigrants themselves who continue to have ties with their motherland.

2. What was an unexpected surprise you found out about your school after you got there?

10 weeks go by extremely quickly. That's the duration of each quarter at UC Irvine and it actually provides more flexibility to add additional courses or add new majors/minors. That's how I added the Management and Computer Science minors into my curriculum.

3. What challenge(s) did you face while attending your school?

  Overcrowding. Registering for classes and actually getting a seat was a challenge each quarter. There was one quarter where I had 3 random classes registered just to be retain full-time status, and waitlist 5 other classes during the first week of the quarter hoping to get a seat. Being persistent and attending these lectures continuously (while hoping for other students to drop out of the class), I usually end up with the classes I've registered.

4. What would you tell yourself if you were a 1st year all over again?

I would have socialized more. As important as the courses are, a large part of the academic experience that actually makes a difference in one's future is going to be largely determined by those he/she meets. Try out the clubs, fraternities, events, etc. If it takes too much time out of one's study time, gradually drop out of them but keep the enriching friendships forged. One other thing: EAP (Study abroad program). While UC Irvine's student body is mostly domestic, one can gain world-class international experience with top academic institutions overseas for up to a year and meet interesting new friends who hail from all over the world who could make a significant impact in your life and even career mobility. I would have done it.

5. How has your school changed your life?

Deciding how to piece my academic background of International Relations, Management, and Computer Science together, I realized that it would make sense to go abroad and begin my career overseas since I didn't realize the importance of building international ties by studying abroad during the earlier years of my education. Thus, I started submitting resumes mainly to companies with offices in Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore with the goal of living and working in Asia. After 3 years of university education, I set foot with a new job in Singapore, not knowing a single soul. It was the best decision in career preparation that I've made.

P.S.

There was no Business Administration major during my days in college. Several years after graduating, I found out that UC Irvine has since added the program into the curriculum.

Favorite Book in College:

Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life - Spencer Johnson, M.D.(Kindle Edition)

Favorite Song in College:

What's Luv? (Fat Joe Featuring Ja-Rule & Ashanti) (Explicit Album Version)

Anthony Kunihiro is a Japanese-American from Los Angeles who is the founder of Epiport Communications (Marketing Research, Strategy, and Technology Consulting). His interests lie in Marketing, following business trends, web technology, new dining experiences, wine, and traveling. He primarily eats, sleeps, works, and plays in Tokyo and Singapore, however he can also be seen in other Asian cities from time to time.

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Alumnus of the Year 2012

ERIC SCHMIDT

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science M.S. '79, Ph.D. '82 | Executive Chairman, Google

Eric Schmidt remembers himself as "a very nerdy student." But his years in the computer science program at Berkeley set the stage for his eventual eminence in the digital present and future. Berkeley, he says today, offered "an unusual combination of some of the best theoreticians in the world, as well as very strong programs around making things happen, literally writing code to change the world." And that's just what he would go on to do: over the past decade—as CEO, and now executive chairman—Dr. Schmidt has helped Google grow from a Silicon Valley startup to a global leader in technology and information—and a household word. He is now responsible for the external matters of Google: building partnerships and broader business relationships, government outreach and technology thought leadership, and advising the CEO and senior leadership. A member of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, Dr. Schmidt, with wife Wendy, also administers The Eric Schmidt Family Foundation, which addresses issues of sustainability and the responsible use of natural resources. "It never would have occurred to me that I would be recognized by Berkeley for anything," Dr. Schmidt says about being honored as Alumnus of the Year. "You never know when you go to school how well you'll do, or what will happen after. One of the great things about Berkeley is that it puts together some of the smartest people in the world in interesting and odd ways—and magic happens." Photo courtesy of Google (via Alumnus of the Year 2012 | CAA)

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5 Key Questions Answered from a UC San Diego Economics Grad - ClearView from Alumni

Alum: Ian Nguyen

Class of: 2007

University: UC San Diego

Major: Economics

Degree: B.A.

Current Title: Analyst, Belvedere Investment Partners

1. What do you love most about your experience at school?

I loved the friendships I built. Some of these relationships have become a very integral part of my life presently and in the foreseeable future. My closest friend from UCSD was my co-worker and roommate after graduation, is currently my business partner in several ventures and is also an uncle to my daughter. The relationships I have garnered during my struggles and triumphs at UCSD are irreplaceable.

2. What was an unexpected surprise you found out about your school after you got there?

I did not anticipate the invaluable and diverse social and professional networks that I eventually built. UCSD’s plethora of interest groups provided an outlet of much needed diversity in an otherwise dry academic environment. It was also refreshing for me personally as I grew up in a relatively small isolated town (Chico, CA). I was fortunate enough to foster enduring relationships with people whom I had common interests and goals by joining various societies, clubs, associations etc. In particular, my unforgettable experience as a brother of the business fraternity of Delta Sigma Pi (Omicron Sigma Chapter) has led to life-long relationships. I even met my closest friend and business partner through the fraternity along with many others whom I actively stay in contact with today.

3. What challenge(s) did you face while attending your school?

The biggest challenge was the competitive environment of going to and coming from a public university that is outside of the top tier rankings of public universities and Ivy Leagues. Grades at UCSD are distributed on a bell-curve which is not only detrimental to GPAs but a disadvantage in comparison to more equitable grading systems of many private universities. This is important to the perspective of employers because getting a 4.0 GPA at UCSD could be comparable to a 3.0 GPA at top tier universities so anything less than that becomes border-line mediocre. From the start I had serious shortcomings to peers at more prestigious institutions. In hindsight, I erroneously did not front-load my achievements to get into a top-tier university. This thrust me into a punishing tertiary education grading process that compounded an arduous challenge for achievements to be able to compete with peers in top ranked universities. I would eventually achieve my end-goal but with less finesse than the more traditional path.

4. What would you tell yourself if you were a 1st year all over again?

I would tell myself to either (1) transfer to a more prestigious university before my third-year (i.e. UC Berkeley or UCLA) or (2) maximize all that UCSD has to offer to minimize the disadvantages to competing peers graduating from more esteemed universities. Elaborating further on the latter includes the following: declare the most prestigious major at UCSD (Bio-Engineering); Study abroad as many times as possible within a 4-year graduation schedule; actively participate in as many associations, clubs and societies etc. relevant to my career interests to build networks; intern in as many résumé / CV accretive opportunities as possible starting from the summer prior to freshman year until receiving an offer letter for the dream job; undertake applied graduate courses to work with a more mature peer group on practical team-work oriented projects; build relationships with all of my professors to have an edge on coursework and to possibly garner some “insurance” on exam mistakes; take practical courses to build the technical skill-sets of my future job to avoid employer doubt (i.e. write the CFA, take courses or self-learning training modules of Wall-street level valuation models, personally invest and actively manage a securities portfolio; actively participate in the UCSD Student Foundation Investment Committee which manages the Student Foundation endowment portfolio in equity and fixed-income securities); reach out to all successful alumni in careers that match my ambitions to get solid mentorship while leveraging their collective experience in successfully breaking-into their dream jobs.

5. How has your school changed your life?

UCSD indirectly impacted my life by challenging me to “think outside the box” in order to compete in the finance / investment banking industries against candidates with more favorable pedigrees. Without the infrastructure, guidance and powerful alumni networks of top-tier universities, I had to challenge myself as an underdog by seeking creative avenues to break into the finance industry. Examples of such include the following: I worked 20 - 40 hours per week at Citibank while still studying as a full-time student; I sought out and was awarded a scholarship grant to do research on Vietnam’ banking industry in Vietnam that ultimately helped me build a professional network of executives that I would eventually leverage in my career; While a brother at Delta Sigma Pi, I spearheaded the creation of a Corporate Relations Chair to facilitate corporate HR / recruiter relationships with UCSD which also gave me the opportunity and excuse to interact with corporate recruiters; I took graduate courses to build a network of experienced professionals aspiring to similar goals and gain insightful career preparation knowledge; I attended recruitment events at more prestigious universities in other cities to arrange opportunities to meet with recruiters of investment banks that ignore UCSD. From the process of attacking these various challenges, I continue to drive myself to persistently compete in the business and professional landscape with a tenacious passion. This has ultimately led to my relatively unconventional and contrarian personality that fits well with the eccentricity of a hedge fund career and the constant creative-destructive process of entrepreneurship.

P.S.

In 2004 after my freshman year, I went to Singapore and then Vietnam on my first Asia trip and was fascinated in the juxtaposing economic development. I wanted to better understand the processes of how frontier economies emerge into developed nations. Although the Economics discipline is academic and even borderline controversial it provided the base framework for how I interpret the tectonic geo-political shifts in the world.

Favorite Book in College & Recommended:

The Private Life of Chairman Mao - Dr. Li Zhisui(Kindle Edition)

Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets - Nassim Nicholas Taleb(Kindle Edition)

Favorite Song in College:

Yeah! - Usher   

Presently Ian Nguyen is an Analyst for Belvedere Investment Partners LLP (UK), an FSA regulated hedge fund manager (AUM US$ 100m) currently employing a long / short equity strategy in Southeast Asian markets. He joined the fund in 2011 and is currently the only investment professional based in Singapore where he provides direct input into investment decisions of long and short equity positions through bottom-up fundamental research on companies and sectors as well as analyzing derivatives hedging strategies. Ian is also a Board Member, Strategic Financial Adviser, a significant minority shareholder and co-founder of Euro International (Vietnam) via Dynatrade Limited (HK), a lifestyle products importer, distributor and retailer with 6 exclusive brands, ~30 wholly-owned retail locations in department stores / malls, >50 third-party retailers, a supermarket network of >150, and employs over 100 staff where he currently spearheads capital raising efforts, advises on financial control processes and market expansion opportunities in Southeast Asia. Prior to joining Belvedere Investment Partners, Ian was Vice President of D2 Capital Partners (Vietnam, an investment advisory partnership co-founded in 2009 with former senior executives of Merrill Lynch and CIBC / Oppenheimer focused on M&A and Private Equity transactions where he led a team of associates and analysts on deal execution and industry research in a multitude of industries as well as managing relationships with the Southeast Asia Heads of regional / global Private Equity GP managers. From 2008 - 2009 Ian was a Senior Associate in the Institutional Client Group's Sales & Trading desk at TVS Securities (Vietnam) executing brokerage services to institutional clients as well as principle investment transactions in equity and fixed income securities. Before joining TVS, Ian was a Management Associate at Citigroup (Vietnam) as a dealer on the EM Fixed Income, Currencies & Commodities desk where he executed currency trades (spot and forward) and structured currency and interest rate derivatives products (i.e. options, swaps) for the bank’s clients.

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5 Key Questions Answered from a University of Toronto East Asian Studies Grad - ClearView from Alumni

Alum:  David Tien

Class of:  1999, 2001

University: University of Toronto

Major: East Asian Studies

Degree: B.A., M.A.

Current Title:  Director, Aura Dating Academy

1. What do you love most about your experience at school?

The diversity. You could take classes in pretty much anything. In fact, I couldn't find a course that was offered anywhere else in North America for which there was no equivalent at the U-Toronto, except maybe Klingon language. They are one of the very few universities in North America offering two full years of courses in Classical Chinese, for instance. U- Toronto also has the largest university libraries in the world. As well, you're right in the middle of the city of Toronto with major subway stations at each corner of the campus.

2. What was an unexpected surprise you found out about your school after you got there?

That most of the students were commuters who ride the subway home after classes. Hence, there's not much campus spirit, especially on the weekends or after dark. But that's not much of a problem since you're right in the middle of a great urban center.

3. What challenge(s) did you face while attending your school?

Maybe the lack of funding compared to an Ivy League school. But really, not much to complain about.

4. What would you tell yourself if you were a 1st year all over again?

Take a greater diversity of courses instead of specializing so early. There are so many things you can learn from a huge university like U-Toronto.

5. How has your school changed your life?

The University of Toronto is widely recognized as the best university in Canada. They are able to attract a lot of the top scholars in the world to teach there. That offered me excellent opportunities for networking.

P.S.

If you are going to graduate school, I highly recommend you apply for a fellowship at Massey College. It is really the creme de la creme at U-Toronto. And the perks are worth the membership fees. Plus, it's easily the best dormitory anywhere in Canada.

Favorite Song in College:

The Girl From Ipanema - Stan Getz

After graduating from the University of Toronto, David Tien went on to complete his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan. He was a tenure-track assistant professor of philosophy at the National University of Singapore before resigning to take up his post as Director of Aura Dating Academy.



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5 Key Questions Answered from a USC Electrical Engineering / Political Science Grad - ClearView from Alumni



Alum: Stephen

Class of:  2005

University: University of Southern California

Major: Electrical Engineering/Political Science

Degree: B.S./B.A.

Current Title: Attorney

1. What do you love most about your experience at school?

The opportunity to learn about any subject you choose. The freedom to take classes in various subject areas. As well as the opportunity to interact with students from around the world.

2. What was an unexpected surprise you found out about your school after you got there?

The fact that USC encouraged you to take classes outside of your concentration and allowed opportunities both on-campus and off-campus to explore those interest.

3. What challenge(s) did you face while attending your school?

Balancing studying, working and social life.

4. What would you tell yourself if you were a 1st year all over again?

Get into a routine where you can set aside blocks of time for studying and working. Have realistic expectations on how long tasks should take and set that time aside to accomplish it. Make sure to get plenty of exercise as it helps your concentration and gives you extra energy to get more done.

5. How has your school changed your life?

College made me more open-minded and well rounded. I developed interests in areas I had little to no knowledge about. Even seemingly useless bits of information do become someday relevant in your daily and professional life.

Favorite Book in College:

Slaughterhouse-Five: A Novel - Kurt Vonnegut  (Kindle Edition)

   Favorite Song in College:

Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division  

Stephen currently is a practicing attorney licensed in California and New York. He practice customs and international trade law as well as white collar criminal defense.



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5 Key Questions Answered from a Cal Business Administration/Economics Grad - A ClearView from Alumni



Alum:  Andrew Lee

Class of:  2005

University: University of California, Berkeley

Major:  Economics, Business Administration 

Degree:  Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science

Current Title: Sr. Analyst, Hyflux

1. What do you love most about your experience at school?

I loved learning how to think. In high school, so much of coursework is memorization and test-taking, with very little critical thinking and problem solving. At Berkeley, I was really humbled to discover that there is a distinct difference between simply acquiring knowledge and being a smart thinker. But I was grateful to be surrounded by so many people who were driven to be intellectually better, and who truly appreciated the difference between a good grade and learning how to think.

2. What was an unexpected surprise you found out about your school after you got there?

I was really surprised by how vibrant the culture is in Berkeley. Coming from San Diego where there is not much of a culture, Berkeley was definitely quite different. It really feels like a college town, and one that tries to keep alive the spirit that made it so notorious during the civil rights era.

3. What challenge(s) did you face while attending your school?

I think this may be true for any public university, but the biggest challenge was really learning to be independent. Class sizes freshman year can be up to 600-700 people. Dorms are only guaranteed one year, so you have to find an apartment after that (which also means finding your own food). So you have to struggle to pave your own way. No professor is going to hand hold you. No one is going to care if you don't attend classes. No one is going to provide food or lodging for you. Berkeley really makes you grow up and figure it out on your own.

4. What would you tell yourself if you were a 1st year all over again?

I'm not sure if there's anything to tell. Just enjoy college. There really isn't another time like it, where you're away from your parents for the first time, and surrounded by so many new and interesting people. And hopefully in a setting that is completely different from the one you grew up in. It's a perfect time to grow and mature as a person, while making lots of mistakes that turn you into the person you'll eventually become.

5. How has your school changed your life?

I think Berkeley has shaped the way I approach life, because it has had such a big influence on how I think and how I interact with people. I think that's why a public school may hold an advantage over smaller, private institutions. Sure, Harvard and Stanford may have better networks for one's career, but I think the life experience of Berkeley is just incredible. I know people who went to those elite private institutions and the prism in which they see the world is somewhat myopic, particularly because they were taken care of for four years (and usually in a somewhat homogeneous environment). Large public universities require you to interact with people from a variety of backgrounds and it challenges you to think in different ways. It's what has brought me to Singapore, to take on a challenge of something new and different. I think it gives you the ability to see the world in a much wider lens.

Favorite Book in College:

Bridge to Terabithia - Katherine Paterson (Kindle Edition)

Favorite Song in College:

Anytime - Brian McKnight 

Andrew Lee is currently a senior analyst at Hyflux Ltd, a water management company headquartered in Singapore. Andrew works on the investment team where he analyzes, structures, and negotiates business development opportunities. Prior to coming to Singapore, Andrew worked as an Associate at CE2 Capital Partners, an investment firm based in San Diego. At CE2, Andrew anaylzed investment opportunities in the carbon and renewable energy markets. Before joining CE2, Andrew worked in valuing natural gas infrastructure projects at Sempra Energy. Andrew went to Sempra from JPMorgan Private Bank, where he evaluated investment portfolios for ultra-high-net-worth clients.

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5 Key Questions Answered from a Cornell Biomedical Engineering MEng Grad - ClearView from Alumni

Alum: Khanh P. Dang

University: Cornell University

Class of: 2006

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Degree:  M.Eng.

Current Title:  PhD Candidate, Singapore MIT Alliance

1. What do you love most about your experience at school?

What I loved most about Cornell was the atmosphere and environment conducive to learning and growth. With nature all around, large trees and gorges (ITHACA is GORGES!), you feel a part of a great university that follow's the motto: "an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.”

The MEng program offered an intense deep understanding of the field and the bonds made with classmates are life long.

2. What was an unexpected surprise you found out about your school after you got there?

There is nothing close by. NYC is a 5 hour bus ride. There really is nothing... it's just a small town.

3. What challenge(s) did you face while attending your school?

The cold and overcast skies were a challenge to get over. Being from California, I wasn't use to such weather. It was very difficult sometimes to get out of bed and go to class or lab.

4. What would you tell yourself if you were a 1st year all over again?

Enjoy the local restaurants more. There is so much good food all around and qualities that can only be found from upstate New York.

5. How has your school changed your life?

Cornell University is a distinguished institution with genuine people and superb character. The MEng was a stepping stone for me to learn specific skills more in depth and from a different perspective. The quality was second to none.

The relationships I've made through alumni have been amazing especially with regards to students who've attended Johnson School of Management and the Hotel School. It's great to know people who are industry leaders as well as proprietors of in F&B and hotels.

GO BIG RED!

Khanh P. Dang is currently a PhD Candidate in the Singapore-MIT Alliance. He's passionate about developing technologies to help mankind and creating awesome experiences. He's well traveled and enjoys the company of quality people.