Minyu Ma
Hello, everyone! I am Minyu Ma, and I am currently pursuing a Master of Science in Finance – Wealth and Asset Management Track. I am thrilled to have this chance to share my past experiences, current passions, and future goals with you.Eight years ago, a boy who was barely able to order his favorite flavor ice cream (“Can I have this and that?”), stepped out of an airplane and entered an unfamiliar world. That boy was me back in high school. I spent seven years in the DMV area, mainly in Maryland, and went to a Quaker school called Sandy Spring Friends School for high school and the University of Maryland for a Bachelor’s Degree. I believe that finance best applies quantitative methods from mathematics and economic perspectives, so here I am at Olin Business School.
Recalling why I chose this path, the answer will be a tedious cliché if I say, “I want to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone.” I thought of studying abroad because I noticed that school life here is not studying 14 hours a day, seven days a week, from a summer camp in Los Angeles. “Finally, I can play basketball after school” was the idea that took the most place in my mind back then. Approaching the dream of being in the NBA was seeded in the head that was too young and too naïve. My passion for basketball has driven me to put in more sweat and effort. However, all I got in return was becoming a bench player on the varsity team, and my school’s grades dropped hard. Sometimes, the dream is not meant to be reachable. However, I would say no if people asked me whether I regretted it because I developed a personality of patience, persistence, and outgoingness. Along the way, I made many friends and improved my English. I shared this with you because starting a career we dreamed about has always been hard. Although the plans do not always follow our will, we keep trying because there will be underlying benefits besides the main objectives.
This Summer, I got an internship in the Equity Research Department. From this internship, I not only applied the knowledge I had previously learned, such as the bond market and stock market reactions to the recent changes in expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts but also observed the market’s shift in attitude towards the concept of “bad news is good news” to “bad news is bad news.” Because I am strongly interested in the stock market, this internship, combined with my experiences this summer, has given me further insights into the overall market. I hope that in the future, I will interpret the cycles of the market more clearly and the causal relationships between the fluctuations of various asset prices.
In addition to fulfilling graduation requirements and searching for job opportunities, my current hobbies include sports, photography, and traveling. A healthy body allows me to maintain a positive mood and face challenges with an optimistic attitude while reducing the likelihood of illness. Traveling enables me to learn more about people, cultures, and nature. If I have the opportunity, I would love to travel worldwide and capture all the beautiful moments with my camera.
