Hello, dear friends and family at GPO and Olin! I’m HuiJiao Wang, a proud new alumnus of Olin from the MBA Class of 2023, having graduated in May. Some of you may recognize me for my glittering outfit in Olin Hall, or as the recipient of the Dean’s Award for Corporate Social Responsibility and the Knight Scholar of the Year. I’ve also had the honor of serving as the former President of the Olin Technology Club and as the GBSA VP of Social Programs, where I brought back the MBA formal. These achievements represent facets of my identity that I am truly proud of, thanks to the opportunities provided by Olin. However, my journey before Olin has taken an unconventional path.
I grew up in a “small” Eastern China city called Wuxi with a 7.2 million population. Coming from a disadvantaged economic background, I didn’t have the luxury of an individual room, bathroom, or kitchen until I moved to Shanghai at the age of 24. Despite growing up in a 140-square-foot home shared with my parents, my diverse interests shaped my upbringing and provided avenues for dreams.
Guided by my interests, I did a dual degree in computer science and financial engineering when I was in college as a first-generation college graduate. Afterward, I pursued a teaching career driven by my desire to help every student discover their own unique interests and aspirations.
After nearly three years in my teaching career, I came to the realization that my family required additional financial support. To pursue better economic opportunities, I made the decision to relocate to Shanghai. Initially, I entered the sales functionality and experienced encouraging results. Motivated by this favorable outcome, I took a leap of faith and established my own business, Eloquence, a boutique English debate, and public speaking studio in Shanghai. It was such a transformative experience as it allowed me to affirm my identity as an entrepreneur and witness the continuous growth of my brainchild. Moreover, being an entrepreneur finally granted me the financial security that had eluded me in the past. However, in early 2020, both my professional journey and personal life took an unforeseen turn.
After taking my parents on their first trip outside of China to Thailand, I proceeded to St. Louis for a month-long visit for my in-laws. However, it was when the COVID pandemic began to take over the globe, leaving me stranded in the United States unexpectedly. What was initially intended as a short visit turned into an unintentional relocation? Once again, I found myself needing to reassess and reestablish my life. It was at this pivotal moment, in late 2020, that the decision to pursue an MBA emerged, and I am immensely grateful for having made the choice to join Olin.
Thanks to this decision, in the summer of 2022, I had a blast interning at IBM in the windy city of Chicago. Thanks to this decision, I and my class had the fortune to explore Washington D.C., Barcelona, Paris, and Santiago de Chile in a 5-week-long academic journey. A shout-out to all GPO staff who enabled this multi-continent trip. Thanks to this decision, for the last MBA semester, I embarked on a semester abroad at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, representing Olin MBA, which proved to be one of the most rewarding decisions I made throughout my MBA journey. Not only did I forge friendships (including the baristas at the cafe I frequented), but I also relished the diverse and delicious culinary experiences in this vibrant food capital of Asia: Imagine the barbecue restaurants tucked away in the streets and alleys of Seoul, promptly opening their doors at 5 pm each day, as the irresistible aroma fills the air, enveloping the surrounding streets even after the stroke of midnight. Thanks to this decision, I am finally living my childhood dream of being a global citizen. At Olin, I was granted the autonomy to design my own journey, and with each step, I exceeded my expectations.
Yet once again, these experiences are only part of my identity. Alongside this journey, I maintained other aspects of myself, such as my habit of reading, and my dedication to learning languages (currently mastering three and a half languages, with more to come). More excitedly, I cultivated my passion for clothes design, tailoring, beading, and embroidery through the pieces I created.
Now that I have graduated, I am delightfully planning another trip to Asia, this time to Vietnam, China, and Japan, before turning to the new chapter of my life: moving up to Chicago and returning to IBM full-time as Senior Brand Sales. I am deeply grateful to the individuals I have met at Olin, especially the incredible professors and GPO staff who gave me unwavering support, encouragement, and guidance that helped me grow into a better version of myself. Looking back 10 years ago, I never could have imagined being where I am today. Sometimes life and career can be a winding path, deviating from the straight path we envision. Despite the external constraints that still surround us, the key lies in leveraging our own agency and maximizing our capabilities to unleash our full potential and shape our paths into our desired reality. As I look ahead, I am filled with confidence and excitement for the opportunities that are on the horizon.
