Q&A with Assured Business Student May Chang

Today we have a Q&A with May Chang, a sophomore from Plainsboro, NJ who is a student in the Assured Admission program in the Kenan-Flagler Business School. The Assured Business program is one of nine special opportunities that we offer to enrolling first-year students. (Get more info about these opportunities in this blog post from last year.) Thank you, May, for sharing your experiences with us!

Camel Riding in Dubai

How did you choose to study business and what would you like to do with your degree?
In high school, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study, I only knew what I didn’t want to study. Eventually I realized that I wanted to do business because I liked interacting with people, and knew business was applicable to everything and was a necessary skill not only for jobs, but also for managing personal finances.

As I was exposed to the business school at UNC, I discovered that I wanted to focus on marketing and finance; I’m interested in how people think and how their backgrounds, values, and beliefs impact their purchasing decisions, and enjoy working with numbers. As of now, I only have a hazy idea of what I would like to do after graduation – I’m considering working within a marketing or finance department of a corporation then branching out to international locations, and later use my business knowledge and apply it to a job within the U.S. government. As I go through my studies, I feel that my classes and experiences will help better shape what I want to do with my degree.

What are some of the benefits of being in the Assured Business program?
The best thing about being in the Assured Admit Program is the early exposure to Kenan-Flagler’s culture and community through the classes, the professors, and the students. I had the opportunity to take classes at KFBS early on and loved interacting with business school professors as well as learning about the different aspects of business, which solidified my desire to study business. You can’t put a numerical value to how beneficial the early exposure is – you can see the intelligence and drive that the students possess and attend the social and professional events that KFBS hosts. Because I was an Assured Admit, I was able to establish a connection and relationship with KFBS early on in my undergraduate year.

KFBS Undergraduate Business Symposium

As an Assured Admit, I was required to take two business school classes specifically organized for first-year students to teach us about the different areas of business. We not only learned about what business was, but also about ourselves – what our strengths and weaknesses were, how we could improve our public speaking skills, and how we could develop as a leader. There were several workshops that I participated in to develop my hard and soft skills, as well as to go over my resume. Mr. Mur’ray, the head of undergraduate business, brought in several speakers from companies as well which was quite interesting.

Being an Assured Admit also allows you to participate in some KFBS activities that normal first-years and sophomores can’t do such as the Global Immersion Electives and Undergraduate Business Symposium. You also are able to start working on the core curriculum for the business major as early as fall semester sophomore year.


Any study abroad, internships, or other interesting experiences you’ve had or plan to pursue?

KFBS Students at Dubai Media Center

As an Assured Admit, I had the opportunity to participate in one of Kenan-Flagler Business School’s Global Immersion Elective (GIE) Programs as a first-year student. Last semester, I traveled with 30 other business school students to Dubai and Abu Dhabi over spring break to study business in the Middle East.

It was a truly fantastic educational and travel experience – it was amazing to see how rapidly Dubai and Abu Dhabi are growing and the amount of modernization that has occurred in Middle Eastern business practices and the city scape.

We met with several prominent companies in the area, including Emirates Airlines, and heard their executives speak about their companies’ growth and future goals. In my free time, I went to the beach, sampled some of the different restaurants, went on a scavenger hunt around the entire city, rode a camel, and went dune bashing and sand boarding. I had a great time bonding with my peers and learning about Middle Eastern culture. Next fall, I plan on studying abroad for a semester because I believe that it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you only get when you’re at college.

One of the things I do on campus is represent General Mills as their Campus Ambassador. I act as a liaison between the company’s headquarters and recruiting team and UNC, letting students and staff understand who General Mills is, what they do as a company, and what opportunities they offer for undergraduate students. It is one of the best jobs I have had at Carolina and has given me an incredible amount of exposure to General Mills. I organize information sessions and work at the career fairs throughout the school year. I also give out free samples across campus and am known as the “General Mills girl”!

UNC Club XC Women -- Southeast Regional Champions

One of the best things about Carolina is that there are so many exciting opportunities to pursue and activities to try out – you just have to be proactive about it. I’ve built an strong base here at Carolina with the Club Cross country team, UNC Campus Recreation, and the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity just to name a few.

What else would you tell prospective students who are considering Carolina?
If you’re hesitant, come to Carolina and get a tour or better yet, reach out to a student who is pursuing something that interests you and spend the day with them – go to their classes, walk with them to wherever they are going, and grab a meal with them. That way, you really get a feel of what it’s like to be a part of the Carolina community. Make sure that you not only fit Carolina, but Carolina fits you. In the end, it is you, not your parents or friends, that will be at this amazing university for the next four years. Also, take the time to enjoy and have fun during your senior year of high school – don’t stress too much!

Q&A with an Assured Business Student

Over the next couple weeks, I'll be sharing some Q&As with students who are taking part in some of the special opportunities that we offer to enrolling first-year students. (Get more info about these opportunities in this blog post from last year.) Today, we welcome Myles Robinson, a sophomore who is a part of the Assured Business Program offered by the Kenan-Flagler Business School. 

How did you choose to study business and what would you like to do with your degree?
I was selected as a member of the Assured Admission Program during my freshman year. I'd like to concentrate in marketing and use my degree to work in the sports business industry. My ultimate goal is to become a marketing executive for an NBA franchise.

What are some of the benefits of being in the Assured Business program?
The biggest benefit of being in the program is the network one is able to build early in his or her academic career. Students have the ability to not only engage with Kenan-Flagler faculty and staff during their first year but also benefit from their peers in the Assured Admission class, who are some of the most talented young business leaders at Carolina. Through the various career and professional development sessions offered through the program, I’ve been able to discover my leadership capabilities and move in a positive direction in pursuit of my short-term and long-term goals.

Any study abroad, internships, or other interesting experiences you’ve had or plan to pursue?
As a member of the Minority Business Student Alliance (MBSA), a club with the Kenan-Flagler Business School, I was in charge of a six-person committee during my first year. Our team was instructed with creating a program catered to freshman students interested in gaining acceptance into the Kenan-Flagler Business School. With the help of my committee members and the utilization of my social media marketing skills on Facebook and Twitter, I was able to attract more than 75 freshman students to a standing-room only venue.

Moreover, the Assured Admission Program has afforded me the opportunity to stay abroad in Costa Rica during spring break and China during the summer. Lastly, I worked as a financial analyst intern for the Charlotte Bobcats (NBA team) during the summer.

What else would you tell prospective students who are considering Carolina?
When I began applying to prospective schools, UNC’s dedication to diversity and familial atmosphere attracted me the most. Although other schools may have African American, Asian American, Latin American, Native American, and Hispanics represented on their campus, I don’t think they integrate these groups like UNC does. The Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs intentionally recruits and targets minorities who are first generation college students and come from low income and rural backgrounds to come to campus.

But diversity here isn’t limited to race and/or socioeconomic condition. There’s a diversity of thought as well as background and geography. Whether I walk across the pit or walk into the Student Union for a quick study break, I constantly see students of different ethnicities and backgrounds intermingling with each other. So much of what people at Carolina learn, I’m discovering, they learn through their interrelations with one another. Having diversity on campus from students of such assorted backgrounds enhances the overall learning experience. Since day one, my feelings about the people here and the overall campus vibe haven’t changed. I think it’s important for prospective students to understand they really can find their own niche here at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Traveling the World through GLOBE

Today we welcome Kristine Leary, a business major who has just returned from studying abroad through the GLOBE program. 

In the past year I have traveled to 22 countries. I have made a presentation in front of executives from one of the largest companies in Europe. I have worked on teams comprised of students from three top universities on three different continents. Most importantly, I have built a network of friends and colleagues that spans from the US to Europe to Asia and back again.

While all of this might sound like something from the life of an international businessman, it was all a part of my life as an international business student with Kenan-Flagler’s GLOBE (Global Learning Opportunities in Business Education Program). This collaboration between UNC, Copenhagen Business School, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong is one of a kind in the world of undergraduate business. Lasting three semesters, the program selects 15 students from each university to live and study first in Copenhagen, then in Hong Kong, and finally in Chapel Hill. Over the course of these 18 months, this international cohort of students learns about the unique business environment in the host country and what it is like to work on multicultural teams.

Perhaps even more important than the coursework, however, GLOBE students get the unique possibility to see the world from a new perspective through the friendships built with their international counterparts and through the travel opportunities the program affords. There are few things as transformative to a person’s point of view as international travel, and international travel with international students by your side provides an even more insightful experience.

While GLOBE is a program demanding academic excellence, the students, especially the Americans, come from all walks of life. In my group there some students who had already traveled the world when GLOBE began and for some it was the first time leaving the country. Two are international students. We have double majors ranging from philosophy to religious studies to mathematics. By any definition of the word, we are diverse. But what we have in common is the quality that is most important when applying to the GLOBE program: we all have a genuine curiosity about the world, a desire to better understand what is beyond our borders.

When I started at Carolina three years ago, I knew I wanted to study abroad, but I never dreamed that I would have the opportunity to study in both Europe and Asia. I never imagined that I would call students from Denmark and Hong Kong my best friends. I never could have known how much I would learn and how many places I would visit over the course of a year. And I never thought it would become such an integral part of shaping who I am today. So I urge any business student to whom this sounds appealing to apply for GLOBE, because you never know where it might take you.

Carolina Wants Your Big Ideas!

The Town of Chapel Hill recently authorized a step forward in its plan to develop and retain local talent in downtown Chapel Hill. On May 30, the Town announced its partnership with the University, Orange County, the Downtown Partnership, and 3 Birds Marketing, which relocates the growing firm to a new space on West Franklin and repurposes their current building as a joint use meeting space for local entrepreneurs. As a part of the agreement, 3 Birds Marketing, which employs a number of Carolina graduates (some of whom started as paid interns) will play an advisory role for the accelerator site.

Carolina’s role in the agreement is still being finalized. During a chat with Ted Zoller, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at UNC, he described the University’s vision for the accelerator site as “a place where students can test and experiment with start-up ideas and have the opportunity to launch businesses on the University’s doorstep.”

As a result of UNC’s Innovate@Carolina initiative, UNC has developed a rich ecosystem for entrepreneurship with a robust set of courses and programs to support starting new businesses. Carolina offers an undergraduate minor in entrepreneurship as well as an entrepreneurship concentration through UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. UNC also hosts the CarolinaChallenge, a year-long student-led venture competition, and Launching the Venture, a series of courses helping students, faculty, and staff launch social and commercial ventures.

Concerning the accelerator, Ted adds: “Students already have a great experience on campus, where they learn the ropes of building businesses, now we will have a proving ground to test ideas. We envision a program to support students and provide work space where training and action can all come together.”

It appears Carolina may soon have a home for new social and commercial business development, so bring your big ideas!

Chat with Business Majors Tomorrow

Interested in learning more about studying business at Carolina? Join us tomorrow for an online chat with students in the BSBA program in the Kenan-Flagler Business School. You can get all your questions answered--about the curriculum, internships and other real-world experiences, study abroad programs, career placement, and more.

We'll also be available to discuss Assured Enrollment in Business.

Click here to join us online tomorrow (11/18) from 7:00 until 8:30 pm Eastern Time. We look forward to chatting with you!