2011 John J. Peterson Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Bryan Chang is a fourth-year Business-Economics Student with a Minor in Accounting and Specialization in Computing. Bryan was born and raised in Seoul, Korea and came to St. Paul, MN at the age of fifteen. During his junior and senior years of high school, he studied full-time at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, earning both college and high school credits at the same time. Then at UCLA, in addition to his schoolwork, Bryan’s passion in real estate, finance, and technology entrepreneurship led him to internships and extracurricular activities. Since his first year at UCLA, Bryan has held numerous internship positions at RCLCO, premier real estate advisory firm in century city, ISBX, mobile apps development start-up, Harbor Ridge Capital, boutique investment bank focused in the IT industry, and most recently, UBS Investment Bank in Technology Banking in San Francisco. Bryan has also actively been involved in the UCLA Business Council, Bruin Real Estate Association (BREA), and Alpha Kappa Psi (Business Fraternity).

Future Plans: After successful completion of an internship at UBS Investment Bank, Bryan has received and accepted a full-time offer to come back upon graduation. Before starting to work full-time, Bryan wants to keep exploring the world of entrepreneurship. He would also like to spend time learning computer languages and meeting/working with other entrepreneurs in LA. After a few years in technology banking in SF, Bryan is interested in advancing to Venture Capital or Growth Equity firms in SF, which he feels will enhance his networks to meet and learn entrepreneurs vastly. As a long-term goal, Bryan wishes to run an international business that affects and helps the daily life of people in the world, possibly in the field of real estate and IT, or a mix of two.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am sincerely honored and grateful to receive the John J. Peterson Scholarship for the 2011-2012 academic year. It is through such generous contributions and true altruism that I will be able to focus on my academics and career path. Due to my strong interest in business and entrepreneurship, this scholarship will not only allow me to continue my studies in this field, but will also further encourage me to explore this rewarding career path and unique experience with other aspiring business professionals. Particularly, it will allow me to be more engaged in entrepreneurship, which is what I hope to undertake during my last year at UCLA. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to John J. Peterson for this honor and support.