2011 Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting Recipient

Biography: Kenneth Choo was born the third child of Ronald and Heasook Choo on July 5, 1991. As a child, he loved to play video games, talk history with his father, and try to impress his teachers with his wit. He played basketball but was never very good because of his physical constitution. He picked up snowboarding at an early age, visited the beach whenever he could, and always enjoyed the company of friends and family. He laughed readily, ate seldom, and enjoyed getting in trouble at times. Although rather smart, he was stubborn, prideful, and frank. He was also a bit closed minded, unaware of the sheer magnitude of knowledge he did not possess. After entering UCLA, walking its great campus, and absorbing the knowledge of its fine professors, one could say Kenneth Choo had a renaissance of the mind, a real awakening of the spirit. Those who have known him all his life have said he has undergone a transformation in the time he has attended UCLA, rendering him into a different person than from his youth age. He now enjoys lifting weights, CrossFit, and rock climbing. He is very much interested in the same things he ridiculed as a boy, such as musicals and classical performances. He lives unafraid of embarrassment, is not as stubborn, nor as prideful, but just as much outspoken. Kenneth says, “Life is easier when you enjoy more things,” an adage he now lives his life by. He is a proud UCLA student and eager to make a difference in this world for the better.

Future Plans: Kenneth Choo has a clear focus on the future. In these volatile times that are filled with uncertainty, it is increasingly important for Kenneth to strengthen resolve, and push forward with renewed vigor. Kenneth is planning on interning the summer of 2012 at either KPMG or another accounting/consulting firm. Travelling remains to be important to him. Having had a taste of it on a study abroad semester in Seoul, South Korea, he is quite eager to explore unknown lands with unknown possibilities, hopefully before he is too old to enjoy it. Kenneth’s ultimate goal is to land in a profession that requires long hours, extreme dedication, stressful nights, and nice suits. On top of these difficult prerequisites, having a career in finance that would accommodate travelling, make tangible differences in the lives of others, especially the less fortunate, and challenge him to utilize all of the tools he has gained from years of study and life would be ideal. Kenneth plans on moving forward into the darkness with purpose, yet never forgetting to smell the roses along the way.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I would first like to say thank you very much to the donors of the Professor Harry Simons Endowed Scholarship for the Study of Accounting. This scholarship not only means less hours at work and more hours in the library, but has come at a much needed time. My parents have been so kind as to put me through college and I can finally say thank you to them in a form other than Hallmark cards. Receiving this scholarship has made my time studying abroad in Korea so much more enjoyable. It has helped to ease some of the financial burden, and has allowed me to explore more of the city and the country with less guilt. On another note, receiving this scholarship has been a great boost to my esteem. I am one student among thousands, trying to find my way through college and through this world. Knowing that there are people out there who now know my story and believe in me enough to grant me such a prestigious distinction, has given me much hope for the future. This scholarship has affirmed my passion for finance and accounting, and has reassured me the reasons I want to go into this field. More than just money, this scholarship has given me the confidence to pursue my dreams heartily. Thank you for stoking the embers of my desires into flames.