Biography: Nebiyyu Bekele is a dedicated individual with a passion for finance and economics. Originally from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Nebiyyu is currently a rising junior pursuing a degree in Business Economics and Statistics with a concentration in Value Investing. His academic journey has ignited a desire to work in the field of finance, particularly in investment banking, where he seeks to harness his analytical skills and market insights to make a meaningful impact. With a long-term goal of transitioning into private equity, Nebiyyu is excited to leverage his education and experiences to contribute to the dynamic world of finance and investment.

Future Plans: After graduating from UCLA, Nebiyyu plans to work in investment banking for a span of two years. This initial phase of his career will serve as a strategic move to gain invaluable experience and, equally importantly, accumulate the necessary financial resources to fund his journey to business school. Investment banking offers an ideal platform to hone his financial analysis skills, learn about various industries, and develop a strong foundation in finance. Following his two-year stint in investment banking, Nebiyyu aspires to transition to the buy side of finance, specifically aiming for roles in private equity or hedge funds. These fields align perfectly with his long-term career goals. He is drawn to the dynamic nature of these industries, where strategic investments and financial acumen drive decision-making is prominent. This transition represents the next step in his professional development, where he will apply the knowledge and skills acquired during his time in investment banking to contribute meaningfully to the world of private equity or hedge funds. Ultimately, Nebiyyu sees this path as a stepping stone towards achieving his career aspirations in the financial industry.

What this scholarship means to me? Receiving this scholarship is incredibly meaningful to me. It’s a practical boost that will help ease some of the financial stress that comes with pursuing higher education. With rising tuition and living costs, this scholarship will cover essential expenses, like textbooks and part of my tuition, which will allow me to focus more on my studies and less on financial concerns. Moreover, this scholarship serves as a valuable affirmation of my efforts. It tells me that someone out there believes in my potential and is willing to support me on my educational journey. It motivates me to continue working hard and strive for success in my academic pursuits. This scholarship is a practical and motivational aid that will make a significant difference in my education, and I am genuinely appreciative of this opportunity.

Biography: Catherine is a 3rd-year student majoring in Business Economics at UCLA. Having been involved in community service since high school, she has continued to volunteer for her community through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) organization, which also spurred her interest in tax as a career. This year, she will be serving as one of the co-presidents and looks to expand VITA’s partnership to a larger community within Los Angeles. In addition to volunteering, she also spends her Friday nights rehearsing with the Game Music Ensemble (GME). In her free time, she enjoys reading or playing through endless runs of Hades.

Future Plans: Following the 2023 – 2024 academic year, Catherine will be interning with Deloitte’s tax practice. Upon graduation, she aims to pass her CPA exams and pursue a career in either international tax or in state and local tax.

What this scholarship means to me? I am immensely grateful to have been selected as a recipient for the Donald Lipschutz Scholarship. I would also like to thank Ms. Marugo for continuing this amazing scholarship. The scholarship will help alleviate financial costs and I hope to continue to give back to my community during my time here at UCLA.

Biography: Since high school, Aaron has shown an interest in economics. He enjoyed the critical thinking and analysis of business decisions and strategy, how different components of both individual and international businesses interacted and how it was this one big complicated system. The theories he learned gave him a new way of thinking and allowed him to really consider factors that no one ever really did. Although initially deciding on becoming an accountant, he quickly switched aspirations to become an analyst on the business side. To help support that, he chose to minor in Data Science Engineering and to learn more about tech and computer science. His journey in tech and computer science was faced with struggles as he never coded before in his life but after a few classes and YouTube videos on python, R studio, C++, and SQL, he quickly built a portfolio of projects. He applies what he’s learned with Foundations Choreography, a dance organization on campus examining data of members, financial health of the organization, and managing data of audition processes and deliberations. Aaron’s current goal is to further enrich his knowledge in tech by obtaining a master’s in CS and hopefully become a data scientist or engineer.

Future Plans: Although initially wanting to become an accountant, Aaron has long since steered away from that career goal as he feels more fulfilled doing analytical work for companies instead. Wishing to pivot into the field of data science and computer science, he has taken courses in C++, R studio, data science, and self-taught himself python, SQL, HTML/CSS, and JavaScript. Currently, his aspirations are to become a data scientist or engineer, working around data and analyzing data to create models predicting trends, analyzing behavior, or discovering new patterns. After undergrad, he intends to be working as an analyst for a company whilst taking courses in computer science at a community college. Hopefully, he will also take the GRE and apply for grad school and obtain a MBA/MCS.

What this scholarship means to me? Coming to UCLA, I knew that college would be expensive, and living in LA would be more expensive and realistically, I couldn’t just stay in my apartment, attend class, eat at home and sleep or else the college experience would’ve been one with regrets and misery. I believe that no college experience should solely just be for educational purposes, part of the implicit monetary value in going to college is the unique experiences and people you will meet. Memories are part of the college experience one could say. I am in a very privileged position in which my parents and family are able to fund my entire college journey with the help of some financial aid and grants of course, but I can see how this is creating a toll. Recently, my family accumulated costs as my family down-sized and moved back into our small house in Rowland Heights and needed to pay for renovations. My sister is also starting grad school soon and family members overseas are facing health issues which requires us to send money over there. With me still going to college, I wanted to be able to help my family so I applied for this scholarship. I am forever grateful to receive the Patricia and Harry L Bruce scholarship to help afford my tuition and lessen the burden on my parents. Furthermore, this would help me with my goals as I took this summer to take classes in order to prepare for grad school as I realized towards the end of my junior year I wanted to enrich my skills and knowledge and take my academic and professional career to the next level by obtaining a MBA or a MCS. I realized the opportunity cost of working would’ve given me money to help my parents, but they are so proud of me for wanting to go to grad school and assured me that there is no financial issue with me choosing to go to grad school. This is why I am very thankful to receive this scholarship, It will significantly help me achieve my own goals while simultaneously helping my family.

Biography: Haig Simitian is a fourth-year student at the University of California, Los Angeles, majoring in Business Economics with a minor in Accounting. Born and raised in Glendale, California, Haig enjoys spending his time playing pickleball, going to the gym, and trying new restaurants. His coursework has provided him with a well-rounded breadth of econ knowledge from a variety of subtopics, while each accounting class continued to add additional complexity and intuition to his understanding of fundamental accounting principles and their application in the business world as a whole. During his time at UCLA, he served on the executive boards of the Business-Law and Investing Society, Beta Alpha Psi Accounting Honor Society, the Bruin Stock Group, and the Armenian Pre-Law Student Association.

Future Plans: After graduating from UCLA, Haig will start his full-time job at Deloitte in their Business Tax Services practice as a Tax Consultant. He intends to pursue a CPA license within his first year working there. Haig also plans to attend law school in the near future to further his education and enhance his career opportunities.

What this scholarship means to me? I am profoundly grateful for the honor of being selected as a recipient of the Gumbiner Savett Inc. Endowed Undergraduate Prize. As I reflect on my journey, I am reminded of the transformative impact education has had on my career goals and aspirations. The generosity of this award will allow me to make further use of the endless learning opportunities at UCLA and is an inspiration to keep working hard to make my career goals come to fruition.

Biography: Lydia Sun was born in China to a family of local farmers. She grew up in a small village and learned the value of hard work and kindness. She left her village in order to get higher education. In 2018 Lydia moved to America, and she attended community college as well as worked full time. Lydia was accepted to UCLA for the 2022 academic year. Lydia Sun, an enthusiastic and dedicated individual, embarked on her academic journey at UCLA with an unwavering passion to excel in the fields of business and accounting. Her diverse work experiences in both domestic and international e-commerce reflect her leadership prowess and her ability to implement efficient business strategies. Beyond her academic pursuits, Lydia’s proactive stance, complemented by her versatile skill set, positions her as an invaluable asset in any professional setting. Rooted in a dedication to perpetual advancement, Lydia’s aspiration to achieve CPA licensure underscores her unwavering commitment to pursuing excellence and embracing ongoing growth.

Future Plans: Lydia Sun, a dedicated student, envisions a future that marries her passion for accounting and her drive to excel. As she progresses through her studies at UCLA, Lydia’s determination is evident in her decision to postpone graduation from after the completion of the 2023 winter quarter to spring 2024 in order to undertake additional accounting coursework in preparation for her CPA licensure. After completing her studies, Lydia aims to secure internships in prestigious firms like one of the big 4 companies and to gain practical experience and expand her skill set. With a keen interest in data analysis, marketing, and customer service, Lydia aspires to bring a holistic approach to her career, focusing on optimizing business strategies and financial practices. Her commitment to professional growth is evident in her dedication to achieving CPA certification 225 units and courses by September 2024.

What this scholarship means to you? Receiving the Prof. Harry Simons Endowed Undergrad. Scholarship for the Study of Accounting is an incredible honor and privilege for me. This scholarship means not only financial assistance but also a recognition of my dedication to pursuing a career in accounting. As a Business Economics major student with a minor in Accounting at UCLA, this scholarship will alleviate some of the financial burden associated with pursuing higher education. It will enable me to focus more on my studies and extracurricular activities that contribute to my professional growth. I am truly grateful for this opportunity, and it motivates me to excel in my studies and future career as a CPA.