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Kevin Diestel

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2005 Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Kevin Diestel is currently a fourth-year student at UCLA majoring in Business Economics and minoring in Accounting and Political Science. This past summer Kevin worked as a Summer Analyst at Merrill Lynch’s Investment Banking division and presently works part-time at the John Wooden Center on campus.

Future Plans: Kevin has accepted an offer to continue as an Analyst with Merrill Lynch upon graduation. After working for a few years Kevin plans to attend business school and continue in a finance related occupation. With the help of his sister and three brothers Kevin hopes to one day create “Diestel Enterprises” that will specialize in a variety of fields and industries.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: The Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship means a tremendous amount to me. The scholarship has helped me as a student who struggles to pay rising tuition costs, but more importantly it recognizes students who put a great deal of effort into school at UCLA and strive for excellence in all facets of life. The honor that goes with such an award greatly outweighs the financial sum that accompanies it. That being said, this award has made it possible for me to pay my own way through a second year at UCLA. Coming from a family with five children, I have always wanted to lessen the burden on my mother and father with respect to college tuition. Working part-time during the school year can only do so much and a great deal of time must be devoted to school. Receiving this scholarship has allowed me to continue my education while not having to worry about all of the expenses that come with it. Thank you once again to Patricia and Harry L. Bruce and anyone else who contributed to this or any other scholarship.

Ryan Houck

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2006 Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Ryan Houck is a fourth year student at UCLA and will graduate in June 2007. He is a double major in Business Economics and Psychology with a minor in Accounting. After his second year, he worked with The Mercanti Group, a mergers and acquisitions firm in Santa Monica. He interned at Navigant Consulting in Los Angeles this past summer. In 2005, he received the Robert D. & Margaret A. Wark Memorial Scholarship. In addition to his academics, he is Director of Consulting for UCLA’s Undergraduate Business Society and a member of Concerts Staff of the Campus Events Commission. Ryan is also a four-year member of UCLA’s club rugby team. He was born and raised in Fresno, where he attended Clovis West High School. Ryan was that school’s B’nai B’rith Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2003,, placing third in the state of California in high school wrestling.

Future Plans: Ryan thoroughly enjoyed both of his internships over the past two summers at The Mercanti Group (M & A) and then Navigant Consulting (Consulting), where he acquired invaluable “real world” work experience within two different fields. Upon graduation, Ryan plans to enter management consulting on a full-time basis. After a few years of work experience, he hopes to enter graduate school to earn an MBA before returning to his field.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: Receiving the Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship is one of the highlights of my academic career. I am deeply honored and grateful. The Scholarship award will relieve financial stress and allow me to focus on academics and community service during my fourth year at UCLA.

Divya Sudhakar

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2007 Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Divya is a third year Business-Economics major with a minor in Accounting. She is currently the head coordinator of UCLA VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program) and has been involved in the organization for the past two year. She is also involved in the USAC Facilities Commission and UBS. Divya has partaken in various research projects under the guidance of Professor McGarry for the past two years. Additionally, she is a grader for Professor Ravetch.

Future Plans: Divya will pursue an internship in the finance sector this coming summer. Upon graduation in 2009, she plans to obtain a few years of work experience before going to Business school to attain her MBA. Her interest lies in finance and she would like to build her career in this field.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Harry L. Bruce for awarding me the Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship. I am honored to be the recipient of this prestigious award. This scholarship will allow me to focus on my extra-curricular activities and academics while relieving me of my financial burden. I hope to use this opportunity to spend a greater amount of time making VITA more efficient in serving the Los Angeles community.

Lotta Andonian

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2008 Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Lotta Andonian is a fourth-year Business Economics major and French minor pursuing College and Departmental Honors. Andonian developed a passion for economics during the Honors Economics class she took as a senior in high school, and her desire to pursue a career in business has been solidified by the outstanding courses in economics and management available at UCLA. Her interests focus on international trade and the idea of conscious capitalism, which she plans to write her honors thesis on. She has maintained an overall GPA of 3.94 at UCLA and is a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma National Academic Honors Societies.Since coming to UCLA, Andonian has interned with two production companies, working as a research intern at Rivet Entertainment and as a marketing intern at Tree Media Group. Andonian also works as a grader for the Department of Economics and as a research assistant for Professor George Murphy, for whom she researches both economic history and the causes of the current financial turmoil. Andonian is an active member of the International Student Association, the Undergraduate Business Society, E3 (the UCLA chapter of the California Student Sustainability Coalition), and is a leader of the Sustainable Foods Campaign.

Future Plans: Andonian plans to work abroad for a few years before returning to school to pursue a Master of Business Administration or a graduate degree in economics. She is considering a career in management, marketing or consulting for an international company upon completion of her graduate studies. She is drawn to international business because of the potential to use her background in economics and finance to improve local and foreign economies while engaging in environmentally and socially responsible business practices.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am proud and grateful to be the recipient of the Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship. I am deeply honored that the Bruces have recognized my past academic successes and have confidence in my potential for future achievement. With less pressure to finance my education by working, I will be able to focus on writing my thesis for the Departmental Honors program. I will also have more time to take advantage of the numerous career-oriented workshops and events on campus that will help me further cultivate the skills necessary to achieve my professional goals.Additionally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Department of Economics for making these scholarships available to its students.

Min Huang

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2010 Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Min Huang is a third-year student double majoring in Business Economics and Math/Applied Science-Actuarial Plan. After eleven years of a traditional Chinese Educational system study, Min took a two-year British A-Level course in an international high school in China. She came to the U.S. for higher education because she wanted to experience life in the world’s top academy and financial center. After three years at UCLA, Min has been able to maintain a 3.98 GPA, with straight A+s in all economics courses taken. Furthermore, Min is actively involved in the UCLA Bruin Actuarial Society with an Internal Public Relations position. She is looking forward to becoming Vice President for the next academic year. Min also works for the Math Department as a reader. In her spare time, Min loves singing, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.

Future Plans: After undergraduate study, Min is going to pursue a Masters degree in finance. She thinks that it will help her to build a more solid bridge for becoming a financial analyst in one of the top financial organizations. Min is also sitting for both the CFA and SOA (Society of Actuaries) exams that will prepare her better for analytical work.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am really appreciative to learn that I was selected as the recipient of Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship for 2010-2011 academic year. With the generous support of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Bruce, my parents’ financial burden will be eased and I can focus more on my studies. Also, this scholarship serves as recognition of my academic achievements, which provides me with more confidence and pride. It also encourages me to work much harder in order to reach my future career goals. I really want to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Bruce for their generosity and thank the Economics Department for giving us such a great opportunity.

Chengappa Kodira

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2011 Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Chengappa Kodira is a third-year Business-Economics student from Davis, California, a small suburb of Sacramento. At Davis Senior High School, Chengappa excelled in the classroom and was also a decorated soccer player. At UCLA, Chengappa has gained experience working at the Anderson School of Management and also interning for Senator Barbara Boxer and KPMG. Currently, he is looking forward to beginning an internship program with Merrill Lynch. Chengappa is also actively involved the student-led consulting group Bruin Consulting Solutions, the UCLA Mock Trial Program, and the Undergraduate Business Society.

Future Plans: This year, Chengappa plans on securing an internship in either the financial consulting or banking industries. After graduating with a B.A. in Business-Economics, Chengappa plans on pursuing either consulting or banking for full-time employment. Chengappa is receiving advice from many of his mentors, including investment bankers and financial executives, in order to better plan his career path to accomplish his career goals. After gaining substantial work experience, Chengappa plans to pursue a Masters of Business Administration and eventually become a CFO or president of a firm.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am truly honored to receive the Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship for the 2011-2012 school year. I am thankful for this scholarship for recognizing both my dedication to extracurricular activities and academic pursuits. More importantly, this scholarship lightens the financial burden placed upon myself and my family, and gives me further motivation to remain focused on my career goals. I would like to sincerely thank both Mrs. Patricia Bruce and Mr. Harry L. Bruce for their financial assistance and support of my future educational endeavors.

Yuanyuan Cai

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2012 Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Yuanyuan Cai is a fourth-year UCLA student pursuing a Business-Economics degree. Born and raised in China, Yuanyuan moved to the United States for college and transferred to UCLA in 2011. At UCLA, she has achieved outstanding academic success and has received A+’s from ten classes in four quarters. Driven by her interest in finance and economics, she has held numerous internship positions at China Construction Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, and Zhongjian United CPA Firm. She also worked as a tax preparer in the UCLA Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) in 2012. Yuanyuan has great passion for economics research. As a student in the Department Honors Program, she is currently working on her honors thesis, studying the effect of Malawi’s fertilizer subsidy policy on its economic growth. She is also a participant in the College Honors Program

Future Plans: Yuanyuan will complete her B.A. in Business Economics at UCLA this year. After graduation, Yuanyuan hopes to continue her studies and research in graduate school and pursue a career in finance and economics. She plans to take the CFA exam in December to prepare herself for her future career. Yuanyuan’s long-term goal is to hold a research position in investment banking.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am sincerely honored and grateful to receive the Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship for the 2012-2013 academic year. I want to thank both Mrs. Patricia Bruce and Mr. Harry L. Bruce for their generosity, which assists students like me to pursue their academic and career goals. This scholarship recognizes my hard work and accomplishments, and strengthens my determination to achieve my future goals. The award greatly alleviates the financial burden of myself and my family and allows me to fully concentrate on studies to prepare for a higher degree in economics. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Mrs. Patricia Bruce and Mr. Harry L. Bruce for their support.

Paramveer Singh Toor

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2013 Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Paramveer Singh Toor is a fourth-year student pursuing a degree in Business Economics and Aerospace Engineering. Paramveer initially registered at UCLA as an Engineering major, but after taking his first microeconomics class with Professor Sproul, he developed a keen interest in economics and decided to add it as his second major. Paramveer’s credentials are multivariate; he extensively participated in engineering projects at UCLA such AIAA Design, Build & Fly, Baja SAE and Formula SAE. Lately, he devoted more than a year serving as a Drivetrain Technology lead for UCLA’s Formula SAE team. During his duration of time there, he participated in designing and manufacturing a race car for UCLA. Last summer, Paramveer also interned as a race-engineering intern in the motorsport industry, where he worked on drivetrain and control subsystems of racecars. Paramveer is a member of Alpha Lambda Delta & Phi Eta Sigma Honor societies and is a re-founding father of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity at UCLA. He has also conducted research on Inorganic Aqueous Solutions (IAS) in Professor Ivan Catton’s heat transfer lab in the Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering department at UCLA. Paramveer currently works as a grader for an upper division Thermodynamics class in the MAE department. In the future, he sees himself inclining more towards quantitative finance and is planning to pursue a career in this field.

Future Plans: After completing the curriculum for his bachelor’s, Paramveer plans to study quantitative finance and to pursue his career goal of becoming a quantitative trader. In this field, Paramveer would also like to commit his time to applying the skills he garnered and become a potential employee in a hedge fund as a senior-level trading analyst.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: Words do not even begin to describe how incredibly honored I am that my hard work is acknowledged. I would like to thank the UCLA Economics Department for availing access to this scholarship and Mr. and Mrs. Bruce for their generosity. This scholarship was given to me at a very crucial opportune time: the funds will not only help me apply to graduate schools but will also contribute to the tuition fee for the Spring Quarter. As a result, I can concentrate on my coursework and on my senior year UAV group project.

Tyler Leung

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2014 Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Tyler is a senior at UCLA pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics. At UCLA, Tyler has had an opportunity to learn through coursework, internships and extracurricular activities. Aside from his studies, Tyler enjoys cycling, wrestling and participating in food challenges.

Future Plans: Throughout college, Tyler has interned across equity research, corporate strategy and investment banking. He will study abroad in London and Paris before working. Upon graduation, he will launch a career in investment banking.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Bruce, their children and the Department of Economics for awarding me the Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Scholarship. This Scholarship will provide me with an opportunity to focus on school and truly enjoy my senior year. All of my internships throughout college have been secured with the help of alumni and this Scholarship represents another helping hand extended to me by Bruins, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce. Inspired by their generosity, I will extend a hand to Bruins that follow in my footsteps.

Zhihao Zhao

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2015 Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Zhihao Zhao is a fourth-year student from Beijing, China, double-majoring in Business Economics and Psychology and minoring in Mathematics. He is also pursuing his Master degree in Economics through the Departmental Scholars Program. At UCLA, Zhihao has developed a strong passion for business strategy, entrepreneurship and education. He plans to bring his knowledge of educational psychology to Chinese schools and parents through an ed-tech start-up. He has completed his Honor’s thesis in Educational Psychology under the guidance of Drs. Karen Givvin and Jim Stigler, comparing U.S. and Chinese math textbooks and investigating how those differences influence students’ learning effects. To develop his business acumen, Zhihao is currently interning at DroneBase, a start-up providing aerial data collected by drones to real estate and construction clients. Over summer 2015, Zhihao interned at a private equity firm, Linden Education Partners, which invests in for-profit education institutes. Zhihao also has experience working in consulting and market research. In addition, Zhihao is currently the External Vice President of Building Engineers and Mentors (BEAM) at UCLA and a circle docent for the Los Angeles Math Circle (LAMC) in the Department of Mathematics at UCLA.

Future Plans: Zhihao is currently looking for full-time opportunities in private equity and strategy consulting to gain more insights in business. He plans to obtain a MBA and a doctorate in education within the next ten years. After finishing those degrees, he plans to go back to China and establish his own ed-tech start-up to design and supply hands-on lesson plans for the younger generation. The business will introduce a diversity of learning methods to complement the existing education model, which will eventually lead to better learning outcomes.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am very grateful and honored to be a recipient of the 2015-16 Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship. I appreciate Mr. and Mrs. Bruce’s kindness and dedication to supporting higher education. This scholarship represents much more than the wonderful financial benefit it provides to me and my family. I also regard this scholarship as an encouraging validation of my previous work and a mandate to pursue my career goal in entrepreneurship and education. I expect to bring the benefits of this scholarship to bear on school children and parents in China, which should ultimately make a positive impact beyond China as well.