Posts

April Fu Ying

/in /by

2013 Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting Recipient

Biography: April Fu Ying is a third-year student pursuing a Business Economics major with a Minor in Accounting. During her time at UCLA, she has developed a great interest in the study of accounting. In her sophomore year, she applied for the Summer Leadership programs at the Big Four accounting firms in order to gain a deeper understanding of the day-to-day work of an accounting professional. April also works as a tax preparer in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA), where she enjoys getting more hands-on training in the area of tax accounting. During her spare time, April enjoys traveling, cooking, and drawing.

Future Plans: April is currently interviewing with the Big Four accounting firms for a summer internship opportunity in the area of tax accounting. Upon her graduation in 2015, April hopes that she will be able to start full-time at a well-established accounting firm, continuously learning and growing in an occupation that holds her passion.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am extremely grateful and honored to be selected as the recipient of the Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting. It greatly alleviates some of the financial burden of my parents and me, and allows me to stay focused and committed to pursuing my future goals. This award is also a wonderful recognition of my past endeavors and encourages me to dream bigger. Hence I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to the Professor Harry Simons Scholarship Donors for their kindness and generosity.

Sumin Yi

/in /by

2013 Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting Recipient

Biography: Sumin Yi is a third-year student pursuing a Business Economics major with a Minor in Accounting. Born and raised in South Korea, Sumin came to the United States alone about two years ago to study at UCLA. While being a hard worker, Sumin always tries hard to maintain a work-life balance. She is actively involved in the KOrean JOB Search (KOJOBS) club as a team leader of the board of marketing. She also enjoys working on campus part-time at the UCLA CLICC lab; the job is more of life than work to her. When given a chance, she wants to explore many different hiking courses in the area.

Future Plans: Sumin plans to start her career in a public accounting firm upon her graduation and to obtain a CPA license while working. After few years of working, Sumin wants to go back to school to pursue higher degrees such as a Master of business tax or Ph.D. in economics/accounting.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am honored to be the recipient of the Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting for the 2013-2014 academic year. This scholarship greatly alleviates the financial burden of my family and allows me to focus better on school works and to explore more extracurricular activities. It also motivates me to keep working hard and stay committed to my future professional goal. Once again, I want to thank the donors for their generosity.

Keren Li

/in /by

2014 Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting Recipient

Biography: Eric is a fourth-year student at UCLA, majoring in Economics as well as double-minoring in Accounting. During his time at UCLA, he has developed a great interest in the study of accounting. He is determined to pursue his career goal of public accounting; also in order to obtain the CPA credential, he has already accumulated over 225 quarter units, therefore eligible to sit for the exam by graduation day. Additionally, because of his prior internships in investment banks and other investment advisory firms, he doesn’t rule out the possibility of working for other financial services sectors.

Future Plans: Eric is expecting to finish his undergraduate study at UCLA in June 2015. Eric is currently interviewing with the Big Four accounting firms for full-time job opportunities in the area of auditing. Upon graduation and securing a full-time job offer, Eric hopes to start his career in a well reputable accounting firm, and learn from those professionals with unparalleled expertise. In the future, he plans to go back to school to pursue graduate study, likely an MBA degree, after three to five years’ working onsite.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I would like to take this opportunity to thank the donor for her generosity in funding the Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting. I am beyond grateful and honored to be selected as the recipient this year. Like many students, I have had barriers and challenges to need to overcome; by awarding me this accounting scholarship, not only is my financial burden lightened, but I am also inspired to help others and give back to the community by the spirit behind this scholarship. I hope one day I will be able to help more students achieve their goals just as the scholarship committee has helped me.

In-Sik(Jason) Jung

/in /by

2014 Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting Recipient

Biography: In-Sik (Jason) Jung is a fourth year international student majoring in Business-Economics with minors in Accounting and Chinese. He grew up in Korea, lived in Oklahoma for a year during elementary school, and spent four years of high school in Shanghai. He moved to the United States in 2011 to attend UCLA. During his spare time, he enjoys playing basketball, reading books, and seeking new things to learn.

Future Plans: After graduation, Jason plans to work at Deloitte in its Advisory practice, where he also interned during the summer of his junior year. Down the career path, Jason will take the CPA exam and possibly pursue a MBA.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I cannot be grateful enough to be selected as the recipient of the Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting. This scholarship reduces the financial burden for both my parents and me, a burden made heavier by the expensive international student tuition fee. But I am encouraged again to know that there are always opportunities and rewards to those who seek and endeavor. I thank Professor Harry Simons Scholarship Donors for their generosity. I hope to give back to those in need in the future, like I have received this scholarship today.

Qi Yan

/in /by

2015 Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting Recipient

Biography: Qi Yan is a third-year student from China who is pursuing the Business Economics major along with Accounting and Statistics minors. After attending junior college in Singapore, she made the decision to study economics in the United States, motivated by a decision to pursue a business career. She has actively participated in and holds leadership positions in campus organizations such as iVolunteer, which organizes different domestic and international volunteer activities. She has also interned at Partnership UCLA and Twin Hills Capital Management, where she was able to learn and utilize her knowledge in an actual work environment. In her free time, Qi enjoys traveling, cooking and music.

Future Plans: Following her desire to pursue a higher degree in finance, Qi will be enrolling in a graduate business school to acquire a master’s degree or Ph.D. In the long run, she hopes to become a Certified Financial Analyst (CFA), using technical financial knowledge to provide business solutions to clients. Eventually, it is also her dream to travel around the world and open a corner café.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am incredibly honored to receive this scholarship. The award will help to relieve much of my financial burden of rising tuition costs, especially for an international student like myself, and to allow me to pursue my educational and career goals with greater freedom and flexibility. The recognition and support given by the scholarship donors have motivated me to continue working towards my goals with determination and never forget the importance of giving back to the community. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship donors for their generosity and dedication in supporting students.

Susanna Rafalovich

/in /by

2015 Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting Recipient

Biography: Susanna Rafalovich is a third-year Business Economics major and Accounting Minor. She joined Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VUA) in her first quarter at UCLA and has continued to pursue her interest in the accounting world ever since. The following summer she was an accounting intern at SD Mayer & Associates, LLP. She participated in summer leadership programs with the Big Four and other firms in 2015. She has also been a dancer her entire life and has pursued this passion at UCLA through HOOLIGAN Theatre Company for which she has both performed and choreographed.

Future Plans: Susanna is looking forward to her summer internship at Deloitte in the Audit practice. She intends to graduate a quarter early to have more time to take—and pass—the CPA examinations. She hopes to be invited to start full-time at Deloitte and obtain her CPA licensure.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am beyond honored and grateful to have received this award. Financial independence upon graduation has always been a goal of mine and I have worked to alleviate the financial burden on my parents. Although I have learned a lot at my job as a Senior Student Supervisor at Lu Valle Commons, it takes time away from school and extracurricular activities. Thanks to the Professor Harry Simons Scholarship donors, I look forward to spending less time at work and more time studying and exploring my interests. Furthermore, the recognition motivates me and reaffirms my dedication to pursue accounting. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity.

Yu Qian (Mandy) Lin

/in /by

2015 Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting Recipient

Biography: Yu Qian (Mandy) Lin is a fourth-year student, double-majoring in Business Economics and Psychology, with a Minor in Accounting. She was born in Fuzhou, China, and later moved to Vancouver, Canada. Her Chinese and Canadian cultural upbringing allows her to be open to new ideas and willing to accept new challenges. While being a diligent student, Mandy tries to maintain her work-life balance. She enjoys her on-campus part-time job, her research experience, and her club activities. When given the opportunity, she would like to travel and try new things such as skydiving and scuba diving. In her free time, Mandy enjoys going to the gym, reading, and drawing.

Future Plans: Mandy expects to graduate in June 2016. After a graduation, she plans to complete the CPA exams and go to graduate school for Master of Science in finance. After that, Mandy plans to pursue a career in the financial services area.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am honored to be a recipient of the Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting award. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the donors of the scholarship and Professor Harry Simons. The scholarship alleviates my financial burden to pay for the out-of-state tuition and it also allows me to devote more time to my study and extracurricular activities at UCLA. This award recognizes my past achievements and motivates me to continue my dedication to achieve even more. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank the donors of the Professor Harry Simons Endowed Scholarship for this reward.

Lily Pham

/in /by

2016 Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting Recipient

Biography: Lily Pham is a fourth-year Business Economics major with a minor in Accounting. Serving her community through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) at UCLA led her to pursuing a career in tax as a public accountant. She is very passionate about giving back, contributing much of her time and efforts to VITA and different student retention programs within the Vietnamese Student Union. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new places, reading, and designing graphics.

Future Plans: After completing an internship with PwC this past summer, Lily will be joining the firm as a Tax Associate after graduation. Inspired by her experience with VITA and witnessing her parents, both Vietnamese refugees, struggle with filing their taxes, she aspires to equip the Vietnamese community in her hometown of Westminster with financial literacy.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am very humbled and grateful to receive the Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting. I am sincerely honored for the recognition of my hard work and accomplishments. Because of this scholarship, I will have less of a financial burden as I focus on my studies to prepare for the CPA exam and pursue my career goals. As Professor Simons inspired his students to think critically and to serve their communities, I strive to follow his example by applying my skills and knowledge to give back to others.

Lizzie (Yuting) Ma

/in /by

2016 Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting Recipient

Biography: Lizzie (Yuting) is a fourth year Business Economics student with minors in Accounting and Russian Language. Lizzie started fathoming into accounting during her sophomore year, and decided that she would like to become a tax professional. Lizzie has been heavily involved in the UCLA Residential Life the past three years, and really appreciated the professional experience she gained from staffing at the ResLife Learning Centers. Lizzie is a huge fan for classical piano and her favorite artists are Claude Debussy and Frédéric Chopin. She enjoys reading Theodore Dreiser, Margaret Mitchell and Jane Austen for leisure. Lizzie also likes to scribble her own music and pieces of literature.

Future Plans: Lizzie will be working for PricewaterhouseCoopers starting this summer as a tax associate. She is thrilled to transition from school life to professional life. In the meantime, she will be preparing for the Certified Public Accountant exam.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: It was a huge honor for me to receive the scholarship. The scholarship will help reduce my financial burden substantially and enable me to smoothly finish off my college career. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Professor Harry Simons Scholarship Donors for offering me this award. This means everything to me and I will go from here and strive for higher achievements in my life.

Haojia Guo

/in /by

2016 Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting Recipient

Biography: As a global citizen, Haojia spent the first 18 years of his life living in Hunan, China. Influenced by Asian culture, he holds values such as humbleness, diligence and cordialness dear and near. Having received his higher education in Business Economics at UCLA, he incorporates efficiency, directness, openness and devotion to community services into his everyday life. In an effort to pass on these virtues and influence the community, he volunteers at the UCLA new-student-welcome events, sharing his own experience and tips and advice to incoming transfer students. He also helps low-income individuals in West Los Angeles file tax returns as a VITA volunteer. He aspires to bring these values to his future professional career, and continue to make a positive impact on the community

Future Plans: To further broaden his horizons, Haojia plans to go to South America for graduation travel. He hopes to have an educational and fun experience, learn and appreciate cultural diversity. After, he will return to California with a fresh global perspective; and start his journey to become an accounting/finance professional. Eventually, with academic knowledge and real-world experience, he hopes to become an accounting professor; and pass on an economic way of thinking.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am beyond thankful for the Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting. This scholarship relieves my financial burden. As an accounting intern at Boingo Wireless, I am grateful for my hands-on experience; I have learned much about the business process at an internet service firm. However, I wish I had more time to enjoy what UCLA has to offer. With the scholarship, I expect to spend less time at work; more time taking advantage of the resources at UCLA, on building meaningful connections with my peers and professors. The scholarship shows me hard work pays off. In the future, I will keep having a strong work ethic and give every opportunity in life my best shot.