Biography: Xiaoyu Wu grew up in Beijing, China, and is now a junior at UCLA studying Business Economics and Cognitive Science, with a minor in Philosophy. As a William F. Sharpe Fellow, she has prior experience across startups, private equity, venture capital, and middle-market investment banking. She currently works as an Investment Analyst at Riviera Holdings, an LA-based venture capital firm focusing on tech and AI. In her free time, she enjoys surfing, concerts, spontaneous road trips, and recording podcasts with friends.
Future Plans: After graduating from UCLA in 2026, Xiaoyu plans to pursue a full-time career in the finance industry. This upcoming summer, she will be interning at Financial Technology Partners (FT Partners) in San Francisco as an Investment Banking Summer Analyst, where she will work on capital raising and M&A deals in the fintech space. She is excited for the learning journey ahead and looks forward to building meaningful connections in the industry. Ultimately, Xiaoyu hopes to apply her interdisciplinary background and cross-cultural perspective to enhance business decision-making and promote socially impactful capital allocation.
What this scholarship means to me: Receiving the Donald Lipschutz Scholarship means a great deal to me—not only as a recognition of my academic efforts and career aspirations, but also as a meaningful source of support that allows me to focus more fully on my studies and professional development. As a double major intending to pursue a full-time career in the finance industry, I’ve been balancing a rigorous course load with various internships, including my current position at Riviera Holdings as a VC Investment Analyst. This scholarship helps alleviate some of the financial burden associated with tuition and living expenses, giving me the freedom to pursue these opportunities more deeply and without compromise.
Beyond the financial impact, this scholarship inspires me to continue working hard and to carry forward the values of intellectual curiosity, discipline, and service that Mr. Lipschutz embodied. I’m incredibly grateful to be a recipient and remain committed to making the most of my education while preparing to contribute meaningfully to the finance industry and the broader global community.
