Professional MBA Graduate Travels the World to Grow Her Career
Originally from Taichung, Taiwan, Chein-Yi “Marina” Wu moved to St. Louis in 2018 in pursuit of a Professional MBA. Back home, she studied accounting, and she was looking to broaden her area of expertise, becoming proficient in a number of business-related subject matters.
“I think it’s a very nice program because we learn a bit of everything, whether that be marketing, data analysis, statistics, or anything else,” Wu said. “It gives you this landscape of the field and a strong network. If you have a question, the professors and classmates you meet are the right people to ask for help.”
Wu, who graduated with her Professional MBA in 2020, said that the transition to studying for her MBA in St. Louis was understandably difficult at first, especially since her first language is Mandarin and home was so far away.
“In the beginning, I didn’t expect a lot coming to St. Louis,” Wu said. “But St. Louis as a place and Saint Louis University really offered a lot to me, and gave me a very nice almost three years of life there. And personally, very nice people.”
Wu was appreciative of the opportunity to learn from her classmates during her time in the program.
“It’s cool to know people in class and hear their experiences,” Wu said. “We had some international students and some Americans, so it’s nice to learn from all of their different perspectives.”
During the program, Wu held an accounting internship with Gourmet Soy Food, LLC. She appreciated the small company structure, saying it gave her the opportunity to get closer with her co-workers.
“I would say it's very important to get an internship during the program,” Wu said. “First, you will learn from experience. And second, you will better understand what kind of job you would like.”
In addition, Wu said that the coursework for the program and the things she learned throughout her internship would often crossover. While she was learning QuickBooks in one place, she was able to apply her new skills to another.
When the time came to find a job, Wu appreciated the Business Career Center’s assistance. Along with helping refresh her resume, the Center held a mock interview with Wu and helped her go through packages to determine what’s a reasonable offer and where are places she can negotiate.
Since graduating, Wu has been working as an Operations Analyst for 85°C Bakery Cafe in Los Angeles. The move to LA has so far reminded her of what she felt like initially coming to St. Louis.
“Because I moved to the United States alone, and now LA alone, it’s just this big adventure,” Wu said. “And it made me appreciate how much I built in St. Louis. Little by little, day by day.”
Since her background prior to the MBA program was in accounting, she was appreciative of how much the program’s emphasis on data analysis assisted with her new job.
“All of the knowledge and experience I learned from school really helped me with my work,” Wu said. “My original background supports me, but what I learned at SLU helped me to get there. And I’m still learning every day.”
The program helped Wu reach outside her comfort zone and into other areas of business besides accounting. While she was able to refine her accounting skills, she also found an interest in data analytics.
“I now have confidence in myself to grow more in this position,” Wu said.
Founded in 1910, the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business at Saint Louis University has shaped the future of industry for more than a century. As one of the oldest business schools west of the Mississippi, the Chaifetz School has built a reputation as a leader in business education with eight undergraduate and graduate programs nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report.