2024 MBA To Watch: Amanda Sun
“An Asian female leader who constantly challenges and refines herself, and proactively advocates for women in business.”
Hometown: Shijiazhuang, China
Fun fact about yourself: Between scuba diving and skydiving, I prefer skydiving.
Undergraduate School and Degree: National University of Ireland Galway, Bachelor of Commerce. Trinity Business School, Master of International Management.
Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? GLG (Gerson Lehrman Group), Network Development Manager
Where did you intern during the summer of 2023? Bank of America, New York
Where will you be working after graduation? Bank of America, Investment Banking Associate
Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:
President of MBA Ambassador program; VP of Finance Club, International Student Representative of Goizueta Women in Business Club
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school?
As a VP in the Finance Club, I coached over 30 MBA candidates who were pursuing a career in investment banking and 13 of them successfully secured summer internships across different banks. During my own recruiting process, I was closely supported by second-year coaches and alumni. I would love to pay it forward and empower more first-years to perform and receive their dream job offer.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career?
Passionate about talent development, I led the charge on revamping the new hire onboarding program to resolve the existing and anticipated problems (e.g., slow ramp-up, high turnover, chronic under performance) with the rapidly growing team at GLG. The streamlined program enabled early success of new hires, which was a testament of the improved model and direct reflection of the impact of my amended approach to training. I discovered my strengths in identifying problems, initiating cross-functional communication, taking ownership and responsibility, and proposing creative solutions. I am proud of enabling the success of the whole team and achieving the optimal outcomes.
Why did you choose this business school?
I really enjoy the small class size and collaborative community Emory has to offer. Since starting school, I have built close relationship with my peers and fit in the culture naturally. I got to know most of my classmates and connected with a handful of alumni in various practices during the recruiting process. As we are in a small program, the response rate is almost 100% when reaching out to alumni. Everyone is willing to make time for coffee chat and even provide further referrals.
Who was your favorite MBA professor?
Wei Jiang is my favorite professor at Goizueta. She not only published extensively in top economics, finance, and law journals, but also serves as President of Society of Financial Studies (SFS) and Vice President of the American Finance Association. I admire that she can explain complex financial concepts simply and make them easy to comprehend. Her corporate finance course set the foundation of my understanding in the financial markets and investment banking industry. I look up to her as a role model and inspiration, and hopefully I can become an impactful woman in finance in the future.
What was your favorite course as an MBA?
I really enjoyed the Accounting for Business Combinations and Multinational Operations course taught by Professor Jan Barton. In this course, I learned how to measure, report, and analyze mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and affiliate holdings, noncontrolling interests, goodwill and bargain purchases, intercompany transfers of inventory and long-lived assets, discontinued operations, and equity carve-outs and spin-offs. The content is highly relevant to my post-MBA career in the M&A group within investment banking. Accounting can be easily taken as dry and boring. However, Professor Barton made it very interactive and easy to apply to real-life scenarios.
Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why?
I would keep an open mind about recruiting at the start of school and explore various options first before making the decision on which career path to choose. I was very determined to recruit in consulting pre-MBA and didn’t spend enough time to explore other industries. I was not as prepared when entering an interview with the investment bank as I dedicated much more time for casing. Business school opens the door to many opportunities and keeping an open mind would maximize the chances to land an internship.
What is the biggest myth about your school?
It’s only for finance or consulting. While Goizueta has strong programs in finance and consulting, it offers a wide range of specializations and concentrations, including marketing, healthcare, entrepreneurship, and more. The school provides a diverse set of opportunities to cater to various career interests. I’ve seen classmates and alumni who secured full-time offers in multiple industries other than consulting and finance.
What did you love most about your business school’s town? Atlanta is known for its warm and welcoming atmosphere, often referred to as “Southern hospitality.” International students like me appreciate the friendly demeanor and sense of community found throughout the city. The city is home to many Fortunes 500 companies and offers ample job opportunities across various sectors. Also, the Atlanta Airport offers excellent connectivity with numerous domestic and international destinations, which allows convenient access to networking and interviews outside Atlanta.
What surprised you the most about business school?
Business school brings together students from diverse backgrounds, industries, and cultures. I was surprised by the wealth of perspectives and experiences that my classmates brought to the table, enriching classroom discussions and group work. Goizueta is made up of approximately 50% international students from 15 countries, a good representation of women (35%), and classmates from backgrounds other than business practices. Many of my peers were engineers, attorneys, athletes, and veterans.
Which MBA classmate do you most admire?
Lucy Mitchell. Lucy is currently the president of the Consulting Club and has been very supportive for anyone who pursues a career in consulting. She came from an engineering background and has worked in procurement and supply chain pre-MBA. She performed very well both academically and professionally when recruiting for consulting. She demonstrates honesty, trustworthiness, and shows compassion, understanding, and consideration for others’ feelings, perspectives, and experiences. She empowers peers and first years to reach their full potential through encouragement, mentorship, and advocacy. She inspires and influences others through vision, direction, collaboration, and accountability.
What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?
Lead a Major Merger or Acquisition Deal: I am aspired to lead or play a significant role in a high-profile merger or acquisition (M&A) transaction. Closing a large deal can be a career-defining achievement and can lead to professional recognition and advancement within the industry.
Become a Managing Director: I aim to reach the highest levels of leadership within my firm – becoming a managing director at an investment bank or a partner at a financial advisory or private equity firm. Achieving this level of seniority typically requires demonstrating strong deal-making skills, building a solid client base, and showing leadership potential.
Interested in exploring Full-Time MBA opportunities? Learn more about Goizueta’s Full-Time MBA program.
