Bingyu (Lily) Deng
Ryan Chao-Wei Lin
Weike (Colin) Fang
Hanjing (Sylvia) Zhu
Hairong Deng
Lingxiao Gao
Xinqi (Kayle) Liao
Jingyao Shan
Tiantian Wei
Jiani (Jenny) Xia
Bingyu (Lily) Deng
Our Lady of Perpetual Succor Global Scholar
Frank Reilly Scholar
Hesburgh-Yusko Scholar
High School Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai
Hi, my name is Lily Deng, and I’m a senior originally from Shanghai, China, studying Finance and ACMS at Notre Dame, minoring in Musical Theater. At Notre Dame, I am involved in various academic, leadership, and extracurricular activities. I joined SIBC (Student International Business Council) to explore my interest in business in my freshman year and developed a deep passion for the finance division. I’ve grown from a member to a project leader and am now the Finance Division Director overseeing more than 25 student-led projects with world-renowned financial services firms. Through working with firms on real-world projects, I gained a deeper understanding of my professional pursuit in the future. I’m also excited to be finishing off my Musical Theater minor next semester by being the assistant stage manager for a student-written musical, Dawn’s Early Light. With that being said, I’m extremely grateful for the flexibility of the Notre Dame curriculum and the variety of opportunities it offers. Outside of academics, I’m also passionate about all kinds of volunteering work. For example, I’m the president of MoneyThink, a club that teaches local high school students financial literacy, and have also volunteered at various locations on campus.
During the summer following my junior year, I worked at Ares Management in private credit in New York, where I will be returning full-time after graduation. I’ve also taken the Applied Investment Management course this semester, which is a legacy finance course founded by Prof. Frank Rilley where students run a live $25 million stock portfolio. As a Frank Rilley Scholar, I’m really honored to take the course and learn from great professors and peers. I believe this course really was a capstone for my finance degree at Notre Dame and furthered my interest in the field.
Ryan Chao-Wei Lin
Taipei American School
William Sexton Scholar
My name is Ryan Lin, and I am from Taipei, Taiwan. I am a William Sexton Scholar at Notre Dame, and I am pursuing a major in Economics and a minor in Design.
One of my strongest passions is storytelling through various artistic mediums -- my favorite being film. Filmmaking has the power to construct realities that can be used to critically examine human experiences.
On campus, I worked as a barista, which has been the source of my favorite conversations and interactions. There, I was exposed to realities outside of the Notre Dame bubble. I volunteer for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez’s “Homework Helpers” Program, tutoring bilingual kids in English reading and conversational skills. I spent the fall of 2022 in Chile, in a full cultural immersion program that enhanced my linguistic abilities and cultural awareness.
Weike (Colin) Fang
Our Lady of Perpetual Succor Global Scholar
Shenzhen Senior High School, Shenzhen
I am Weike (Colin) Fang from Shenzhen, a senior majoring in Honors Mathematics with a Computer Science Concentration.
At Notre Dame, I have participated in many clubs and organizations to expand my academic and extracurricular interests. I have led several projects and served as the director of workshops for the ND Data club, leading the student-corporate research partnership and presenting our results to their data scientists.
With my technical skills, I hope to serve more significant causes worldwide. In my junior year, I participated in an internship as a Machine Learning engineer at FloWaste, a tech startup aiming to reduce food waste in cafeterias and chain restaurants. I was able to develop computer vision models that accurately detect and track food components to help the restaurants know the amount of food served and wasted.
I am involved in several research projects. In my sophomore summer, I participated in a Math Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) under the guidance of Professor Miller at Williams College. I designed algorithms and computed the coefficients of a Laurent series and conducted a statistical analysis of its adherence to Benford’s law. We published our work in Fractal and Fractional and presented it at the Young Mathematicians Conference. I am also working as an undergraduate research assistant at Notre Dame DM2 Lab led by Professor Meng Jiang. In the past summer, I was fortunate to present my work at KDD 2022, where I met a lot of like-minded researchers and learned about their projects.
I am grateful for the myriad of academic and career opportunities at Notre Dame, allowing me to explore my academic paths and discern my life goals. After graduation, I plan to go to graduate school to further pursue my academic interest.
Hanjing (Sylvia) Zhu
Our Lady of Perpetual Succor Global Scholar
St. Joseph’s Institution International, Singapore
I am a senior majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Engineering Cooperative Practice.
My interest in Computer Science stemmed from taking two fundamental classes in my first year, and ever since then, I have been eager to study more both inside and outside of the classroom. I enrolled in iOS Mobile App Development courses and a summer technical interview bootcamp with CodePath, a nonprofit organization devoted to boosting diversity in tech by providing free education to underrepresented minorities.
My hard work and curiosity landed me an internship at Microsoft in the summer following my sophomore year, where I explored both Software Engineering and Product Management.
I also worked as a part-time software development intern for a client-focused Human Capital Management startup during my junior spring semester in the Bay Area. My internship experiences developed my strength in empathy and my ability to think through operational details, user experiences, and potential feature improvements. My entrepreneurial experiences and desire to engage with people drove me to start pursuing a career in Product Management. I interned at Microsoft again in my junior year summer as a Product Manager Intern in its Data & Analytics team. The company culture and its ability to influence billions of people globally motivated me to return full-time at Microsoft after graduation.
The splendid life I spent at Notre Dame shaped me into a more ethical, thoughtful, and conscientious woman. I was a member of CS for Good and had led several projects where we taught local high school girls front-end development and went to the nursing home to help the elderly solve technical problems. In the future, I wish to continue dedicating myself to service and public welfare, becoming a force for good.
Hairong Deng
Affiliated High School of Peking University, Beijing
I am Hairong Deng from Beijing, a Philosophy major at Notre Dame with a minor in CDT (Digital Arts & Humanities concentration).
My main academic interest lies in the philosophy of lived human experiences, and I also enjoy doing visual and audio design. By junior year I got interested in phenomenology, which gave me insights into the human being’s‘’ living environments and embodied existence. In addition to Besides theoretical studies, I also participated in an architectural design program (Design Discovery) offered by Harvard GSD during the summer of 2021 as an attempt to concretize philosophical theories.
I spent my time outside of academia doing volunteer work and exploring human connections. I taught at a summer camp for underprivileged students in Guizhou, China, interned at China Charities Aid Foundation for Children, and participated in ND Center for Social Concerns’s service team to Appalachian regions. In the summer of 2021, I visited an eco-village in Hunan, where I served as a philosophy TA. The experience prompted my decision to take a gap year. During the gap year, I sojourned in different Chinese provinces, visited various communities, and served in a mindfulness center. I am now completing my final year of study at Notre Dame. In the future, I plan to continue exploring the intersection of health, nature, art, community, and phenomenology.
Lingxiao Gao
Affiliated High School of Peking University, Beijing
At Notre Dame, I major in history and minor in German. It is my utmost interest to decipher the enchanting myths of diverse human civilizations. I am fascinated by how ancient people lived their lives, how different cultures interacted and synthesized into new flourishing styles, and how the human species strive to pursue happiness and truths.
In college, I aspire to further my interests in humanities and foster cross-cultural understanding. In my first year, I benefited greatly from the courses offered by the Glynn Family Honors Program. I joined the Kellogg International Scholars Program and gained new insights into international development. I did research with professor Liang Cai from the history department on Confucianism and the ancient Chinese legal system.
In my freshman summer, supported by the GCS summer enrichment award, I participated in the German Immersion Program to study German in Berlin for eight weeks, a transformative experience that provided me with not only language skills but also trans-cultural literacy. I work as a Chinese language tutor at the Center for Language and Cultures (CSLC) and serve as a board member at the Chinese Culture Society. I served as a table leader at 2019’s AAA First Year Retreat. I participated in the Study Away Locally program in my junior year and studied as an exchange student at PKU.
In the summer of 2021, I interned at CITIC Press as a podcast and volunteered at a Community Service Center in Shanghai, where I designed and lectured a history course for children of migrant workers. I received a Nanovic travel grant to travel to Germany in the winter of 2021 to pursue advanced language training and prepare for my senior thesis. I plan to apply to graduate programs in comparative literature.
Xinqi (Kayle) Liao
United World College Changshu China
I’m a senior majoring in Economics and Political Science, previously living in Flaherty Hall.
Notre Dame has allowed me to develop into a well-rounded person through various extracurriculars. I acquired business acumen and problem-solving skills through SIBC consulting projects that I have worked on with McKinsey & Co., Bain & Co., and PwC. I learned the importance of serving the broader community through being an Economics Tutor at Notre Dame and teaching math to kids at Jefferson Middle School in South Bend.
Furthermore, I was able to discern my long-term career goals and passions through different internships. In Fall 2021, I participated in the Washington Program, where I discovered my academic interests in the international political economy by taking U.S. foreign policy and elections classes. While in DC, I interned at Accion, a leading global impact investor who invests in fintech startups to empower the world’s 3 billion financially underprivileged population. I was able to learn how my finance skills can be utilized and put towards force for good. In the summer following my sophomore year, I interned at the Bank of China New York Branch, where I gained an understanding of FX derivatives and RMB globalization. In my junior spring semester, I was selected as one of the three interns at the Notre Dame Investment Office which invests Notre Dame’s 13-billion endowment in areas including private equity, public equity, and real estate. I was able to sit on investor calls and participate in discussions on Notre Dame’s private equity portfolio. Given my previous experience with Chinese currency and understanding of the Chinese political economy, I provided strategy advice regarding the portfolio’s Chinese exposure.
In the summer of 2022, I interned at Citi in its Sales & Trading division in New York and will be returning full-time upon graduation. In the future, I want to become an impact investor, which requires a deep understanding of emerging countries' political and economic landscapes as well as rigorous investing expertise.
Jingyao Shan
Harbin No.3 High School
I’m a senior residing in Cavanaugh Hall.
As a student majoring in Philosophy and Economics, I’m passionate about the discussions related to the fundamental aspects of human beings and numerical analysis of different socioeconomic phenomena. In the meanwhile, I’m also interested in international development and world politics, which drives me into the PPE (Politics, Philosophy, and Economics) minor. The Notre Dame education has made it possible for me to combine these academic interests together and explore them freely, especially in different places of the world. In the fall of 2020, I was able to exchange at Peking University, where I intensively studied Chinese philosophy and the Chinese economy. In the fall of 2021, I spent a semester in Washington DC taking political science classes and getting to know the real political world. In the summer of 2022, I traveled with the Nanovic Institute’s Diplomacy Scholars Program to Vienna and Brussels where we explored the diplomatic world and international legal system.
The experience at Notre Dame so far facilitates my growth in academic disciplines and exposes me to opportunities outside of the classroom. One of the highlights is my involvement in the Kellogg International Scholars Program. As a research assistant in the program, I closely studied the Chinese cultural system and public policy with Professor Michel Hockx. I developed connections with other faculty fellows and peers who also share interests in international studies. Sponsored by the Kellogg Institute and GCS in the winter and summer of 2021, I interned at South African NGOs, where I was able to look into the SA legal and political systems and further my understanding of international human rights.
In the fall of 2021, my time in DC was made particularly special because of my internship at the American Enterprise Institute, a public policy think tank. Working for its foreign policy department, I helped with the research project about the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and familiarized myself with the world's challenges in the face of deteriorating US-China relations. After graduation, I plan to go to law school where I will keep exploring the way to contribute to world peace and security.
Tiantian Wei
Nanjing Foreign Language School, Nanjing
I am a senior double majoring in Mathematics and Economics.
At Notre Dame, I engaged in STEM mentorship programs. I coached at the ONEXYS program for two summers. ONEXYS is a pre-college Math program for first-generation college students organized by the ND Math department. I taught a 4-week online course about pre-calculus for incoming Freshmen twice a week. I mentored five students to get ready for college-level quantitative reasoning courses and introduced my experiences at ND to help with their transition to college.
At the beginning of my freshman year, I was amazed by all the exciting opportunities for academic exploration, cultural immersion, and service that Notre Dame offers. Aiming to challenge myself and serve the community, I volunteered to work at an English teaching program at La Casa de Amistad (ENL Program), where I teach Hispanic people English. I also attended the Living with Mental Illness, a social concern seminar this semester. Through weekly meetings and an immersion week, I learned how nonprofit organizations help people with mental illnesses by creating an environment with mutual support.
Notre Dame has many amazing opportunities to help students discern career paths and future possibilities. I benefited from business clubs like SIBC, ND Institute in Global Investing, Career Center, and upperclassmen connections. I confirmed my interest in the secondary market after my summer internship at Huatai Securities in my freshman year. Later, I attended many workshops and guest speaker events organized by Wall Street Clubs, and I joined the JP Morgan wealth management travel team of SIBC. All these experiences helped me learn valuable technical and leadership skills. Last summer, I interned at Bank of America Sales and Trading in New York City. During the internship, I rotated with the G10 FX Sales desk and the US Short Rates Trading desk. I will return full-time to be a Short Rates Trader after graduation.
I explored my passion for traveling and intercultural immersions through Notre Dame. In my junior fall semester, I studied abroad in London. My experience of studying in different parts of the world allows me to meet people from different backgrounds and learn how to explore the world on my own. I will continue exploring my academic interests and challenging myself in different aspects to become a better global citizen.
Jiani (Jenny) Xia
Notre Dame Greater China Scholar
Shanghai Foreign Language School, Shanghai
I am a senior double majoring in Finance and Applied Math at Notre Dame.
In the past year, I worked for Notre Dame Endowment Office/Strategy Team as the only student intern. My responsibilities included maintaining alumni relationships and outreach, allocating funding to student organizations, and designing programs that benefit the student body. The experience provided a perfect way for me to give back to the Notre Dame community by using my own capabilities.
I have actively explored many opportunities and industries in the past few years in order to figure out where my true interest lands. For example, I joined the Student International Business Council(SIBC), where I worked on consulting projects with various companies such as Bain and McKinsey. I interned at a boutique investment bank in New York in my junior summer. Eventually, I found my true passion for consulting and will be joining the industry upon graduation.
Notre Dame has a tradition of educating impactful leaders and encouraging students to take actions. I thus wish to keep exploring different opportunities and making contributions to my community.