Yuqi is a senior studying Business Administration and Data Science, and is an international student from Ningbo, China. On campus she is involved in Optimir Consulting, the Berkeley Chinese Students and Scholars Association, and the Education Practitioners and Innovators of China. She is interested in consulting and recently finished her summer internship at Deloitte in Audit and Assurance.

What drove your interest in consulting?

I first became interested in consulting as a freshman when I was talking to my peers in consulting clubs. The job was enticing to me because of the opportunities to travel, and I was interested in the aspect of interacting and talking with other people, whether it be in client presentations or interfacing with people from other industries. Once I joined Optimir Consulting, I was able to experience how consulting works from the perspective of Project Manager, the VP of Client Relations, and now a Senior Advisor. I enjoyed the sense of satisfaction you get from delivering successful results to the client and reaching the end goal of the project.

One thing I would like to do during my last year at Haas is to help international students find consulting opportunities. We don’t get a lot of information from firms on our eligibility or sponsorship details, so I want to make a positive contribution towards these students and help them bridge that gap.

As someone who has many roles and responsibilities on campus, how do you make time for your personal interests?

Learning how to balance and manage my different commitments is a skill that I gradually built over the last three years. In college you are your own boss, so you have to stay organized and productive if you want to take on many responsibilities. Luckily for me, I like to stay busy, but I’ve had to learn how to prioritize and keep track of my meetings, classes, and time for myself. A piece of advice I would give is to stay productive in between classes, and to try to do as much as you can in that time.

What motivates you to give back to your community?

I always try to help others, especially if I have been in their position before and can help them through a challenging situation. There’s an old Chinese saying, “赠人玫瑰，手有余香,” which translates to “the roses in her hand, the flavor in mine.” The idea is that if you give someone else a rose, the fragrance of the rose lingers in your hand, so helping someone else will also be rewarding to you.

One area that I try to give back to my community is by helping other international students when they apply to Haas. In the Chinese student organizations I am involved in, I participate in Haas essay workshops and information sessions to provide advice and information to other Chinese students. My goal is to support the international student presence at Haas and help these students pursue their interests and professional goals.

Rapid Fire

Early bird or night owl? 

I can be both, but I prefer early bird.

Favorite study spot? 

Doe Library! It’s a classic space that is really pretty.

Hobbies?

K-pop dancing! I got into this during COVID when I was in China. I started going to dance studios in my hometown, Ningbo, and I realized it was really fun.

Favorite Haas class? 

UGBA 100 with Janet Brady

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