2021 Best & Brightest Business Major: Ruth Yehyun Bang, Syracuse University (Whitman)

by: Jeff Schmitt on March 28, 2021 | 576 Views

Ruth Yehyun Bang

Syracuse University, Whitman School of Management

“An advocate for middle children everywhere.”

Fun fact about yourself: I’m scuba diver certified, a black belt, a figure skater, and a charcuterie board enthusiast.

Hometown: Parkland, Florida

High School: Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Major: Supply Chain Management and Marketing Management

Minor: Psychology

Favorite Business Course: SCM 265 – Introduction to Supply Chain Management (My first ever course in supply chain!)

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

  • Site Coordinator and Leadership Intern for Balancing the Books at the Mary Ann Shaw Center for Public Community Service
  • MIT Supply Chain Excellence Award Recipient
  • VP Chapter Operations for Delta Sigma Pi Xi Tau Chapter.
  • Peer Mentor for the Whitman IMPRESS Peer Mentor Program
  • Tutor through Beta Gamma Sigma Honor
  • Student Ambassador for the Whitman School of Management
  • Ice Skating Instructor at Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion
  • Class Marshal for the Whitman School of Management Class of 2021
  • Whitman Scholar for Class of 2021
  • Martin J. Whitman School of Management Dean’s List

Where have you interned during your college career?

  • reCommerce Brands – Summer 2018 and Summer 2020
    • Located in Deerfield Beach, FL
    • Role: Summer Intern
  • LearnLaunch Accelerator – Summer 2019
    • Located in Boston, MA
    • Role: Summer Associate and Executive Assistant

Where will you be working after graduation? Undecided

What company do you admire most? The company I admire most is the first company I ever worked for: reCommerce Brands. Having had the chance to be a part of their team for the summer after my freshman year and then again, during the summer leading into my senior year, I was able to see firsthand how quickly and strategically they grew over that time. As a company, they are purposeful, dynamic, and truthfully a team of energized people who love what they do. Additionally, the CEO, Taylor Hamilton, has been one of the amazing mentors I have had the privilege of getting to know. He inspired my Psychology minor and taught me how to believe in myself and think critically in all areas of my life. Without reCommerce Brands and Taylor, I don’t know where I’d be.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? – The biggest lesson I have gained is that, at the end of the day, people are the most important part of any business. It’s easy to look at business as just a list of transactions and dollar signs. If you lean in and focus on what people are saying, what they need or want, and what they believe in, you’ll probably come out a more successful business person and hopefully, a better person.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? – Don’t worry too much about not knowing where in business you belong or what you would be good at. That comes with time. Enjoy learning about and trying out various business-related fields and then, later on, you can balance your strengths with what you love.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? Majoring in business doesn’t set you up in a cubicle running numbers all day, unless that’s what you want. Business is all around us and it can help you fund your craziest ideas, budget your life properly, work with others, and even inspire others to learn about it too. Majoring in business can serve as a foundation in any career path or interest you might ever have.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? During quarantine, my friends and I decided to start a book club to stay in touch. It was only four of us, but we met (virtually) every Thursday for the entire summer. We were all in different states and yet, this was the closest we ever felt. I am most proud of starting this book club because I took an idea I had, committed to it, and saw it come to fruition.  Most importantly, this book club of four surrounded me with some of the most driven, intelligent, and inspiring women I have ever met.

Which classmate do you most admire? The classmate I admire most is one of my first ever friends at Syracuse University, Scott Mueller. Having had the privilege of being by his side since our first ever class at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, I have watched him grow into an amazing professional, mentor, and friend. I have grown by his side for the past four years and have always felt inspired by his undying enthusiasm, willingness to help others, and his courage to take on the world by storm. He, and his strange obsession with ketchup and the color yellow, is a huge part of what shaped me during my college experience.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I want to thank my youngest sibling, Esther, for my success. She is one of my closest friends and inspires me with her patience and kindness. She makes me want to be the best version of myself always. I often tell people I imagine that I am her role model, but truthfully, I think she is more of mine. Esther’s endless optimism and strength to be unconventionally true to herself has pushed me to be a better sister, daughter, friend, and young professional. She always dances with me, despite my lack in form and execution, and I believe that says a lot about her. That being said, I also give endless credit to my amazing parents who have always given me so much love and support.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? The top two items on my professional bucket list are to get my masters in Supply Chain and own and run my own Oyster Farm or Cheese Store one day.

What are your hobbies? My hobbies include figure skating, embroidery, painting, and curating playlists to listen to for late night drives to McDonalds with my book club.

What made Ruth such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2021?

“Ruth is a great pleasure to have in class. She is smart, hard-working, highly engaged in class, and very enthusiastic about learning. Her work is always of the highest quality. In addition, she is willing to help and collaborate with others, which makes her a great leader.”

Professor Zhengping Wu
Associate Professor of Supply Chain

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