2023 Best & Brightest Business Major: Chin Chin Choi, Wharton School

Chin Chin Choi

Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania)

Nursing and Health Care Management (NHCM) Program

“Waking up at 5:00 am for nursing clinicals, then running to club meetings afterwards.”

Fun fact about yourself: I was born in Hong Kong before moving to the US at the age of 8.

Hometown: Wesley Chapel, Florida

High School: Wiregrass Ranch High School

Major: Bachelor of Science in Economics (concentration in Health Care Management & Policy), Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Favorite Business Course: Health Care Management 8530: Management and Strategy in Medical Devices and Technology

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

  • Wharton Council (Co-Chair, Club Resources Chair, and Board Member)
  • Wharton Junior-Senior Programming Advisory Board (Member)
  • Wharton Graduation Student Speaker Committee (Member)
  • Minorities in Nursing Organization (Treasurer)
  • College Houses and Academic Services (Information Technology Advisor)
  • Dean’s List

Where have you interned during your college career? 

  • J.P. Morgan, Healthcare Investment Banking Summer Analyst (New York, USA)
  • Morgan Stanley, Fixed Income Investment Management Summer Analyst (New York, USA)
  • Yleana Leadership Foundation, Operations Intern (New York, USA)

Where will you be working after graduation?

  • Schwarzman Scholar 2024, Master of Management Science in Global Affairs from Tsinghua University (Beijing, China)
  • Healthcare Investment Banking Analyst, J.P. Morgan (New York, USA)

Who is your favorite business professor? Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel was the professor for one of my classes on healthcare reform. As a world leader in bioethics and health policy and an oncologist, he is extremely knowledgeable about all areas of healthcare. Listening to his experiences working in White House, drafting the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and working on the Covid Advisory Board further enriched my understanding of healthcare policy. I am glad to have had the opportunity to learn from his expertise.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Learning about business is not just about learning in the classroom. Extracurriculars, internship experiences, and even just speaking with leaders across different industries are invaluable experiences that allow you to learn things not taught at school. Studying business equips you with the fundamental knowledge and skills you may need in the future. After that, it is up to you how you want to use what you learned to pursue your passions or make a difference in the world. Also, take time for yourself to enjoy your interests and hobbies. It is very important to rest, recharge, and enjoy your time in college.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? Business is everywhere. As a nursing and business student, I did not expect to see much overlap in my two fields of study, but I was surprised to see how much impact business decisions have on the healthcare industry, which I then encountered the consequences of during my nursing clinical rotations. I was also surprised by how much studying business has altered the way I approach thinking about and analyzing problems. Compared to when I was in high school, I now take a more structured approach in tackling new challenges.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? I would have explored more classes outside of Wharton and Nursing. During my junior year, I took my first non-business, non-healthcare class. It was a class about Greek history – and I knew very little about Greek history prior to the class – but it still ended up becoming one of my favorite classes at Penn.

What business leader do you admire most? Seema Hingorani, Founder and Chair of Girls Who Invest. I was part of Girls Who Invest’s 2021 Summer Intensive Program cohort. Participating in Girls Who Invest was my first step into the world of finance. During my time interning at Morgan Stanley that summer, I had the pleasure of meeting Seema. I was deeply moved by her passion for increasing female representation in the asset management industry. Hearing her speak about her journey from Wharton to founding one of the most successful, well-known nonprofits in the business industry was extremely inspirational, and I hope that one day I can also create a positive impact on the world like she did.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I am very proud of having the opportunity to lead the Wharton Council as its Co-Chair during the 2021-2022 school year. Fall 2021 was the first semester where students returned to campus following two full semesters of virtual learning. Being able to plan and execute in-person events while following new COVID-19 guidelines was challenging, but this experience taught me how to effectively lead an organization. I also learned much about time management since I had to balance between serving as the Co-Chair and going through my time-intensive medical/surgical nursing rotation. In the end, however, this ended up becoming my most rewarding experience in college.

Which classmate do you most admire? I admire Pedro Saltos Montenegro, my fellow Wharton Council Co-Chair back in Fall 2021. I have known him since my first year at Penn, when we both joined Wharton Council together. I look up to him for being accomplished, motivated, and kind. He is a remarkable team player who not only is great at being a leader but also incredible at building genuine relationships with the people around him. I am forever grateful for our time leading the Council together, and I am proud to call myself his friend!

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would like to thank my older sister. Growing up, I have always looked up to her. She was always there with me for each step of my life, all the way from immigrating to the US to high school to applying to college. I am proud and elated to say that like her, I will soon be a college graduate. I hope the things I accomplish will make both her and my family proud.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

  1. I would love to venture into all different kinds of industries eventually: technology, retail, food, beauty… you name it!
  2. I would also love to work in a different country one day.

What are your hobbies? Finding new restaurants and dessert places, drawing, binge watching anime, playing video games, getting coffee and boba with friends.

What made Chin Chin such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2023?

“Chin Chin is an outstanding student leader. It is truly remarkable that as a Nursing Healthcare Management student, which is a feat in of itself, not only did Chin Chin get involved in co-curricular life at Wharton, but she excelled in her leadership pursuits. During her time at Penn, Chin Chin was elected co-chair of the Wharton Council, the student organization that oversees all of the Wharton Undergraduate clubs and manages various Wharton traditions/events for the student community. She was the leader of this organization during our transition back to campus. Suffice it to say, this was a turbulent moment for students and the community. During this time though, I observed Chin Chin lead with compassion, grace, and humility. Chin Chin served as a role model and mentor for other student leaders as well. During this transition back to campus, Chin Chin was able to showcase her strengths as a student leader. Along with her peers, she worked to enhance the club recruitment system to make the process a more equitable one for all students. Through her steady leadership, Chin Chin helped to get the Wharton Council back on track after being remote. Chin Chin, even during these difficult times, kept a wonderful sense of humor through it all. As Director of Student Life, it has been fantastic to watch Chin Chin develop into such a remarkable student leader.  I am so proud of Chin Chin and for all that she has accomplished both inside and outside the classroom. I am confident that Chin Chin will make a profound impact in business and in healthcare—and in anything that she decides to do in the future.”

Lee Kramer
Director of Student Life
Wharton Undergraduate Division

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