Hello! My name is Jeffrey Lee, and I am a senior at Pitt Business studying Financing and Accounting with a minor in Economics and a certificate in Public Accounting. I was born in Manhattan, New York in 2003 and moved to Maryland around the age of 10. Throughout my life, I have always been motivated to challenge myself. I graduated from high school a year early and earned an associates degree from a local community college before transferring to Pitt’s School of Business.
On campus, I’m involved with several student organizations. Last semester, I took 21 credits including volunteering with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. One of my most meaningful experiences last semester would be serving as the Business Manager for the Chinese Language and Culture Club (CLCC), where I have been able to apply and strengthen many of the soft skills I have developed so far (Next semester, I have been elected as the club’s Vice President!). Other student organizations that I have been involved with in the past include the League of Analytical Professionals, Panther Equity, and RAISE Consulting. During my time with CLCC, I have the opportunity to coordinate with the board and plan events such as Lunar New Year celebrations, cultural workshops and Mid Autumn Festivals.
Beyond academics and extracurriculars, I have deep interests in the stock market, fintech, financial reporting and auditing. One of my main career goals is to attain both a CPA and CFA certification while also expanding my understanding on global business and various cultures. As an Asian American, I am always seeking to strengthen my connection with my heritage. I can understand and speak Cantonese semi-fluently, and I regularly engage in language exchanges with international students to strengthen my Mandarin skills. This makes Seoul a bit intimidating, as I only have a limited understanding of the Korean Language. My other hobbies include mountain biking, photography, reading, and watching anime. I am a large advocate for Asian culture and I am very excited at the prospect of interning in Korea for two months while being fully immersed in a contrasting culture. I understand that there are vast differences between Chinese and Korean culture and I look forward to learning those differences firsthand while simultaneously growing personally and professionally!
Besides being another unique opportunity to apply the soft skills I have developed during my time at Pitt, I chose to participate in the International Internship Program in Seoul because I wanted to gain another international work experience while immersing myself in Korea’s global hub of pop culture, technology, and skincare. Last year, I had the privilege of participating in the Puerto Rico Global Service-Learning program (GSL), where I learned how much growth can come from stepping outside your comfort zone. I hope that the IIP program will allow me to continue building on my leadership, critical thinking, and management skills while broadening my global perspective.
The company I will be interning with this summer is Youdongsan, a technology driven investment and financing company specializing in asset backed finance. The company focuses on investments secured by real assets such as real estate and stock based assets. Through this internship, I hope to not only make a meaningful contribution to the company, but also to leave with new perspectives and professional skills that will shape my future endeavors. From a professional standpoint, this experience will help me enhance my ability to work with diverse teams with different work expectations, and ultimately prepare me for leadership roles in the growing competitive job market.
Ultimately, my goal is to grow during this experience. As a rising senior, I want to take what I have learned so far during my time at Pitt, including my experience in GSL, and apply it throughout my internship. I look forward to challenging myself, stepping outside my comfort zone again, and developing skills that will be translated into any environment I find myself in. I am excited to see how much I will grow over a longer period of time. I am looking forward to experiencing what the International Internship Program brings, and I am glad to have the opportunity to take full advantage of it during my last year at Pitt.
