As a member of the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics’ Class of 2022, Kai Tan, a dual degree MBA in business analytics and information management (BAIM) from Klang, Malaysia, has not had the typical student experience at UD due to the coronavirus pandemic. Tan, and his entire class, have shown incredible resilience, maturity and spirit while adjusting to the many unexpected changes that they have encountered as students. Each installment of this series will profile an outstanding member of this class, showcasing their achievements, experiences at UD and what it means to be a Blue Hen.
Tan was nominated for this series by UD Academic Program Coordinator Andrea Hartman, who said, “Kai is an excellent student, conscientious and motivated to succeed.”
In this profile, Tan shared his favorite UD memories, how he has changed during his time at UD and his plans following graduation.
Lerner: How have you grown from your freshman year at UD to now?
Tan: I left my home country to pursue my undergraduate degree at Penn State and continue with my graduate degree at UD. It has been a great experience learning from people around me throughout my college years and developing skill sets from the classes and opportunities that UD has to offer in order to make me a more competitive person.
Lerner: Were you involved in any extracurricular activities? If so, how did they shape your experience at UD?
Tan: I was involved in the MBA student groups which host events and talks for students. The leadership role has helped me in improving my time and people management skills which eventually play an important piece during my job search after graduation.
Lerner: What does being a “Lifelong Lerner” mean to you?
Tan: It means that as a student, we learn and explore numerous opportunities from all Lerner alumni. When we become alumni, it is our time to give back by providing support to the students for example to link them up with internship or job opportunities, participate in the mentoring program, resume review and more.
Lerner: What was the most memorable course that you took at Lerner?
Tan: The most memorable course would be Dashboard Design. Professor insert first name Anatoliy is very knowledgeable in this field and he puts in a lot of effort to ensure students truly grasp the ins and outs of the tools like Alteryx and Qlik Sense. He did not just blindly pass the class. I have learned a lot from the class and the skills picked up from this class have been beneficial in my current role at Barclays.
Lerner: What was your favorite UD experience?
Tan: The in-class learning experience before COVID-19 hit when we all could learn from the professor and other students in class. Those night classes for MBA and M.S. in BAIM are some most meaningful and beneficial times for me to learn and develop myself and build my network. Aside from that, UD Lerner faculty and staff are among the most helpful folks who would go the extra mile in supporting and providing advice and services in order to facilitate students’ needs and career plans.
Lerner: What are your plans following graduation?
Tan: I have completed my program in Fall 2021 and have accepted a job offer to work with Barclays Bank which is based in Wilmington, Delaware. I have been working with them since February and it is a great experience and exposure for me to learn from great minds from the team.