Fencing, food and culture inspire Gabelli MBA student

Graduate | Sep 14, 2016 | Gabelli School of Business

Joanne Wang, MBA ’18

Nine years ago, Joanne Wang, MBA ’18, came to New York for the first time and fell in love with the city.

“[There are] all kinds of people here. All kinds of culture. All kinds of food,” the 35-year-old Beijing native said. “Everything is exciting to me.”

Now she’s back, beginning the next leg in a journey that has taken her from a finance career in Shanghai and Beijing to full-time status in the Gabelli School MBA.

After 10 years of working in finance, Wang hopes to refresh herself and her skills.

Her husband, Minglin Zhang, is studying for his MBA at New York University, but Wang was drawn to the Gabelli School after hearing good things from colleagues at UBS in Shanghai. She did some research online, discovered that Fordham’s finance program was highly regarded, and decided to apply.

Beyond her coursework, Wang is looking forward to exploring her adopted city more than she already has.

“I especially love the slogan of the school,” she said, referring to the University’s tagline, “New York is my campus; Fordham is my school.”

What has she discovered so far?

Fencing.

Two months ago, Wang attended a free, 14-minute demonstration course held by a fencing club in Bryant Park. The experience left her ready for more.

“In one or two months, if I can manage my time well, I want to start fencing,” she said.