Michael Cheng
Hometown:
Hong Kong
M&TSI Year:
2013
WHY DID YOU APPLY TO TAKE PART IN M&TSI?
I applied to take part in M&TSI because I had always been fascinated by the ways in which scientific and technological innovations continuously advance the world we live in, hence wanted to increase my knowledge in engineering. More recently, I’ve become interested in how businesses are able to effectively market their products, and how this changes based on changes in consumer needs and desires. Hence, when I read the program description online, M&TSI looked very intriguing given my interest in both fields.
HOW DID M&TSI HELP YOU IDENTIFY FUTURE ACADEMIC OR CAREER GOALS?
After M&TSI, I felt much better equipped to make any academic or career decisions. Previously, I had never considered how technological firms integrate knowledge in engineering with concepts in business – or how business and engineering were connected. However, in just three weeks, the comprehensive classes and lectures at M&TSI covering core principles in both management and technology provided me with both breadth and depth in knowledge in both fields. This knowledge helped me better understand the intersection between the two areas; and my previously casual interest in the concurrent exploration of these two fields largely deepened. Additionally, the hands-on experience, with several engineering labs and a final team project, gave me not only exposure to different areas of engineering, but also an idea of some important factors in the venture development of products. The experience that I had at M&TSI confirmed my interest in pursuing both engineering and business – both academically and career-wise.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE M&TSI EXPERIENCE?
For me, the best part of the M&TSI experience was the opportunity to meet and work alongside peers with the same interests and passions as I do. The classes, labs and overall workload were interesting yet challenging; but what made everything more enjoyable was the community-like atmosphere among the students and RTAs. That aside, a specific favorite event during M&TSI would be taking a bus from Philadelphia to New York City to visit Morgan Stanley – a truly memorable experience. Overall, there were many small things about the program that added up to what I felt was a quintessential pre-college experience that I’m sure will be enjoyed by anyone who has the slightest interest in management and technology!
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY UP TO?
I’m currently back in Hong Kong; entering my senior year of high school. During the weeks of summer I had left since returning from Philadelphia, I worked as an intern at a local tech-based start-up company founded by recent university graduates. I have also begun training with my school team for several sports, as well as resuming an individual research project for physics. In however much free time I have in the coming months, I aim to build on the interest and curiosity that the computer engineering labs at M&TSI sparked in me by self-studying some basic computer programming before senior year ends.