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Katie Xiong, BA ’20, adopted an entrepreneurial spirit and a sense of independence from a young age.

It began with candy bar fundraisers and a self-started hair bow business, which allowed Xiong to discover her passion for the inner workings of a business – from marketing a product to analyzing the consumer market, and so on.

“Since then, I’ve become a little more realistic in my goals,” Xiong laughs. “But I’ve always loved problem solving, coming up with ideas and working with others.”

Next year, Xiong will step into the role of President at the Merage Undergraduate Student Association (MUSA). But the road here was not always clear.

Xiong immigrated to the United States at the early age of 6, and when it came time to apply to college, Xiong admits that the process was stressful. As a first-generation applicant, there was no one in her family that she could look to for guidance.

It was also important to Xiong to stay close to home. Her parents, who were both born and raised in China, depend on her to help with tasks such as reading the mail or filing paperwork.

Xiong ultimately settled on the UCI Paul Merage School of Business because of its close proximity to home in the San Gabriel Valley, but also because of its narrow focus in business.

“From the get-go, I knew that I wanted to take relevant business courses, rather than general economics courses that most undergraduate programs offer,” Xiong says.

Xiong quickly acclimated to the business community within the Merage School. She joined the business leadership fraternity Lambda Phi Nu (LPN) and MUSA during her freshman year, where she was able to forage long-lasting connections with business-minded peers and mentors.

As president of MUSA next year, Xiong hopes to foster a sense of community and provide guidance for incoming students, as her mentors did for her.

“The Merage School community is a special place to me because of its welcoming and inclusive culture, but I am aware that there is a group of students, perhaps commuters, who are less involved,” Xiong says. “I hope to develop strategies to encourage engagement from those who are not.”

Drawing on her previous experience as the Vice President of Community Development at MUSA, Xiong plans to hold biweekly Merage Coffee Chats and expand involvement in existing events.

She also wants to introduce new events, such as a case competition to cater to different interests within the business world. And she hopes that her experience as a first generation college student will allow her to help others in the future.

“My upbringing taught me to be independent, self-sufficient and engaged. I am proud that I can be the first in my extended family to attend college, and perhaps, serve as a resource for my little cousins in the future.”