Steven (Hongyi) Huang

The University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business

“I am a curious, optimistic, dog-loving (but even more food-loving) guy.”

Hometown: Dalian, China

Fun Fact About Yourself: The circumference of my head was once the same as my chest size, hence my nickname “dà tóu” which literally means “big head” in Mandarin.

Undergraduate School and Major: Colgate University; Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Relations

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Project Manager at Higher Ground Education China

What makes Austin such a great place to earn an MBA? There’s just so much to explore outside of Rowling Hall! You have something to do every weekend and never be bored. The food scene, the live music festivals, the hiking trails and so much more… and of course lots of parks where I can take my dog, Baowie, out to play!

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Texas McCombs’ MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I was very interested in the Fellows programs offered at McCombs. You can gain valuable experiential learning through joining one of the Fellows programs based on your professional and personal interests. For some of the Fellows programs, you will get to do an independent study or a semester-long internship.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Texas McCombs? I am super excited about the McCombs+ project this fall. With the McCombs+ project, I will get the opportunity to work on a mini consulting case for a real business and then present my work to the client. It’s a great learning experience and chance to utilize the knowledge I am about to gain from my intensive core classes. Also, I’m pumped to join the eQual MBA club, working with my peers to see how to create a more diverse and inclusive learning environment here at McCombs.

What has been your first impression of the McCombs MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far. Tell us your best McCombs story so far. Passionate. Every one of the Texas McCombs alumni crew and current students that I have interacted with since application season last year has been extremely passionate about being part of the McCombs family. People can’t stop raving about the collaborative culture the school has managed to cultivate, as well as how much fun it is to live in Austin!

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: In 2018, I joined a U.S. education start-up when it was trying to enter the China market to open and operate Montessori nurseries. We grew from a team of five when I began to over thirty people now. The team has been able to expand from one to nine schools in the Greater China area in 3.5 years. It was a pleasure to be an instrumental figure in this exciting growth.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? Go and read Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. It was recommended by the McCombs Career Management team for all first year MBAs to read. I think it has great content to help you reflect and get inspired on life design and planning during and post-MBA as well.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Texas McCombs’ MBA program? Show the admissions team who you really are throughout your application and what you want to bring to the Longhorn community. Think thoroughly on the exact reasons why you’d like to choose Texas McCombs to spend the journey of your next two years.