Lisa Cheung

University of Michigan, Ross School of Business

“First-generation college graduate, daughter of immigrants, and lifelong learner who finds fulfillment in empowering others.”

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Fun fact about yourself: I’ve never been the most skilled dancer, a fact highlighted by my undergraduate experience where I auditioned for and was rejected by a dance troupe not once, but three times. Despite these setbacks, my love for dancing only intensified. Fast forward to business school, I seized the opportunity to join a fun-loving and dedicated team for Ross’ annual Afrobeats dance competition and we won first place!

Undergraduate School and Degree:

Ross School of Business and Ford School of Public Policy, MBA/MPP dual degree candidate

University of Pennsylvania, B.A. International Relations with minor in Hispanic Studies

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Fidelity Foundations, Research, Learning and Evaluation Analyst

Where did you intern during the summer of 2023? Deloitte Consulting, Boston Office

Where will you be working after graduation? Deloitte, Senior Consultant

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

Community Work & Leadership Roles: First at Ross Co-President, Social Venture Fund VP of culture and Recruitment, Michigan Business Women (MBW) mentor, Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, Community Consulting Club consultant (2022)

School Awards & Honors: CEW+ Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar, Baranwal Scholar, Rackham Merit Award (Ford School of Public Policy, full-tuition merit scholarship), Dare to Dream Phase II (2023)

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Institutionalizing First at Ross, the affinity group dedicated to supporting first-generation college graduates, stands out as one of my most significant achievements. It was  driven by a personal commitment to support individuals like myself. We aim to enrich the experience of first-generation college graduates coming into Ross with community building, access to resources, and advocacy. I am passionate about helping our members navigate not only graduate school but also the unspoken rules of workplaces, where many of us are pioneers without a roadmap or guidance from close connections or family members. This initiative is more than creating an official entity – it is about creating a platform for empowering future leaders who will play a role in shaping a more empathetic and equitable business world.

This past year has been a testament to the resilience and determination of our team, as we’ve worked tirelessly to create an environment in which first-gen students can be vulnerable, exchange insights, and advocate for the community. My co-President and I have worked diligently behind the scenes to engage with key university offices to ensure our group’s formal recognition, access necessary resources, and coordinate outreach to incoming classmates.

I worked with our leadership team to execute and attend events that united the community and brought visibility to the first-gen identity. We collaborated with the undergraduates and facilitated general body meetings. These not only celebrated the first-gen identity, but also sparked meaningful dialogues These ranged from the complexities of supporting family and planning for their retirement to building intergenerational wealth and balancing competing priorities in graduate school. During Diversity Week, I organized a fireside chat with Dean Matusik, who shares our first-gen identity, bringing visibility and validation to our collective journey. Moreover, I actively participate in panels and recruitment events to reach prospective and admitted students and show that while we are small and new, our community is present, growing, and thriving.

This work, rooted in my own experiences, is not just about overcoming barriers but also about laying new pathways for the future generations that will follow. Establishing First at Ross as an official entity is a milestone that signals that we recognize and value the diverse backgrounds and perspectives that enrich our community.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? At Fidelity Foundations, I was one of the first employees and analysts on the brand-new Research, Learning, and Evaluation team. That meant that I had the opportunity to define our grantmaking strategies. One of my proudest achievements was developing a landscape analysis on career and technical education (CTE), where my deep dive into local labor market data, expert interviews, and extensive report reviews pinpointed key nonprofits poised for impactful work. My analyses not only highlighted occupations with notable labor shortages and potential for sustainable wages, but also those poised for long-term growth in the evolving job market. My research findings ultimately culminated in a new round of nonprofit investments and further shaped our education grantmaking strategy.

This project also resonated with me, reflecting my personal narrative. My parents worked in various blue-collar jobs, often in factories, with little pay and challenging conditions. It reminded me of their sacrifices and how their unwavering encouragement for my academic pursuits instilled in me a deep belief that equitable access to education and training serves as a catalyst for achieving socioeconomic mobility. I am proud of playing a role, no matter how small, in supporting the CTE-focused nonprofits that facilitate the journey towards purposeful employment that enables individuals to care for themselves and their loved ones.

Why did you choose this business school? Coming from the international development and philanthropic sectors, my goal was to deepen my understanding of the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. To make a sustainable positive impact, I believe we need to have a strong grasp of the unique drivers, functions, and motivations of each sector and to explore how cross-sector collaboration can address complex societal issues. The University of Michigan’s MBA/MPP dual degree program stood out as the ideal place for this endeavor, renowned for its interdisciplinary approach.

At the Ross School of Business and Ford School of Public Policy, I have not only enhanced my quantitative and strategic thinking skills, but I have also engaged with a vibrant community of students pursuing dual degrees in various fields. I have built a foundational knowledge in public policy, while I learned how to craft a winning strategy across industries. In my Ross classes, I am surrounded by peers who are pursuing dual degrees that span the spectrum from sustainability and technology and design to healthcare and medicine. They bridge gaps in my knowledge, challenge me to think differently, and engage me in discussions that leave me more informed about other fields and how they intersect with business and policy.

Moreover, my experiences, from attending insightful talks to engaging with the latest in tech and healthcare debates, have sharpened my ability to analyze and propose balanced solutions at the intersection of policy and business. For example, in the fall, I attended talks that showed a clear juxtaposition between Mayor Bill de Blasio’s cautionary perspective on AI with the optimistic views of healthcare professionals at a Ross Business + Tech panel. Exposure to such insights has made me aware of and able to pursue a balanced approach in which we can harness AI’s benefits while putting guardrails in place to prevent harms on vulnerable populations. Having the business and policy background ultimately enables me to critically evaluate such proposals, identify interdisciplinary solutions, and advocate for policies that can incentives behaviors of business and people.

Reflecting on my journey, the choice of coming to Ross has been instrumental in my professional growth, preparing me to tackle complex challenges with a nuanced, interdisciplinary approach. I am now more confident of my ability to foster trisector collaborations that drive meaningful change in the future – the very reason of what drew me to this program in the first place.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? The Multidisciplinary Action Project (MAP) at Michigan Ross MBA Program stands out as a signature action-based learning opportunity, and it is one of my favorite classes. It is a rigorous, seven-week consulting project and it enabled me to apply the business toolkit that I developed throughout the fall semester. I was paired with Headspace, a leading meditation and mindfulness company. I was tasked with the goal of crafting a go-to-market strategy to maximize the impact of delivering their mindfulness tools to Hartford’s marginalized communities. Through this project, I consulted with a real client in a low-risk environment with support of Ross faculty. I conducted research on impact measurement, developed our theory of change, and conducted stakeholder interviews. I also played a critical role in weaving together our findings, shaping our narrative, and preparing a compelling presentation for Headspace’s executive leadership.

I also embraced the challenge of leading a diverse interdisciplinary team without formal authority. Throughout the project, we recognized and leveraged each member’s strengths and supported each other in pursuing stretch opportunities. My teammates were talented and hard-working individuals who brought their expertise in market research, education and curriculum development, and technology and design. Although I was the PowerPoint lead due to my proficiency in it, my teammates expressed their eagerness to learn from me and enhance their storytelling skillsets. Given their feedback, I took a moment to slow down in this fast-paced environment to lead “knowledge sharing” sessions, guiding my teammates through narrative building and slide structuring. I watched them gradually evolve more confident and capable of taking ownership of their own slides.

The MAP project was a once-in-a-lifetime experience in which I consulted for a high-profile company, tackled a meaningful intersection of business and social policy, and refined my ability to lead. This project culminated in a comprehensive playbook and a set of data-driven recommendations for Headspace. I not only contributed to a tangible project but also evolved in my ability to empower others, facilitate learning, and drive towards results.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? Follies is one of my favorite MBA events. It’s our annual sketch comedy show in which the MBAs come together once a year to show off our talents, roast each other and major clubs, and to laugh at our quirks and the obstacles we face. It’s a semester-long commitment that involves multiple writers, actors and actresses, videographers, and musicians who put on a two-hour long skit. We make light of difficult situations, like the challenging recruiting season and the steep learning curve of consulting casing. We make jokes about our beloved town for its limited food options, our football-centric Saturdays, and the living conditions of a certain apartment complex that houses many MBAs and brands itself as “luxury living.”

I really like how it encapsulates our spirit of camaraderie, humility, and resilience, and I am always amazed by the creativity of my peers. It’s the perfect combination of self-deprecating humor, storytelling, and musical and acting skills. If you look beyond the jokes and the skits, Follies shows you just how down-to-earth, hard-working, and quick Rossers are to poke fun at ourselves.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? I would have prioritized relationships by engaging more actively in Ross’ signature events and expanding the interactions within my cohort. I recognize that the MBA experience is not just about academic achievement, but also in the connections formed with individuals from diverse backgrounds. These interactions challenge our viewpoints, offer invaluable lessons, and enrich our understanding beyond the business world.

During my undergraduate experience, I explored a lot of different interests, classes, and met many people, but I approached my MBA with more structure. As a first-generation college student, I was unintentionally unstructured because I was blindly navigating this new experience without initial support. I approached my graduate education differently by setting three ambitious but achievable goals at the start of each year, which I pursued relentlessly. I believed that by setting these targets and diligently working towards them, I would feel fulfilled by the end of the year.

In my initial year, I was focused primarily on my classes, the Social Venture Fund, and recruitment efforts, which, while rewarding, somewhat narrowed my social sphere. Now, as my final months approach, I find myself grappling with the challenge of balancing the time needed to deepen newfound connections with the demands of other commitments. The time constraint has underscored for me the significance of seizing opportunities to forge meaningful relationships throughout the MBA experience, recognizing that each interaction is a chance to grow and learn from the unique experiences of my peers.

For the MBA program, I think it’s important to strike that balance of adhering to your initial goals and being open-minded to new experiences. Reflecting on my own path, I have learned the importance of stepping back to identify potential oversights and adjusting priorities as needed. If I had to do it all over again, I would have given myself a little more flexibility and grace for deviating from my rigid goals. Instead, I would have pursued enriching experiences, such as attending a major conference, participating in cultural events, or simply taking a walk to connect with a new peer.

What is the biggest myth about your school? I think the biggest “myth” I kept hearing pre-Ross is that grades don’t matter here, and to an extent, it’s true. The low emphasis on grades at Ross not only helps me to focus on learning the material and connect with my peers in group projects, but it also encourages me to take risks.

Instead of obsessing over the letter grades that appear on my transcript, I get to be present and learn the material while connecting with my classmates. I came to Ross to develop my business toolkit. I have really enjoyed simply following along in class and asking questions to clarify my understanding on various topics, whether it’s in strategy or accounting. I also have the space to think more critically, identify links between classes, and connect with professors who have a wealth of knowledge to share beyond the direct class content. In group projects, rather than anxiously rushing towards a perfect, finished product, I am also focused on learning about and from my peers, taking the time to understand their perspectives and incorporate all our ideas together. In this setting, I have picked up communication styles that I admire and want to emulate and new perspectives that I wouldn’t have otherwise considered.

It also encourages me to take risks, particularly by tackling challenging courses that I might have previously avoided. Rather than taking classes that play to my strengths, I strive to take on a more well-rounded courseload, deliberately stepping outside of my comfort zone, challenging myself, and filling the gaps in my knowledge. While I may not be the key finance or accounting person on my team after graduation, I will have the knowledge to speak at the table and identify how the numbers may impact our strategy or human capital. As someone who often has led from the back, I am more willing to practice different leadership styles and take on more public speaking roles. The culture at Ross, where grades are not the focal point, has built upon my growth mindset and made me more confident in taking on new challenges.

Personally, I’ve found value in shifting my focus away from grades to emphasize the importance of fully understanding the material, seeking clarity through class discussions and office hours, and creating work of which I am proud. What I have also observed is that when we aim to simply learn and produce the best version of the deliverable we can, the grade will often be reflective of this effort.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? 

This may sound blasphemous to say in my school’s town, but I was never a sports fan. I always preferred playing them rather than sitting around and watching them; it might be because I never had the opportunity to see some of the greatest sports team play in-person. That completely changed in Fall of 2021, when I arrived to begin my three-year program, and watched my first U-M football game. I remember how electric and contagious the energy was, watching the sea of maize and blue wade by my apartment on State and Packard and hearing the cheers, chants, and the commotion from everyone enthusiastically flocking to the Big House.

On Saturdays and especially during home games, we collectively close our books because there is a shared understanding that these days were reserved for cheering on our Wolverines. There is just something about the crisp Fall air, the bright maize and blue taking over the streets, and the captivating energy that I love about Ann Arbor, and I know I’ll miss it when I graduate.

What surprised you the most about business school? I was pleasantly surprised by Ross’ collaborative culture, love for learning, and welcoming attitude towards individuals from all academic and professional backgrounds. I initially approached business school with caution, wary of a potentially cutthroat environment, and I put up a small wall. However, that barrier quickly dissipated within the first semester as we were immersed in numerous group projects, and I saw firsthand how cooperative my teammates were. Within the teams I have been on, each member was fully committed to delivering their best work, eagerly shared their insights, listened intently to each other, and offered honest but compassionate feedback. Beyond the classroom, I have witnessed numerous occasions that define our collaborative culture. My section mates proactively organized a round-robin case interview session, preparing over 30 students for their consulting interviews, MBA2s have trekked through heavy snow to interview MBA1s in-person, and student-run Social Venture Fund members have volunteered time to coach first-year members through due diligence.

Most recently, in February 2024, a group of five MBAs asked me to join their team for the three-week fintech challenge. While I was honored, I candidly expressed my lack of fintech experience and reassured them that I wouldn’t be offended if they preferred to find someone with more relevant background. Although I expected swift rejection, the lead who approached me responded with a smile and quipped, “I don’t have experience either! It’s a good learning opportunity for all of us.” Despite none of us having fintech backgrounds, Ross equipped us for the competition by bringing in experts to help us understand the industry and walked us through the process of developing a product or service. Each team member also brought in complementary skills from their finance and engineering backgrounds while I translated technical expertise into accessible language for the presentation and provided direction on our narrative. While we went in with the attitude to simply learn and do our best, we were thrilled to ultimately win first place!

While business school can be competitive, Ross does an incredible job upholding this collaborative culture in which many of the students embrace new experiences and are open to taking risks and learning from those with different perspectives, and this spirit is something I will take with me.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Sean-Michael Steele is a fellow MBA/MPP dual degree student, and I admire his ability to be supportive, resilient, and vulnerable – traits that are all the more remarkable given the challenging environment that business school can be at times. I’ve known him for the past three years, and I have had the privilege to witness first-hand his quick-wittedness, his passion for delving into the nuances at the intersection of business and policy, and tenacity that is nothing short of inspirational.

Sean-Michael cares deeply about the community at Ross. For example, as a vital member and leader of First at Ross, he was first to remind our community to keep the doors open as we graduate and pursue positions of leadership and influence. We are responsible for supporting those who come after us. Whether it’s his kind and honest feedback, connecting with prospective or admitted students, or planning events for First at Ross, his words and actions foster a sense of belonging and community.

Having had the chance to connect with Sean-Michael through the various circles, I would say what sets him apart is not only his ability to bounce back from challenges but how he also transforms obstacles into stepping stones for growth, continues to thrive, and paves the ways for others to do the same. He remains present in all his roles, building community through social events and showing up as an ally to support others.

Perhaps most admirable is his courage to be vulnerable. In a setting where openness can be seen as a liability, Sean-Michael shares his own challenges and creates a space where others feel safe to express themselves, nurturing a culture of empathy and understanding.

Sean-Michael Steel not only brings intellectual curiosity and adept problem-solving skills, enriching our discussions, but also profoundly impacts those who are fortunate enough to cross his path. His compassion, resilience, and insights not only add immense value to our academic community but also set a benchmark for what it means to be a leader with integrity and heart.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? Inspire those around me by exemplifying a deliberate balance between life, work, learning, and making a positive impact in my community.

Pursue a venture idea that aims to use a deep understanding of policy and innovative business solutions to tackle a social problem.

What made Lisa such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2024?

“Lisa brought an unwavering passion for social impact in everything she deliberately chose to do, including her decision to enroll in the joint degree MBA-MPP program, her work at the Social Venture Fund (SVF), especially Recruiting and Culture, and her willingness to build bridges across various curricular and co-curricular activities. She made a special effort to engage with minority groups to ensure a more inclusive educational experience for us all.”

Gautam Kaul
Robert G. Rodkey Collegiate Professor of Business Administration and Professor of Finance

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