Michael Yang

University of Michigan, Ross School of Business

“A curious adventurer, passionate snowboard instructor, and avid guitar player.”

Hometown: Beijing, China

Fun Fact About Yourself: I just joined our school band, Risky Business. Ready to rock!

Undergraduate School and Major: English, University of Sanya

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Senior Account Strategist at Criteo

Michigan Ross is best known for experiential learning programming like MAP, Living Business Leadership Experience, and the Leadership Crisis Challenge. What experiential program interests you the most? MAP is the most interesting for me. Being able to gain hands-on work experience in a diverse team and an international environment is so valuable for me, especially as an international student. And MAP happens before the summer internship starts. So, I can apply the experience from MAP to my internship, which will position me well for potential success.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Michigan Ross’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Aside from my classmates, culture is one of the most important factors for me in choosing a business school. When I was applying, I reached out to student ambassadors on the school website. All the alumni were super helpful and were willing to put themselves in my shoes. One girl even gave me her phone number at the end of our Zoom call just in case I had urgent questions before the deadline. After my admission, I was contacted by multiple students who provided valuable information for my decision. The admission office also arranged a wide variety of events, from a housing guide to recruiting preparation. I was and still am amazed by the support I receive from the program. This is why I’m an ambassador now, passing on this culture.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Michigan Ross? As an MBA1, I have only had a few courses so far, but I have already learned so much through the strategy core course. I did not have a strategy course in undergraduate school, nor did I work as a management consultant, so one of my goals at Ross is to enhance my strategic thinking and learn frameworks that can help me evaluate industries and firms and make better decisions.

Outside of coursework and recruiting, I believe it’s also important to enjoy myself during these precious two years. I auditioned with the Ross school band, Risky Business, and I got it! I really look forward to rehearsal with the band and performing for fellow Rossers.

Looking at your recruitment, what was the moment when you realized that the Ross School was the right MBA program for you? Why? I’m recruiting mainly for tech. When I searched on LinkedIn, I found alumni in every company that interested me. On top of that was Ross’ unique FACT group program. Having an assigned MBA2 coach who was in the exact position as me one year ago and who takes on the responsibility willingly is also a huge plus for the success of my recruitment.

What is your unique quality that will enable you to make a big contribution to the Class of 2026? Why? I have always been a curious person who loves to try new things, learn new tricks on a snowboard or go to a new city without planning. You name it. I believe one of the most valuable experiences I can get through my MBA is the relationship. My curiosity will not only allow me to meet new people and make new friends, but also facilitate conversations between my fellow students across cultural boundaries.  It is these conversations that make people understand each other’s differences and make the world a better place. During our Mtrek to Croatia (another unique activity at Ross), our group bonded so well, dancing in a castle, jumping off cliffs, and kayaking on the Adriatic Sea, and I was given the nickname “the Curious One.”

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment (or one of the biggest) is leading a cross-functional team to build a new solution for gaming clients. Playing video games since I was six, I have been passionate about gaming and technology. At Criteo, a digital advertising platform, I wondered why we weren’t serving gaming clients that have great business potential. My passion led me to dig deeper into client needs and our technological capabilities. I also brought in colleagues from technical, design, and data analytics teams to finally build a new solution for gaming clients. The reasons why this is my biggest accomplishment are multifaceted. Of course, it expanded our business into gaming and generated significant incremental revenue. It also gave me a great sense of achievement of building something out of my passion and with a team that shares the same goal.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Michigan Ross’s MBA program? In applications, we all want to show the best of ourselves. However, we are more than what we do at work. On top of the great accomplishments you achieved in your career, show WHO YOU ARE – your passion, unique experiences, hobbies, “superpowers,” and why you did what you did. It can be a point in the additional section of your resume, a story in one of the essays, or a nice conversation with your interviewer. If you feel this is still not specific enough, talk to a student ambassador on Ross’s website. I believe all of us will try our best to provide inspiration.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE MICHIGAN ROSS MBA CLASS OF 2026