Wei-Chi (Victor) Su

University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith Business School

“Passionate, committed to empowering others, and always looking for inspiration and growth.”

Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan and Los Altos, California

Fun fact about yourself: I was a professional dancer and commercial actor in Taiwan!

Undergraduate School and Degree: Boston University, Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Administration

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Human Resource Consultant, Dar-Mei International Development Corporation

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024? I interned as a Product Manager at a fintech startup, getGFTD, in Baltimore, Maryland

Where will you be working after graduation? Undecided

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

President, MBA Association
Track Representative, MBA Association
Smith Scholar Scholarship Recipient

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am honored to have been elected as the President of the MBA Association for 2024-2025. In this role, I had the privilege of leading the entire MBA cohort, the MBA Association board, and 12 student-led clubs with the mission: Driving Change. My decision to run for this position stemmed from a deep commitment to serving students, fostering a stronger community, and creating a lasting impact on both the program and the broader Smith School network.

My goal was to enhance the MBA experience by driving meaningful initiatives that strengthened student engagement and professional development. Whether it was organizing networking events, advocating for student interests with faculty and administration, or supporting club leaders in executing their vision, I sought to create an environment where students felt empowered and heard. This experience was both incredibly rewarding and challenging, requiring strong teamwork, strategic decision-making, and collaboration with diverse stakeholders across the Smith School. Navigating these responsibilities taught me the importance of adaptability, resilience, and inclusivity – every challenge became an opportunity to make a difference.

One of the most fulfilling aspects of this role was working alongside an extraordinary team of passionate and driven individuals. Their dedication, creativity, and hard work were instrumental in the MBAA board’s collective success. Together, we built a legacy that I hope will continue to inspire future cohorts. As I reflect on this journey, I am incredibly grateful for the relationships built, the lessons learned, and the impact we created – values and lessons that I will carry forward in every professional and personal endeavor!

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? There are many special milestones that I was able to achieve in my professional career, including performing as a dancer with one of the most prominent Taiwanese artists, A-Lin, in Taipei Arena with an audience of 15,000. However, the accomplishment that I will always remember was during my role as the operations and marketing director for a textile firm that produced newly developed anti-viral and anti-bacterial technological jackets during peak COVID-19 in 2021.

At the time, vaccines were not readily available to the Taiwanese public, and for many, the jackets may be their only line of defense and protection from COVID-19. However, there were a lot of similar products on the market that touted the same unique features but without the strict and proper credentials by the Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI) that we were able to obtain. In an effort to educate the public and increase awareness, I had to change my marketing tactics by targeting retired and stay-at-home moms who often have established online social media presence and community groups to do group orders on products. Their sphere of influence was my way to penetrate the market and do my due diligence as an ethical business to protect the public. The best feeling is when one of the customers said she felt so relieved to have gifted her father, who needed to frequent hospitals for check-ups at the time, the jacket because the quality and credentials assured her father’s safety. This made me realize that what I did truly made a significant impact on everyone’s lives.

Why did you choose this business school? When I was deciding between business schools, I had three criteria in mind that I call the three C’s: Career, Curriculum, and Community. The Smith School hit the mark on all of them. The Office of Career Services (OCS) offered immense resources and support even before the start of the program during the summer to prepare us for career conferences, networking sessions, and interviews. As a dual degree student in MBA and M.S. in Marketing Analytics, the curriculum honed both my quantitative and critical thinking skills. Being in the STEM-designated MBA program with a specialization in AI in Business Strategy also allowed me to explore the different possibilities. Finally, the community is the reason why I was able to surmount all the difficult challenges during my MBA journey, even from my first interactions with the admissions staff. The cohort members also support each other like family in career, academics and practically every aspect of life – we have all developed such a close relationship with each other like no other!

Who was your favorite MBA professor? There are many great professors that I had the honor of studying under, but my favorite MBA professor would have to be Professor Mary Beth Furst. Her Brand Management class definitely is one of my highlights in my time at Smith! She structures her class with plenty of active discussions which allowed everyone to engage each other with nuance perspective and innovative ideas. The class was never boring!

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite course, but also unanimously crowned as the hardest course in the MBA program, is Managerial Economics and Public Policy taught by Professor Rachelle Sampson. It demands both quantitative and critical thinking skills. And understanding the plethora of concepts in the span of seven short weeks was definitely a challenge that I thoroughly enjoyed. The course offered practical implications, and I really liked how it shaped us future business leaders in making managerial decisions.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? Besides the annual formal gala, Monte Carlo Night—now in its 23rd iteration—one of my favorite MBA traditions is the Thursday socials. Every Thursday evening, right after class, the cohort would head to a nearby bar or restaurant to unwind, connect, and enjoy casual, heart-to-heart conversations—nothing formal or uptight, just pure camaraderie. These regular gatherings played a huge role in bringing our cohort closer together, making them a tradition I will truly miss after graduation!

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? If I could do one thing differently, it would be to allocate more time for career pursuits alongside academic responsibilities. During my first term in the MBA program, I was fully focused on academics due to its rigorous and time-consuming nature. As a result, I missed key recruiting deadlines that could have led to internship opportunities. On the bright side, I’ve since found a much healthier balance, ensuring that both academic and career priorities receive the attention they deserve.

What is the biggest myth about your school? There is no myth that I am aware of, but in general I have heard that other business schools have more of a cut-throat and unhealthily competitive culture. I am glad that the Smith School does not have that and fosters a community of great camaraderie and healthy competition – the embodiment of “my success is your success” mentality.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? College Park, Maryland is a college town, and I love how I get to experience it coming from a very city-integrated campus during my undergrad in Boston University. The close proximity to Washington D.C. also provides quick getaways for any city experience.

What movie or television show  best reflects the realities of business and what did you learn from it? One of my favorite movies, La La Land, starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, resonates deeply with me, especially as someone who has worked in the entertainment industry. The film explores the tension between passion and practicality, the sacrifices we make for our dreams, and the bittersweet reality of ambition.

Just like Mia and Sebastian, we too must make difficult choices in pursuit of our goals. Success often requires trade-offs, and dreams don’t always unfold as expected. Yet, the movie reminds us that embracing both the highs and lows with resilience and optimism is what ultimately brings meaning to the pursuit.

In business, the same lesson applies: achieving our full potential requires vision, hard work, and balancing ideals with practicality. Most importantly, we must appreciate the journey, even if the destination changes along the way.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? I had the opportunity to take courses such as Foundations in AI and AI in Business Strategy as part of my AI in Business Strategy Specialization. The foundation course offered important concepts that solidified my understanding of AI and the business strategy course build upon that in a business environment. I especially enjoyed the final project, which is a blue-sky business proposal to incorporate generative AI in an industry of our choice.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? My dear friend Yaye Sene is one of the most hardworking, intelligent and thoughtful people I know. Since meeting her on day one of business school—during orientation—I have been inspired by her fearless determination towards her career goals and leadership as the President of the Finance and Venture Capital Club. We are each other’s accountability buddy, and we always make sure to remind each other about the goals that we want to achieve.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. Break into the technology industry, specifically FAANG, as a product manager or product marketing manager.
2. To impact the entertainment industry—for which my passion remains strong—by incorporating both business and creativity elements.

What made Victor such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?

“I met Victor as a student in my brand management class. In and out of the classroom, he dedicates his energy to building community and preparing himself and others for career opportunities. Victor’s leadership as the MBAA provided a platform to foster community. I believe his focus on inclusivity began in the classroom. Victor is an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025 because he is a connector – someone who strives to build relationships across backgrounds, experiences, and goals. He looks for areas of commonality to start the conversation and encourages dialogue to uncover opportunities for diverse perspectives to be shared. This was evident in the case discussions in class. As students wrestled with possible action plans, Victor facilitated productive discussions that led to better and more comprehensive recommendations. His successes in class are mirrored in his committee work as well. I believe his community-building communication skills prepared him and his classmates for the realities of managerial and executive roles where success will depend on contributions from the entire team. The Class of 2025 is stronger and more prepared to lead in business as a result of Victor’s commitment to supporting an environment of mutual success and growth.”

Mary Beth Furst
Clinical Professor and Associate Chair of Marketing
University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business

DON’T MISS: MBAS TO WATCH: CLASS OF 2025

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