Yi Han

The Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business

“Curious about people and the world, always seeking to learn, innovate, and create meaningful impact.”

Hometown: Jiangxi, China

Fun fact about yourself: I love bird watching

Undergraduate School and Degree: City University of New York/ Master of Mechanical Engineering

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Sumitomo Electric Wiring System / Project Lead

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024? Deloitte / Columbus

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

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: Fisher Consulting & Strategy Club / Vice President of Corporate Relations

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? One of the academic achievements I’m most proud of during business school is working as a Graduate Research Assistant at Nationwide. Despite having no prior experience in the insurance industry, I was able to bring value and create impact through my work by applying the skills and knowledge gained in the classroom to real-world business situations. This experience reinforced the importance of transferable skills even in an unfamiliar industry. Additionally, coming in with an outsider’s perspective helped me approach challenges with fresh ideas, which was appreciated by my team.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? One of the achievements I’m most proud of in my professional career is leading a five-year global project, collaborating with stakeholders from across the world. Managing a long-term initiative at this scale required strategic vision, cross-cultural collaboration, and adaptability to navigate different markets, business environments, and stakeholder priorities. This experience strengthened my leadership, negotiation, and project management skills, as I had to align diverse teams, manage competing interests, and drive execution across multiple regions. It also reinforced the importance of clear communication and relationship-building, which were key to keeping the project on track and delivering impactful results.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose Fisher because of its strong network both in Ohio and beyond, which aligns with my long-term goal of staying in the Columbus area. Building connections within the local business community is essential for my career growth, and Fisher provides unparalleled access to top companies, alumni, and industry leaders in the region.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite MBA professor is Professor John Gray. He consistently challenged my thinking and pushed me to approach problems with deeper analysis and a more critical perspective. His teaching style encouraged me to go beyond surface-level answers, question assumptions, and refine my problem-solving approach. His classes were intellectually stimulating, providing a perfect balance of rigor and real-world application, which helped me sharpen my strategic thinking. I deeply appreciate how he encouraged thoughtful discussions and always pushed students to think deeper, justify their reasoning, and explore multiple angles before making decisions. His influence has had a lasting impact on how I approach complex business challenges.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite course as an MBA was Coaching. It taught me the power of asking the right questions and how to empower others by helping them discover their own capabilities to solve problems. Rather than providing direct solutions, I learned how to guide conversations, foster critical thinking, and build confidence in others, which is essential for leadership and team development. This course reinforced that great leaders are not just decision-makers but also mentors and enablers who help others unlock their full potential. The skills I gained in active listening, thoughtful questioning, and empowering others have been invaluable in both my professional and personal growth.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? My favorite MBA event was the FTMBA Picnic, which takes place right before the program starts. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with second-year MBAs and faculty in a relaxed environment before the intensity of classes and recruiting began. The picnic set the tone for the collaborative and supportive culture at Fisher. It allowed us to build relationships early on, get valuable advice from those who had already been through the first year, and feel welcomed into the community. It was a great mix of networking, fun, and a chance to start forming lifelong friendships.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Looking back on my MBA experience, I wish I had taken more cross-disciplinary courses and projects. One of my most memorable experiences was a class in the design department, where I worked with design students to develop a solution for improving health habits. It was fascinating to see how different disciplines approach problem-solving and innovation. This experience taught me the value of diverse perspectives, creativity in business solutions, and human-centered design thinking. If I could do it again, I would seek out even more opportunities to collaborate with students from engineering, healthcare, or technology fields to expand my problem-solving toolkit and adaptability across industries.

What is the biggest myth about your school? I think the biggest myth is that your learning is confined to the classroom. In reality, some of the most valuable experiences happen outside of lectures, through industry events, hands-on projects, and networking opportunities. Events like the Center of Excellence Summit and Construct I/O Summit provide invaluable exposure to industry leaders, cutting-edge innovations, and real-world applications of business concepts. These events allow students to connect with top professionals, gain insights from experts, and learn from the best in the industry.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? What I love most about Columbus is its incredible potential as a rising tech hub. The city is rapidly growing, with major investments in startups, innovation, and smart city initiatives, making it an exciting place for business and technology.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? Some professors not only allowed AI-assisted work, but also pushed us to explore how to craft effective prompts to extract meaningful insights. This approach helped us refine our ability to interact with AI and maximize its value in problem-solving. One key takeaway from using AI was the importance of prompt engineering—the quality of AI-generated insights depends on how well we frame our questions, pushing us to think critically about input and output. Additionally, AI serves as a complement, not a replacement, for deep thinking; while it can generate quick responses, refining and verifying those insights is essential for strategic decision-making. Lastly, the requirement to cite AI usage reinforced the importance of transparency, accountability, and ethical AI practices, ensuring that we validate information and use AI responsibly in professional settings. This experience deepened my understanding of how to effectively leverage AI for research, analysis, and problem-solving, a skill that is becoming increasingly vital in the business world.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? The MBA classmate I most admire is Robblyn Branch. She consistently voices her opinions, even when they may not be what people want to hear, demonstrating courage and authenticity. She stands firm in her values while also being open to discussion, which fosters meaningful conversations. Beyond that, Robblyn is always willing to help others, whether it’s offering advice, sharing her knowledge, or supporting classmates in their personal and professional growth. Her combination of boldness, integrity, and generosity makes her a truly inspiring leader and peer.

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

1. Build a startup
2. Become venture capitalist

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

“Yi Han’s intellectual curiosity, growth mindset, entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to collaboration, and professionalism have distinguished her. Dr. Xue Wang shared, “Yi was one of the best students in my class. Above and beyond academic excellence, she demonstrated leadership, and she has great communication skills.” Dr. Roger Bailey said, “Yi is a great performer who was always engaged. A model for international students who are often fearful to participate.”

When Yi joined Fisher’s program, she had just launched a small business and yet she embraced the Full-Time MBA experience and has been intentional about investing in herself and in others to help build and strengthen our MBA community. Yi has beautifully balanced the personal and professional, being present for her family while also successfully navigating a rigorous full-time course load, graduate research assistantship with Nationwide, providing peer mentorship and support through the Fisher Consulting & Strategy Club, and being active and engaged in co-curricular programming and community-building events.

Yi embodies Fisher’s core values. She leads with integrity, practices empathy, promotes social responsibility, pursues excellence, nurtures creativity, embraces diversity, and has helped to build an inclusive community. Yi is an outstanding ambassador for the Fisher MBA brand.”

Leanda Rix
Managing Director, FTMBA Program

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

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