Andrea Vo

UCLA, Anderson School of Management

“Bicoastal adventure capitalist investing in high-growth people, experiences, and companies.”

Hometown: Rockville, MD

Fun Fact About Yourself: I can guess your zodiac sign.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Maryland College Park, B.S. Civil Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Avison Young, Project Manager

UCLA Anderson is founded on the Three Pillars: Share Success, Think Fearlessly, and Drive Change. Which pillar resonates most with you and why? Think Fearlessly. I believe that the single greatest controllable determinant of someone’s success and impact is self-efficacy. Fearless thinking isn’t about ignoring risk, but about having the conviction to move forward anyway. At Anderson, I hope to not only practice this mindset myself, but to instill it in others, empowering classmates to push boundaries and pursue bold ideas. “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford

What makes Los Angeles such a great place to earn an MBA? LA is the only city where you can surf at sunrise, take an accounting final, hike at sunset, and run into a Laker at dinner – all in one day. You’ll have a tougher time deciding what not to do than looking for things to do. Your academic, social, and professional cups will be overflowing.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of UCLA Anderson’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? A large part of Anderson’s culture hinges on entrepreneurial spirit, which manifests through the Price Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The center offers courses, accelerators, and mentorship for founders. As an aspiring founder and VC, I wanted a program where I would feel both inspired and supported on what can often be an isolating path. Knowing that I’d have a built-in community of people and resources on this trajectory was the single most important factor in my decision to choose Anderson.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at UCLA Anderson? The activity that excites me most is A26 Ventures, UCLA’s first student-backed and operated early-stage fund. In just a year, Sydney Singh has recruited student investors, raised capital from the UCLA community, and integrated the LA venture ecosystem onto campus. Sydney’s hard work has made venture capital more accessible to Anderson students and is a testament to UCLA’s innovation and drive. I’m excited to contribute to that legacy.

What is your unique quality that will enable you to make a big contribution to the Class of 2027? My unique quality is being the ultimate personality hire. I can connect with anyone, instill confidence, and bring energy that turns collaboration into results. I know that fun and productivity are not mutually exclusive and hope to be the conduit for teamwork and lifelong friendships.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest career accomplishment so far has been contributing to towers that now define the skylines of both Chicago and New York. Those experiences reinforced my love of building, not just physical structures, but also teams and ideas.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? I hope to launch a consumer brand, angel invest in better-for-you companies, and live bicoastal.

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