Derek Tang, MBA 2025
- Hometown
Orange County, CA - Undergraduate
School: University of California - Santa Barbara
Major/Minor: Microbiology - Previous Industry/Company
Biotech/Pharma at 23andMe - Summer Internship
Summer Consultant at The Chartis Group - Specializations at Stern
Strategy, Global Business, Business Analytics - Student Clubs
OutClass, President
Management Consulting Association, VP of Programming
How did you prepare for the program before you began it?
I road-tripped all throughout California and spent lots of time with my friends before leaving San Francisco.
What class/professor has made the deepest impression on you?
Leadership in Organizations has been one of my favorite classes. It's an introspective class that helps you figure out what your priorities are in life and how to lead organizations. It has made me realize that soft skills are equally as important as technical skills. It's also a really fun class to take with your friends because there's so much discussion that happens in the course. Additionally, Michael North is a very charming professor and makes the class really engaging.
What advice do you have for prospective students?
Just say yes. My golden rule is that if you're on the fence about something, just say yes. Most of the time it will work itself out. My second piece of advice is that it's okay to be a little bit delusional. No one is going to believe in you more than you believe in yourself. I think being delusional is so much more fun and peaceful than faking it until you make it.
What advice would you give your first semester self?
My advice for my first-semester self is that nothing is ever that serious. There's no point in constantly worrying about things you have no control over. You just have to trust that everything works itself out in the end so just enjoy your time here.
What surprised you the most about Stern?
What surprised me about Stern was how many fun events there are. There is truly something for everyone here. It's very much a pick-your-own-adventure kind of thing and you can choose to be as involved or as uninvolved as you want.
Who makes up your chosen family at NYU Stern?
I absolutely love the idea of a chosen family. My chosen family consists of all of my gays in OutClass, my concert girlies, and my friends in consulting.