Alumni profile: Zijun Dong, MPIF’22

"When I was in high school, most of my classmates focused on getting into a prestigious university through the college entrance examination, not what major we wanted to study," said Zijun Dong, MPIF'22. "One of my friends said computer science was the degree to seek, so most of us, including me, went to study computer science after entering university.” 

However, once enrolled at the Xi’an Jiaotong University, Dong realized computer science wasn’t quite the path he imagined. “Coding was painful for me! I decided I wanted to have some more enjoyable coursework to balance the coding challenges, so I signed up for a finance minor.”

That decision turned out to be prescient.

“Early in the coursework, our teacher organized a stock investment competition," said Dong, "and through my trading strategies, every stock I bought made a profit.” By the time Dong graduated, he was ranked 18 out of the 160 students in the finance minor class.

Dong also expanded his financial skills through internships, including in the investment banking department of China Securities and China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation Co., Ltd. (CSDC). “My internship with China Securities made me realize my aspiration to work in the financial industry."

However, Dong's interest in finance runs deeper than his academic experiences. "People say technology can change lives, but it wasn't until I went to college that I realized that not everyone can enjoy the benefits of technological progress, which is often limited by different economic conditions. There are drastic financial disparities between the east and west of China, and I have friends from more rural areas where the people work hard but the community is not as economically strong. Growing up in Beijing, I have had a lot of privilege, and I believe everyone should have opportunities to flourish. Learning finance and policy is how I see myself having the biggest economic impact. I believe it is a social responsibility that one should bear."

To that end, Dong said he wanted to gain financial skills beyond what was offered at his school. When he learned about the Monetary Policy and International Finance Credential Program (MPIF), he said, he knew it was for him. "I was immediately drawn to the well-structured curriculum and impressive faculty. The program matched my interests perfectly.”

The MPIF Capstone Project was an invaluable element of the program, Dong said. “We collaborated and each brought an area of expertise to the project, be it computer science, theoretical analysis, industry experience, or adding invaluable clarity to our papers and presentations. Plus, the faculty support was amazing: Professor Yao Tang from Peking University provided valuable feedback for every part of our research."

Dong said the MPIF program proved to be an incredibly rewarding and worthwhile experience. "First of all, academically, MPIF not only helped me review my knowledge of international finance but also introduced content not covered in school courses. Plus, the program expanded my network: I made friends with students from other universities in China. It also inspired me to explore graduate programs at Harris!"