I want to use technology to change the world through innovation. Through the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology, I’ll pursue a Bachelor’s degree in both Computer Engineering and Economics. As a Bay Area native, it’s no surprise that I’ve grown up with an entrepreneurial spirit and a deep respect for risk-taking. To be a student in Silicon Valley is to be naturally competitive, hungry for challenges, and to believe that anything is possible with enough hard work. My dad and I share the motto, “Failure is a good thing”, which motivates me to constantly try new things such as trying out for the volleyball team or applying for a job. My personal and professional attitude toward business matches Penn’s Jerome Fisher dual-degree program because the programs that Wharton offers to supplement my computer science education are very focused in entrepreneurship. For example, as a Penn undergraduate, I would participate in classes that fall under the Goergen Entrepreneurial Management Program, meaning that they are based on combining economic theory with the research conclusions made in Wharton’s Sol C. Snider Entrepreneurial Research Center. This distinguished program would give me the opportunity to apply my learning to the real-world experiences of others, thereby forming a stronger understanding of how to manage the finances of my start-up. I would also have the chance to participate in Wharton’s Entrepreneur in Residence program and meet one-on-one with a successful Wharton business owner. The personalized mentorship I would receive would allow me to avoid common mistakes and strengthen my understanding of what it takes to run a prosperous business. Finally, I’d get to build a company from scratch, following the guidelines of Wharton’s Small Business Development Center and applying for the numerous funding opportunities that Wharton offers. 

With my Computer Engineering degree, I’ll learn how to design and prototype the ideas that I invent for apps or web services that will change the world. Concurrently, with my Economics degree, I’ll learn how to transfer my prototype into a working corporation and then grow the company without going bankrupt. While most people gain the knowledge for how to run a business after graduating by going back to college for an MBA, studying business as an undergraduate will give me a unique edge by preparing me to be a technology entrepreneur from the moment I step outside campus. Taking business and engineering classes together will allow me to frame my understanding of programming in a way that prepares me to be most successful. For example, in a programming class, I’ll learn how to build an app to allow in-app purchases, and then in a business class, I’ll learn whether this revenue will be sufficient to sustain my costs. If not, then I’ll change the design of my app so I can attain more revenue, thereby learning how to develop practical technology that I can transfer into the real world by starting a corporation.