Derek Tang (MBA ’25) has a uniquely effective way of absorbing experience, processing it, and employing what he’s learned to shape his path in life and career. A microbiology graduate of University of California at Santa Barbara, his first jobs after college were in that field, though he pivoted from engineering cancer-killing cells to project and portfolio management when he joined the personal genomics and biotech firm 23andMe to better utilize his people skills. While there, he realized he enjoyed helping executives make data-driven decisions as well as other tasks. His manager suggested a consulting career. Because New York City’s “chaos and hustle and bustle” had always appealed to Derek, a native Californian, he applied to NYU Stern.

At Stern, Derek quickly immersed himself in the City, his studies, and School extracurriculars like the Management Consulting Association and OutClass, where he served as co-president. He also worked part-time in the Careers office as a career fellow. He excelled enough in the classroom to merit The Andre C. Dimitriadis Scholarship for his second year—financial support that enabled him to travel to Milan, Paris, and Cape Town on Doing Business In (DBi) experiential learning courses.

In Paris, the students worked with a fragrance manufacturer developing a thesis on how nihilism relates to beauty trends in the United States and China. “It was really exciting,” Derek recalled. “A dozen of us interviewed for the process, and we got to work closely with the company and our counterparts at the Institut Francais de la Mode.” On the Milan trip, which concentrated on luxury retailing, his assignment was to compare the customer experience at a Dolce & Gabbana store with that at a Valentino store.

“The focus on global education is something I’ve really taken away from Stern,” Derek said. “I hadn’t considered global business before Stern, so I’m really grateful for the scholarship because it enabled me to participate in these programs.”

Derek’s friendly manner has made it easy for him to take advantage of networking opportunities. An OutClass colleague helped him prepare for a job interview and later, as a graduate, hired him as an external consultant on a company project. At Reaching Out in MBA (ROMBA) conferences, Derek connected with alumni at corporate partner organizations. “These experiences taught me about the value of the Stern network,” he said.

After graduation, Derek plans to join Bain in Los Angeles as a generalist consultant. He credits the experiential learning classes, combined with the Becoming You course taught by Professor Suzy Welch, for discovering his strengths and what he enjoys most in roles. “They gave me the confidence to be flexible with my long-term career choice rather than seeking a set path with set titles and timelines.”