Alicia Zhang thrives on change—it's her superpower. Raised in Maryland, she spent her childhood moving frequently between cities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey before living in Washington, Alabama, and even spending time in Australia with her grandparents. Portland has been her home for 12 years now, where The School of Business has played a pivotal role in expanding her opportunities.
Her parents' story inspired Alicia to pursue higher education. "Unlike my parents' generation, who didn’t have the opportunity to pursue higher education, they really emphasized the importance of education and knowledge to expand our horizons and unlock more opportunities."
Business holds a special place in Alicia's heart, offering her insights into societal behaviors and economic forces. "I wanted to learn how society and businesses function, the rules and key players within them, and the mechanisms of the economy." This understanding has given Alicia an interdisciplinary approach to her studies.
Starting at Portland State, Alicia’s academic path was dynamic. She switched majors multiple times, from starting in accounting, to nursing, to BTA, computer science, and then finally landing back to BTA and finance. “Although I regretted the frequent changes initially, as they extended my time in school, this varied exposure greatly broadened my understanding of business and enhanced my skill set.”
Along with academic learning, Alicia also learned essential skills like problem-solving and critical thinking that allowed her to gain the ability to interrelate diverse concepts. Though her college experience wasn’t a straight path, it taught her that sometimes the value of our actions becomes clear only in hindsight. Cultivate self-awareness by reflecting on both your successes and mistakes. Understanding the reasons behind your outcomes helps you learn from your experiences and can significantly enhance your likelihood of future success in your endeavors.”
College is a unique experience for everyone; Alicia believes that having a degree in business can be broad, but you can make yourself invaluable by having diverse interests, knowledge, and skills. Alicia would give students advice to take in all the opportunities that you can, “Take every opportunity to network and expose yourself to various fields, which will deepen your understanding of your chosen area of study. Someone mentioned this to me today and it really resonated with me: 'Network because it's the human thing to do, and not only for the sake of finding opportunities'."