Contributing to the common good

Piloting Mendoza’s first class of the Business Honors Program (BHP) is an interesting position to be in, said Kevin Wang (BBA ‘24).

“I appreciate being able to influence the future of the program and help guide where it's headed.” Wang is no stranger to facing challenges head on. He originally chose Notre Dame because they were one of few universities continuing to meet in person during the pandemic. He wanted a more normal college experience that included clubs, meeting new people and getting involved around campus. As a student double-majoring in Finance and Applied & Computational Mathematics & Statistics, minoring in Business Technology, and on the Notre Dame men’s rowing team, he had a tight schedule. BHP was one of the ways that Wang thought could help him meet students at Mendoza. At first, he wasn’t quite sure what to expect because it was so new. He found that BHP prioritized giving students an opportunity to shape how the program will look. “Everything so far has been student focused. It's clear that the BHP directors and staff want a strong community aspect to the program and so the students have been really invested in that as well.” Beyond the multiple academic elements, BHP hosts several non-required social events to support the student community. For example, the program organized a formal ball as a kind of replacement prom since many college students missed out during their high school years due to the pandemic. The students also are encouraged to come up with their own event ideas and to help lead those organization efforts in the program. Before joining the BHP, Wang’s goal was to find a career at the intersection of finance and tech. That goal hasn’t changed for him, but now he is thinking more critically about how he does that while making sure that career path is truly beneficial to society. He has a clearer vision for a future career path that includes contributing to the common good, and he’s grateful to be a part of a community of like-minded students that understands that belief. “That’s been the most defining part of the BHP; it’s undoubtedly changed my experience at Notre Dame for the better.”