ABOUT ME
Hello! I'm Michael Hong, a Korean-American student studying Economics and International Relations at Boston University. Having grown up in both the U.S. and South Korea, I’ve become interested in how geopolitical events, such as international conflicts, can deeply impact businesses, economies, and financial markets around the world. This sparked my passion in navigating the risks and uncertainties that define today’s increasingly interconnected world. In particular, I hope to understand and analyze such developments from an economic perspective, translating them into insights that inform effective financial and strategic decision-making. I am currently looking for internship opportunities in finance or consulting. I love connecting with people who share similar interests, so please feel free to reach out!
Education
Boston University Class of 2027
Bachelor of Arts in Economics
Minor in International Relations
increasingly interconnected world. In particular, I hope to understand and analyze such developments from an economic perspective, translating them into insights that inform effective financial and strategic decision-making. I am currently looking for internship opportunities in finance or consulting. I love connecting with people who share similar interests, so please feel free to reach out!
Languages
Native bilingual fluency in English and Korean
Proficient in Spanish
Technical Skills
Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Stata, Python, Adobe Premiere Pro, Photoshop
Hello! I'm Michael Hong, a Korean-American student studying Economics and International Relations at Boston University. Having grown up in both the U.S. and South Korea, I’ve become interested in how geopolitical events, such as international conflicts, can deeply impact businesses, economies, and financial markets around the world. This sparked my passion in navigating the risks and uncertainties that define today’s
BOSTON UNIVERSITY STUDENT GOVERNMENT
College of Arts and Sciences Senator
• Sponsored and passed Senate legislation allocating $23,000 in funding to 20+ student organizations, supporting under-resourced groups and improving campus engagement
• Spearheaded an increase in the annual Community Service Fee from $73 to $77, generating $160,000 in new annual funding to sustain budgets for campus-wide events amid declining enrollment
Executive Staff Member
• Produced a class registration tutorial video that streamlined the enrollment process
• Surveyed 500 students on the registration interface, analyzed responses, and delivered policy recommendations that led to a renovated class registration website
EXPERIENCE
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
Research Assistant
• Analyzed 100 million historical newspaper articles with a large language model (LLM) to uncover hidden patterns of ethnoracial exclusion and their socioeconomic impact in U.S. history
• Validated model outputs through manual review of 500+ articles, ensuring data accuracy and research integrity
CERTIFICATIONS
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL ONLINE
Credential of Readiness (CORe)
• Completed a 150-hour pre-MBA program covering financial accounting, managerial economics, and business analytics, earning High Honors
• Analyzed corporate financial statements, assessed market trends, and built regression models on real-world cases to generate strategic business insights
CORPORATE FINANCE INSTITUTE® (CFI)
Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA®)
• Demonstrated expertise in 3-statement modeling, DCF valuation, sensitivity analysis, scenario analysis, budgeting, and forecasting using Microsoft Excel
(1) Photo with Dr. Melissa L. Gilliam, President of Boston University, before a 2024 Senate Meeting
(3) First Senate Meeting of the 2024-25 Year
MEDIA
(2) Representing Student Government during Boston University's Club Fair
"The hope that there's a place for even a short Korean kid with a silly name."
I ended a campaign rally speech at Marsh Plaza by borrowing a line from a famous 2004 speech, with the goal of inspiring a sense of hope and change at Boston University, when first running to become senator.
A couple days later, while looking for a table with my friends at the Marciano dining hall, I noticed that three tall guys were staring at me altogether. My immediate thought to myself was, "Am I about to get into a fight?" However, after a long moment of silence, one of them asked, "Are you Michael?" After I answered that I was, he offered to shake my hand and said, "I saw you on Instagram. You got my vote." It turned out that the three wanted to voice their support for my student government platform. It was just as simple as that.
The gesture, though simple, helped me finally discover my "why" for wanting to be elected senator and served as my motivation for the rest of the campaign period, which ultimately helped me get to hear my name at the announcement dinner a few weeks later. Yes, there was a place even for me, a short Korean kid with a silly name, here after all.
This remains my “why,” not just for representing students at Boston University, but also for striving to make the world a better place. As a Korean-American, I’ve often doubted if I truly belonged here, wondering if someone like me could be heard or even lead. But that moment in the dining hall, when a stranger shook my hand and said that I had his vote, reminded me that someone like me could not only be heard but also make a difference through leadership.
My campaign affirmed the notion that there was a place even for me, a short Korean kid with a silly name. This is why I will continue to work to create meaningful impact in today's world: because each and every single one of us, no matter how “silly” our name sounds or how short we stand, deserves to have our voice heard, just as I had mine.
MY "WHY"