As a girl born and raised in the countryside of Vietnam, Thao Phan flew halfway around the world to broaden her horizons. Her decision to enroll in the University of South Florida kick-started a transformative journey that reshaped the trajectory of her life.
It didn’t take long for Phan to stretch herself and delve into diverse activities that harmonized academic, personal, and professional development.
Playing the piano and reading books are among her passions. A standout on her bookshelf: “Never Eat Alone” by Keith Ferrazzi. The book is about cultivating enduring relationships and fostering connections through caring and compassion.
Those are familiar themes to Phan, who volunteered as an English mentor at SOS Children’s Village Vietnam as part of her commitment to the Judy Genshaft Honors College requirements. By listening to the children’s stories and sharing her own, she believes she made a meaningful impact on their lives.
In 2023, she served as a quantitative senior associate for the Investment Club at USF. She managed a team that developed and published trading algorithms. She also served as the workshop officer for the Data Science Club at USF.
Each new venture has paid off as she prepares to join Morgan Stanley as a technology summer analyst with the Business and Data Analytics track in New York City this summer. Projected to graduate in 2025, Phan is ready to continue blazing a trail to find the best version of herself.
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