Brandeis Inside Out: Felix Liu Ku ’15, MA’16

An economics/business double major fascinated by mergers and acquisitions merges into campus life and acquires job before graduation.

Photo/Mike Lovett

Felix Ku '16

Felix Liu Ku ’15, MA’16, is no stranger to adapting to new cultures. The economics and business major lived in Spain, Honduras, Taiwan and Paraguay before coming to Brandeis. He was used to transitions, new languages and new settings — but was it easy to do that and adjust to college life?

“At Brandeis, you don’t have to be afraid of being an outsider,” he says. “Everyone here is friendly. It was easy for me to find my group of people and my place on campus.”

Liu Ku has been methodical about the academic subjects he has focused on. While he initially leaned toward pre-med, he shifted to economics after taking professor Mike Coiner’s introductory course. In true Brandeisian form, he added a second major in business to round out his skills. In following what he naturally enjoyed in the classroom, he figured out what he wanted to do for a living.

Liu Ku is enrolled in the BA/MA program, a joint venture between the university and Brandeis International Business School (IBS) that allows students to earn a master’s degree after one additional year of study. He’ll leave with more than that. He’s already been offered a job as a valuation associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers immediately after graduation.

“An extra year at Brandeis was the perfect way for me to fine-tune what I want from my career,” he notes. “My biggest achievement was getting the internship that led to this job. I still remember the time when I had no clue what I wanted to do, or when I thought I’d have to leave the U.S. immediately after graduation. That phone call from PWC was the first step toward my future.”

Liu Ku is fascinated by mergers and acquisitions and will get to apply his interest on a daily basis, along with conducting post-deal analyses of asset values. He’s grateful to professor Michael McKay for introducing him to the subject.

“He helped me refine my career goals but from there, I had to compete with the odds. If you want to succeed you have to work hard for it and you can’t be discouraged.”

Yet as hard as he’s worked, Liu Ku’s favorite campus memory is from outside the classroom.

He recalls a snowy evening in which he and his friends were gathering to study for a test. In the midst of their walk, they learned that classes had been canceled for the following day.

“We ordered a pizza from Cappy’s and spent the evening together relaxing instead of doing homework,” he recalls. “No matter where you come from or where you’re going, it’s these kinds of memories that make the experience worthwhile.”

Categories: Business, General, International Affairs, Research, Student Life

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