During his internship with the city of Moreno Valley, MBA student Joe Wu has jumped into new areas of business.

“I have learned an incredible amount about the commercial real estate world,” he says. “One of my duties is to aid in attracting commercial real estate clients to the city – industrial, office, and medical – and I send out marketing campaigns to various companies.”

Wu has been interning with Moreno Valley’s Economic Development Department since June 2022, and he also helps manage the city’s business website and marketing materials and staffs a booth for city events, like job fairs and ribbon cuttings.

“I make the occasional cold call to talk to business owners or real estate representatives,” he says, which was at first daunting, but he’s more comfortable now, and feels it’ll be a good skill to have in his career.

“Overall, student internships are important, especially for an MBA student, as it helps us gain practical experience in the working world and prepares us for post-graduate life,” says Wu, who earned a B.S. in marketing at UCR in 2021 and is now earning an MBA with a marketing emphasis. “While a great résumé enhancer, internships are also helpful for building professional networks, increasing your job prospects, or even securing a job.”
 

Expanding a Professional Network with Social Involvement

Wu has already parlayed the expertise he’s earned with his internship into activities at UCR’s A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management (AGSM). He is vice president of the student car-enthusiast club, Rides@UCR, founded on campus in 2021. “I manage the club’s social media, design fliers, and create and host events,” he says, and his work with the city has helped him with these duties.

“Whether you like to work on cars, modify, or race them – or even if you’re just starting to get into the hobby – Rides@UCR is a safe space and social gathering opportunity for everyone who has an interest in vehicles.”

He’s also an active member of the Purist Group. “It’s an automotive charity based Los Angeles that hosts events, such as toy, backpack, and food drives, and other volunteer activities throughout year,” says Wu.

These extracurriculars, he adds, “have constantly reminded me to become a socially responsible leader. I love to bring people together. But at the end of the day, I make sure to give back to the community. It’s important to remember that businesspeople should always be a positive influence on society and care for others.”
 

Driving Toward a Career in the Automotive Industry

Wu’s hometown is Hong Kong, and his dream is a career in the automotive industry when he graduates. With the spirit of an entrepreneur, he’s already got a start in the business and has been buying cars since high school, and he started selling cars last summer.

“I purchase cars from auctions and dealers in Japan, arrange for their shipment to the United States, and sell them to American buyers,” says Wu, who is a licensed used-car dealer, which required hours of study and a Department of Motor Vehicles exam. “I got tired of dealing with brokers and dealerships and losing a huge portion of my hard-earned cash in fees.”

Despite being what he calls a “hobby,” Wu has invested a great deal of time in learning how to buy and sell. “After months of carefully researching the importation process, the logistics, and paperwork behind it, I eventually became confident enough to try importing cars,” he says. “I purchase the vehicles, I pick them up at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and then I list them for sale.”

While he adds that he doesn’t earn a lot of money buying and selling the cars, he has a different motivation: “I mainly do it for the experience and as an excuse to buy my dream cars.”
 

Road to a Degree

Wu chose AGSM to study for his MBA because he knew it was the best place to fine tune his professionals skills, and he was attracted to the flexible curriculum.

“The ability to network is definitely my favorite part about the MBA program,” he says. And he’ll no doubt use that network while focused on attaining that dream career: “My goal is to become part of Toyota North America’s marketing team.”