Vanderbilt University, Owen Graduate School of Management

Shih-Ping (Nancy) Wang, MBA ’05

It is rare that one has the opportunity to influence more than 20 percent of the human population. If that seems farfetched, consider that prior to Shih-Ping (Nancy) Wang’s efforts, Vanderbilt did not have an effective translation in Mandarin, which is spoken by a billion people worldwide. After enrolling in the Vanderbilt MBA program, Nancy alerted university administrators that at least a dozen versions of the Vanderbilt name were in use across China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. Nancy, with the administration’s blessing, spearheaded the effort to standardize the name, and “Fandebao” prevailed. The name translates to “place of academic excellence.” Of the new name, Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs Michael Schoenfeld said, “It is essential for Vanderbilt to have a distinctive and powerful identity in the fastest-growing part of the world.”

Nancy’s unselfish leadership also shone brightly during a 2005 Vanderbilt MBA trip to China, where she offered her personal network to help students maximize their learning experience. She also organized an event for Vanderbilt’s Shanghai alumni, building a bridge to accomplished business leaders who trace their training back to Owen.

In 2005, Nancy received the peer-nominated Unsung Leadership Award for her contributions to the Owen community. In the words of her classmates, “She’s just a really generous and helpful person.”

“My experience at Vanderbilt was amazing,” Nancy says. She is now vice president of Good House International Interior Design, which has built more than 80 Starbucks across Taiwan and China.