Hao Wu

“I'm a serial entrepreneur,” says Hao Wu (Master of Organizational Dynamics ’23), who is busy developing his third international business for the Asia-Pacific and global market. Several years ago, he was managing two media and marketing consulting businesses that he co-founded when he began to consider an industry pivot for his next enterprise: international education consulting. Before diving into the new venture, however, he wanted to expand his business leadership education and international experience. “I needed to increase my credentials,” he explains, “so one of the quickest ways was to invest in education for myself.”

That decision brought Hao across an ocean to Penn and the Organizational Dynamics Programs, where, he says, his interest in international education grew into a passion.

“I knew I wanted to go to the United States,” he says of his search for a top-tier graduate program. “That’s the best place for education for an international and multicultural student like me.” Hao immigrated to Australia from Asia after finishing an undergraduate degree in business at the University of Sydney. The Penn Master of Science in Organizational Dynamics stood out for several reasons. “I looked for a graduate program that embraced international students,” says the global citizen, “and I was looking forward to a program that requires several years of work experience, so my peers would have diverse professional backgrounds, like myself.” He was also intrigued by the arts and sciences program's people-centered approach to understanding organizations, which offered Hao different perspectives and skill development opportunities compared to his traditional business undergraduate education. “The Penn MSOD program was the perfect one for me,” he declares, so in 2022 he put his business management roles on hold to focus on school full time.

From the beginning of his program, Hao felt welcomed. “I think Dr. Amy Ware is really a supportive program director. She was efficient in guiding the international students.” His cohort, he says, included students from Japan, Korea, China, Singapore, and the US, all with broad professional backgrounds. “We were coming from all over, but Dr. Ware had us recognize each other and actually made us feel united instead of from different corners of the world.” The sense of community would pay off. “I deeply learned from them as well—diverse people that give me diverse ideas. They gave me inspiration into something new,” he says.

The organizational dynamics coursework, Hao found, inserted the human side of business into all elements of operations and decision-making. Strategic Human Capital Management, for example, taught him to be a more empathetic leader who puts the employee first. Organizational Paradoxes brought to light puzzling inconsistencies and contradictions that can hinder employee and business performance and how to address them. “It was a very small class size for every organizational dynamics course—10 to 16 students in total,” he adds. “This allowed us to learn from the instructor and also from our own experiences and each other’s experiences.”

For his electives, he opted for classes outside the School of Arts and Sciences. “I wanted to make myself a more comprehensive and complete entrepreneur,” he explains. Hao took 1.5 elective credits at the Wharton School, including a data analysis course (a subject he did not have a strong background in), and a .5-credit course at the School of Social Policy and Practice called Raising Philanthropic Capital to gain some insight into the nonprofit sector. “The elective courses really provided me with opportunities to complement my studies in organizational dynamics,” he says.

Outside of the classroom, Hao dove into student life at Penn. “A key benefit of living near campus is I had access to all the opportunities and resources of Penn.” Hao was involved with the Penn Graduate Consulting Club, the Wharton Management Club, the Penn Wharton China Summit, and the Penn Quakers Venture Club. He joined business competitions and took advantage of numerous academic and professional events. He also served as the MSOD program student representative for the College of Liberal and Professional Studies Graduate Government (LPSGov)—a role he was honored to be elected to by his peers. His responsibilities included planning alumni and networking events, securing guest lecturers, enhancing professional development opportunities, and building engagement and cohesiveness among LPS graduate students.

In addition to his intense engagement with on-campus opportunities, Hao also made time to travel. “It was the first time I’ve been to the United States,” he says, so he made a point to visit New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. “I also flew to Mexico,” he adds.

During the arc of his rich Penn experience, Hao’s interest in international education grew as he lived and observed the impact it had on himself and his fellow students while also applying his business ideas in the classroom. “One of the reasons I came to Penn was to get my foot in the door in the industry of international education,” he recaps. “The MSOD program gives you opportunities to apply the classroom lessons to what your goals really are—that was something I was looking for. Those projects led me to find that I have a true passion for education.”

Since returning to the Asia-Pacific region, Hao has resumed his previous business leadership roles and launched his new enterprise, which will help make elite educational opportunities in the US more accessible to Asian students and professionals.

When it comes to leveraging your education to achieve your goals, Hao advises, “It's all about getting your passion aligned with that education. I think it’s critical to know what you want from the bottom of your heart.” As someone who developed an interest into a passion—and a new international business venture—Hao speaks from experience.