Katie Chan

Interview by Seasons staff

What is your major?
My name is Katie Chan. My major is Information Science, and I’m pursuing my Bachelor of Business Administration in Management.

What made you want to come to Plaza College?
What made me want to come to Plaza College was to gain a better learning experience and to become a professional in the Business field. I also wanted to take a wide range of courses in English.

What were you doing prior to enrolling at Plaza College?
I took ESL classes, Computerized Accounting with Peachtree, and Advanced Computerized Accounting with QuickBooks at LaGuardia Community College before I enrolled in Plaza College.

What is the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome while being at Plaza? What did it take to overcome this?
The biggest obstacle is writing research projects in English. I’m an immigrant, and English is my second language, so I have a lot of problems with grammar. All BBA management classes are research projects that require a lot of writing in English. All of my English professors helped me with my research project papers especially Mr. Howle and Mrs. D’Aprix. I would like to say thanks to all, and I appreciate them because they made me feel relaxed in writing English.

How did you learn about Plaza College?
Two of my relatives told me to enroll in Plaza College to get my degree. Both of them are former Plaza students, and they finished with a degree in Accounting at Plaza.

What has been your most rewarding experience at Plaza so far?
I achieved a 4.0 G.P.A. in all of my semesters except in the last semester of my Associate’s degree. I dropped 0.2 points in my G.P.A. Now, I have brought up my G.P.A. to a 4.0 in my first semester of BBA. I also was inducted into Sigma Kappa Delta and Alpha Sigma Lambda.

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you at Plaza so far?
Three of my friends always called me the wrong name at Plaza. They called me “Amy or Susie,” up until the last semester of my Associate’s Degree, even though we were in the same class every semester. It was funny.

What has been the key to your success so far? How have you managed to keep such a high G.P.A.?
I always try to do my best. I never give up on anything, and I work hard on all of my studies. I finish all of my assignments on time, and I try to reach 90-100 percent on my exams.

How do you spend your spare time away from Plaza College? What are some of your interests or hobbies?
When I get a break from school, I stay at home and clean the house. Every weekend, I meet my relatives at our house, and we have parties at home during the school break. Also, I spend my time with my two lovely cats. My hobbies are jogging and swimming.

What advice would you give to students who are new to Plaza?
Life is too short, so do not waste time. If you have a plan to get a degree, you should work harder than other students. Do not give up on your studying.

What is your biggest goal in life right now? Where do you see yourself going after you graduate?
My biggest goal is to achieve the highest possible GPA in the BBA program, and I would like to work in my desired field.

What would you say to students who are considering attending Plaza?
Plaza prepares you to write well, give speeches in front of people, manage the work place, become proficient in technology, and dress professionally. Plaza helps you to be prepared for your future career.

In moments when you get discouraged or overwhelmed, how do you motivate yourself to get back on track? Who/what motivates you?
When I get discouraged or overwhelmed in writing research papers, Mr. Howle, my English professor and first advisor, motivates me to get back on the right track.

What are the most frequently played songs on your iPod or CD player/radio?
Some of the songs that I play frequently on my iPod are songs by Shania Twain, who is a famous American singer.

What are three foods you could not live without?
I could not live without vegetables, fruits, and fried rice.

What would your Plaza College classmates be surprised to learn about you?
My Plaza College classmates would be surprised to learn that I am willing to help anyone at any time they need me to solve their problems.

Finish this sentence: To me, Plaza College is:
like my second home and family.

Professor Margaret Welsh, on Katie Chan:
“I really enjoyed seeing her development and improvement as a writer at Plaza. She was always hardworking and diligent, and then she became quite a good writer.”