Phang Xin Yi

2018 Alumni

The reason why I chose IBSP

Before joining the International Business Studies Program (IBSP), I worked as a financial auditor in Singapore for seven years. During my initial years of work, I searched for a suitable Master’s program that offered opportunities to experience campus life overseas and participate in local internships, and the IBSP fulfils both.

Besides the program offerings with courses that I am personally interested in, another important reason that I chose Soka university is because the University’s ideals of a value-creating or humanistic education deeply resonated with me. I decided to search for the answer to this thought-provoking question posed to the students by the University Founder: “For what purpose should one cultivate wisdom? May you always ask yourself this question.” Going through the humanistic teaching methods employed by IBSP professors, dialogues with international students, and various school activities like exchange programs, I truly understood that academic study and achievements should not be done only for personal advancement. It should be utilized in the pursuit of happiness for the general society and contributing to the lives of those unable to pursue advanced learning themselves.

Various experiences at IBSP

With a desire to gain working experience in Japan, I participated in two local internships arranged by the University - one in a finance industry and another in the manufacturing industry. In addition, with the tremendous support from the university career center and the IBSP professors during my job search process in my second year of studies, I successfully secured a role in a Japanese consulting company.

During the first three semesters, I started to take an interest in the area of sustainability studies while studying related courses like environmental economics, business in emerging economies, and development economics. As I worked on my research paper on corporate social responsibility, I gained in-depth knowledge and my interest grew exponentially in this subject matter.
In line with the University and my personal values of contributing to society and the environment, I decided to transition from a finance role to a sustainability role in a professional capacity. I am now a Sustainability Manager in the Coca-Cola Company, working with various stakeholders like the government, NGOs, recycling companies, and industry players.

Experiences in IBSP make me to thrive in an international business environment

My Soka University classmates originated from all over the world, including Brazil, Ghana, Dominican Republic, Germany, the US, and India. Through interactions with them during group project work, I gained new perspectives and learned from the diverse experiences everyone shared in class. The Soka classroom immersed me in a collaborative environment and allowed me to master effective communication skills across different cultures. This experience was vital in preparing me to thrive in an international business environment at my current workplace. I am grateful to the University for providing a conducive learning environment, allowing me to identify my new passion in sustainability studies, and equipping me with both technical and soft skills essential for achieving the role in my current company.