Mendoza College of Business
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Katherine Huang, Class of 2025
FUSE (Sorin) Scholar
Staff Accountant at Glenair
Hometown: Rochester, New York
Major: Accounting and Economics
Minor: Data Science and Business Honors
What is your favorite spot on campus?
Down on the field in Notre Dame Stadium during our marching band show before a home football game. I love the energy of the crowd and seeing everyone decked out in blue, green and gold for game day!
What has been your favorite course(s) at ND so far and why?
Intermediate Microeconomics, Honors Business Ethics/Why Business, Sustainability Accounting
Intermediate Microeconomics initially scared me due to its difficult reputation, but ended up being a great learning experience that furthered my passion for economics. I enjoyed the professor’s teaching style and ended up TAing for this class the following year.
The Honors Business Ethics/Why Business classes pushed us to discuss questions like what it means to be an ethical business leader and how we can do good through business.s.
Sustainability Accounting drew me to my field of study, and I am currently a research/teaching assistant to the professor.
How did you decide on your major/minor?
I developed an interest in business and economics through high school classes, and further discerned these during freshman year at ND when taking Mendoza’s introductory courses. Our Accounting I class brought in professionals who showed us how accountants can hold businesses accountable for their impact on society. This resonated with my goals to do good through business in my future career.
What are your research interests?
I currently research corporate sustainability accounting with Professor Vera Munoz, and am writing a senior thesis on Financed Emissions Disclosures.
What kinds of extracurricular activities did you participate in and why?
I am a part of the Notre Dame Marching Band, Notre Dame’s Federal Reserve and Fiscal Challenge club, and Building Bridges Peer Mentoring.
Having played instruments since age 3, I joined the ND marching band as a way to join a tight-knit community and become a football fan through my love of music. Federal Reserve and Fiscal Challenge is another club where I’ve made close friends as we’ve prepared for national economics competitions together. And being a Building Bridges peer mentor has allowed me to give back by supporting younger students in the same way upperclassmen helped me transition to college.
What are your future plans? How did you decide on this?
After graduating in May 2025, I will be moving to Southern California to work in accounting and corporate finance at Glenair, an aerospace components manufacturing firm.
During my summers in college, I interned with public accounting firms in both audit and forensic accounting. At Glenair, I’ll be able to apply learning from those experiences and work with a management team I’ve gotten to know throughout college. I connected with Glenair’s CEO during freshman year through Mendoza’s Business of Life program, and interned with them during spring of sophomore year. They extended a job offer towards the end of my time at ND.
How did you find out about CUSE and when?
I learned about CUSE when applying for the Sorin Scholars program during freshman year, and have been working with them ever since.
How has CUSE helped you?
CUSE has helped me apply for research/study abroad grants and identify all the cool opportunities at ND to make the most of my time here!
Did you apply to any grants, scholarships, or fellowships through CUSE?
Yes! With CUSE’s support, I applied to various grants for my Italy summer study/research abroad, a spring break economics course immersion in Mexico, and a summer business immersion in India. I also applied through CUSE and was chosen to present for the 2025 ACC Meeting of the Minds Conference.
What advice do you have for applying to grants, fellowships, scholarships, or internships?
Don’t limit the opportunities you go for just because they seem unaffordable. ND has so many generous resources to support students. If you have an idea and are willing to put in the work, there are ways to make it happen!
What have you learned from CUSE that you will carry with you past your undergraduate experience?
In terms of practical skills, CUSE taught me how to apply for grants and scholarships. In general, I learned to think big and not to be afraid of different, out-of-the-box experiences. I am very grateful for Sorin Scholars and CUSE because it’s a great resource on campus (and such a friendly group of people!), and I highly recommend everyone to check them out!