Henry Pan

Visiting a New England ice castle with friends.

Living abroad to pursue a second master’s degree at a competitive American institution like Boston University (BU) may seem daunting to some, but it’s a worthwhile challenge according to Henry Pan. “I chose to pursue advanced studies in graduate school at BU because I wanted to explore my expertise in marketing, especially in the fields of innovation and the latest technology,” he explains. “I have a strong interest in learning more about the theories of innovation, the latest marketing techniques and how to help large companies succeed.”

This past fall, Pan completed the Master of Science in Administrative Studies with a concentration in Innovation and Technology through the BU Metropolitan College International (MET International) graduate degree pathway program. He also did a professional internship through MET International’s Advanced Graduate Certificate program. A native of Taiwan, Pan did his undergraduate degree in business administration at Chung Yuan Christian University and will soon receive an MBA from National Taipei University.

Henry Pan with classmates in BU's CAS building. — Henry Pan with classmates in BU’s CAS building.

“While studying at BU MET, I learned a lot from the latest resources and practical projects,” Pan states. “The program and lectures strengthened my knowledge. Additionally, I had the opportunity to team up with people from a variety of countries, which allowed me to work with people from different cultures. I believe this experience will prove to be an asset in the future, since my goal is to work for an international company based in the U.S.”

One of the most surprising outcomes of Pan’s time at BU is how much it influenced his career path. He discovered his love for digital marketing through the Innovative Marketing Techniques course. “After that class,” he says, “I realized I wanted to focus on digital marketing as I move forward in my career.” However, his favorite class was The Innovation Process: Developing New Products and Services. “The structure of that course not only provided plentiful theoretical knowledge, but also ample case studies for us to learn from,” he remembers. “I spared no effort studying for that class. The coursework was astonishing; the weekly readings often took 15 hours to complete! But I know they will help me to succeed in this field.” In fact, one of his fondest memories of his time at BU was studying for the final for three days in a row with a group of friends, resulting in high marks for all of them.

Pan did an internship at Language Connections last summer.

Pan’s internship at Language Connections, a Boston-based translation and interpretation provider, was also significant. “It helped me understand how to better integrate SEO and SEM into online marketing campaigns,” he explains. “Optimizing website traffic with Google Keyword Planner and Google Analytics allowed me to gain firsthand experience on the benefits of SEO.” He continues, “Apart from working on SEO and SEM, I managed more than 32,000 accounts on Salesforce & XTRF and launched email remarketing campaigns through Constant Contact and Vertical Response. Having the opportunity to work on multiple objectives at the same time also made me better at multitasking.”

Looking ahead, Pan plans to remain in the U.S. for optional practical training (OPT) and deepen his expertise in SEO and paid media working in digital marketing for a large company with a global presence.