Nien grew up in Taiwan and Southern California. He and his family moved to Rowland Heights, California when he was 5 years old. He is fluent in Chinese and English.
He watched his parents make tremendous sacrifices to start a new life in a new country and this gave him the drive to succeed at whatever he does and make the most of opportunities available to him.
“As an immigrant, I view success through the lens of the long journey that it took to arrive to my present situation in life.”
Nien began his career in the public sector. He served eight years as head of Asia-Pacific for the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in Washington, DC. He also worked in China as a consultant and served in various positions at the State Department during the Bush Administration.
Although he enjoyed his roles in the public sector, Nien recently transitioned to working in the corporate sector. He moved to northwest Arkansas to work at Walmart, where he currently serves as Director of International Government Affairs. He provides support for Walmart’s business in China, Japan, and India.
The decision to pursue a graduate degree in business was guided by his desire to learn the fundamentals of global business. He felt that furthering his education would facilitate the transition from public to corporate sector and further his career growth and potential.
The EMBA program provides the perfect fit. It is a part-time program designed for working professionals. Students attend class on campus one Saturday a month and complete the remaining coursework online.
The program format is especially helpful for students like Nien who travel frequently as part of their jobs. Being a director of international business requires domestic and oversees travel.
Nien is able to balance his travel schedule with the Walton College EMBA program, although it does take careful planning and result in some unexpected activities, like carrying his statistics textbook around the globe. He even found a note from TSA that they had checked the book on a recent business trip.
“I’m on the road two or three times a month domestically and overseas at least once
a quarter. The blended delivery method really helps me structure my studies around
my travel and work schedule.”
Nien is happy with his decision.
“The program at Walton College offers the right balance of academics with real world instruction. After looking at all the possible programs available, I chose the Walton College for two very important reasons: (1) tremendous value; and (2) outstanding academics. The value proposition that Walton College offers – excellent professors, access to industry experts, and tuition cost – simply cannot be matched.”
