From China to St. Ambrose, Xiaowei Liu Practices What He Teaches

Primary among the career advice St. Ambrose Professor of Finance Xiaowei Liu, PhD, offers his students is this: "Pursue your real interest with passion and perseverance; stay curious and be adaptable," he said.

It is wisdom borne from personal experience, as Liu made those same choices after graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering from Beijing University, China. A willingness to explore and truly follow his passion led Liu to St. Ambrose, where as a Professor of Finance, he provides students with a unique global perspective.

"My own experience has taught me that an instructor's attitude toward the subject matter significantly influences the dynamics in the classroom. If we show great interest in student learning, they will respond positively. I am fortunate to teach the subject that I am passionate about, and I am eager to share my knowledge and expertise with my students," he said.

Growing up in a rural area of Laoning Province, China, Liu had few opportunities to explore which career path he wanted to pursue. When it was time for college, he got to choose the location, but his mother chose his academic discipline.

By sophomore year, he knew mechanical engineering wasn't the right fit.

"The lab courses were painful, and the mechanical drawing course really put me off," Liu said. Yet, he stuck to the plan, graduating in four years and during a time of transformation in China. Graduates were no longer required to accept a government-assigned position, so when he was offered a job as an airport engineer, Liu rejected it. "I decided it was time to explore my real interest. One month after graduation I found a job as computer system administrator at a financial institution," he said.

The opening of China was underway, and the economy was booming. "Capital markets were established and even the shoeshine boys were talking stocks," Liu said. "I was intrigued by the hotly debated policy issues in the media and at the dinner table, and I had observed the types of jobs in the financial industry, so I decided to continue my education, but in the field of economics and finance."

Liu returned to Beijing University to earn a Master of Arts in Economics. He loved the subject matter and the academic environment. He taught undergraduate review sessions and found it challenging and rewarding. He graduated in 1997 and accepted a position as a financial analyst. "A little more than a year later, I decided to pursue an academic career in the field of finance to fulfill my intellectual curiosity," he said.

And he chose one of the best universities in which to earn his doctoral degree in Economics: Rutgers Business School, New Jersey. "The United States seemed a natural destination to me: it has the leading research in this area built on the biggest economy in the world with the most developed financial markets," he said. "In the summer of 1999, after a 13-hour flight I arrived at Newark International Airport to begin my 21-year stay in the U.S."

Liu's firsthand experiences have provided him real insight on the world of finance, and he's been sharing it with St. Ambrose students since 2005. Today, he is one of four faculty in the finance program who provide students with a unique global perspective that truly strengthens their education.

"It is essential," he said. "At SAU, all finance faculty members are equipped with global perspectives and are passionate about bringing it into the classroom. Dr. Art Moreau and
Dr. Imtiaz Mazumder have taught in multiple countries, and Dr. Liquan Wang has a similar educational experience as me: he got his masters' degree in Economics in China and his doctorate in the U.S. The department has incorporated global perspectives into the curriculum to equip students with the vision and skills needed to compete in a globalized world."

–Dawn Neuses '94