From a Google internship to hands-on projects in product design, Arielle Chen is savoring every moment of life before graduation. By exploring passions spanning engineering, entrepreneurship, and design, Arielle is redefining success through multidimensional experiences, not achievements. A New Yorker with a love of the great outdoors (she lived cell-phone free for four months!), she's grateful for her tight-knit academic community. What inspires this senior? She shares her post-grad goals and the unique mantra she lives by. 

Tell us a little bit about your journey to the Academy.

I’ve been a very creative person my whole life: Growing up, I drew, painted, danced, acted, and played multiple instruments. At the same time, I was really good at math and critical thinking, and I always felt like STEM was the “practical” side of me while the arts were the “fun” side of me. In high school, I started a company creating custom-designed sneakers as a passion project, without even realizing that it allowed me to combine my “practical” and “fun” sides in one. I had all these different passions across design, engineering, and entrepreneurship, and I always thought I’d major in business or computer science, having to sacrifice some of my interests to pursue others. I never imagined that there was a major out there that incorporated everything I love. 

Fast forward: I was scrolling through the list of majors on the USC website one day, when one of them caught my eye with its abnormally long name. I clicked on the link and never looked back!

What piece of advice have you implemented in your day-to-day life?

“Don’t spend all that you have, don’t sleep all that you want, and don’t believe everything that you hear.” This is a quote from my dad, and it’s my favorite mantra.

Do you have a role model? Why do you look up to them?

My role model is definitely my mom. I’ve never met anyone as passionate about learning as her. She’s incredibly driven in her career, not afraid to take risks, and constantly seeking ways to grow. She’s the definition of a lifelong learner, which I really admire. 

Describe one thing most people don’t know about you.

Even though I’m from New York City, I love nature and outdoor activities like hiking, camping, farming, etc. I actually lived on a farm in rural Maine without a cell phone for four months, and it was one of the most formative experiences of my life.

What is the biggest risk you have taken, and was the result what you wished for?

When I joined the Academy, the program was only five years old and I was questioned whether I should choose a more traditional major or school. I’m so happy with my choice, and I’m grateful to be part of the Academy family. It’s a really tight-knit community, which is one of my favorite parts. 

What would you say is your defining achievement thus far?

This is kind of an anti-answer, but as of right now I’d rather define myself as a collection of traits and experiences than one single achievement. I’ve excelled in school, worked on some cool projects, and interned at Google this past summer, but I’m most proud of myself for being motivated and curious, and staying true to myself.

If there are any topics or activities that you’re interested in, go do it! Take the class, join the club, start the project -- whatever it is, try it out. You never know where it’ll take you. You won’t ever regret giving something a shot but you will regret not doing something once the time has passed. 

How have you evolved over the past four years?

I’ve grown to prioritize my current happiness and well-being. I used to be really focused on the future, and I’d stress about doing things that I thought would benefit me in the future. The COVID pandemic took away half of my “typical” college experience, which made me cherish the memories that I’m able to create at USC much more. Especially as my time in college is coming to an end, I’m constantly reminding myself to enjoy each moment before it passes, rather than wasting my time worrying about the future.

 My ultimate goal is to use my creative problem-solving skills to help improve or enrich people’s lives. I would love to have a circuitous career path where I have the opportunity to work in various industries. Most of my work experience so far has been in the tech industry, which I’m really interested in, but I’d also love to work in fashion, art, sports, or entertainment. Career aside, I hope to travel often and spend quality time with friends and family.

The New York City subway. In high school, I used to bring a sketchbook and pen with me when commuting and draw people around me on the subway. There’s something really special about the diversity of people and being surrounded by so many strangers, each with their own stories and goals.

What do you like to watch, read, or do in your free time? 

Watching TikTok is my not-so-guilty pleasure.

I had an amazing time taking Product Design I. I liked how it was really interdisciplinary, combining the business strategy side of product design with hands-on making. The end-to-end process of ideating, finding product-market fit, and building prototypes was super fun.

From a Google internship to hands-on projects in product design, Arielle Chen is savoring every moment of life before graduation. By exploring passions spanning engineering, entrepreneurship, and design, Arielle is redefining success through multidimensional experiences, not achievements. A New Yorker with a love of the great outdoors (she lived cell-phone free for four months!), she's grateful for her tight-knit academic community. What inspires this senior? She shares her post-grad goals and the unique mantra she lives by.

Senior Spotlight: Arielle Chen