CONTACT: Julie Martinez

512-593-2590

FORMER INTERNATIONAL STUDENT WORKING

TO GIVE OPPORTUNITY TO OTHERS

KINGSVILLE (Oct. 7, 1998) -- When Lydia Lau came from Hong Kong in 1991, she knew one person in Kingsville, a friend who convinced her to come to Texas A&M University-Kingsville. She lived in a small unairconditioned apartment paying $120 per month. She owned a fan and a radio.

She studied hard and received her bachelor's degree in accounting in December 1994 and her master's in business administration in May 1996. Lau passed all four parts of the certified public account exam on the first try.

As part of her job as a certified public accountant for Melton and Melton L.L.P. in Houston, Lau is hoping to help other students from Texas A&M-Kingsville achieve the same success she has had.

Lau returns to the university frequently to visit and recruit students to work at Melton and Melton, one of the top public accounting firms in the country.

"This university gave so much to me, I want to give back and help the students here," Lau said. "The faculty, career services, everyone was so helpful to me when I was at Texas A&M-Kingsville, especially when I was lonely and needed help. I couldn't have gotten to where I am without the help I received at school."

Lau's success is a measure of students graduating from Texas A&M-Kingsville's

College of Business Administration. This top-notch graduate received her first promotion only 16 months after starting with the company. "Other employees told me it usually takes three years to get a promotion, she said.

Her goals are ambitious. She sees herself as a partner in the firm in 10 years.

Lau had to work in Hong Kong to make the money for her trip to Kingsville.

"I didn't do very good in high school. I studied, but there is a lot of competition in Hong Kong," Lau said. "I worked at Citibank VISA as a telemarketer and in the marketing department to make enough money to come to school here. It took me two years. I still had to get a scholarship and a part-time job on campus."

One of the first people Lau met was Susan Dollar, career services director. "I don't know why I went to her office, but she took me in and helped me get started," she said. "Because I didn't have air conditioning in my apartment, I spent a lot of time in the library waiting for the time to go home. Lau's "cool" study habits earned her a 4.0 grade point average her first semester.

"A lot of great professors convinced me to get my accounting degree and encouraged me along the way," Lau said. "I got a scholarship in 1992 and from then on things were a lot easier and school went well. I always had someone to help me whenever I needed it."

Now that she is a professional accountant, Lau has come to Texas A&M-Kingsville to recruit students for her firm. "Twelve of our 14 partners started out at the staff level like me, so Melton and Melton is the kind of firm with which you can have a long range relationship. I come to campus to talk to other business students about my experiences and to help interview them for my company."

Lau said being fluent in several languages has helped in her job. "In Hong Kong we speak Cantonese. I also am fluent in Chinese and I got a B in Spanish," she said.

Lau helps her family in Hong Kong by sending them money, although she has not seen most of them since 1993.

Although she misses her family, she said it was her destiny to come to Texas A&M-Kingsville. "I think I made the right choice. The people at school were helpful and friendly. When I look back on the seven years I have been here, I remember all the people who helped me. It was that help that got me through and I am grateful."

-TAMUK-