Xinyuan (Esme) Li
Los Angeles,CA
Summary
First-year UCLA student studying Pre-Computational and Systems Biology with a passion for connecting science, creativity, and technology. Published researcher with experience in psychology, history, and economics, as well as founder of a small business blending design and entrepreneurship. Accomplished artist, writer, and golfer with a track record of leadership in clubs, community service, and varsity golf. Curious, driven, and eager to keep learning across disciplines while making a positive impact.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
Work History
Founder & Owner
07.2022 - Current
- “Keke’s Corner”: Business Startup on Taobao
- Launched a small business on Taobao, driven by my passion for design; identified college students as target market. Products include phone cases, clothing, & other accessories
- Cooperated with 15+ sellers to promote their products, restocking inventory to meet demand
- Expanded to original products with my own designs incorporating Chinese minority group symbols
- Coordinated with factories for production and negotiated with delivery service companies to lower the cost of delivery and packaging to $0.50 package
- The store now has 25+ products across 3+ categories, consistently generating $250 profit per month
Artist
11.2023 - Current
- Participated in the school afternoon art program, working on art pieces in the studio for 2 hours daily; also painted works on my own; completed 20+ art works with diverse range including embroidery, fashion design, digital art, woodworking, and painting
- Presented my work in school art gallery and posted online on social media
- Fashion design highlights: Minority Group of Miao (Procreate), Minority Group of Dong (freehand sketch), Minority Group of Dai (freehand sketch), Stage dance costume designs (Procreate)……
- Award-winning works: Walking the Shining Sea (Procreate), Future Me (Procreate), Casual Daily Snap (Procreate), and What’s On the Surface (Procreate)
Independent Designer & Seller
08.2022 - Current
- Created many fashion design sets featuring both daily outfits and high fashion designs (Haute Couture); Posted these series on social media platforms in my business account AND added them as new arrivals to my Taobao store
- Customized designs and textures of clothing based on consumer demand
- Sold 10+ series and individual designs to customers through these means, prices ranging from $10 for one daily outfit to $60 for a set of Haute Couture
Wharton Global Youth Summer Program Participant
07.2023 - 2023
- Investigated specific sports like baseball, football, and soccer as case studies; analyzed trends of league development and their financial loopholes
- Learned strategies for marketing sport-related products and managing financial decisions for professional athletes
- Virtually visited sports businesses and communicated with industry leaders to explore the qualities essential to leading a successful sports organization
- Led a group of 13 members to develop a business plan for a personal financial analysis efficiency tool website for individual sports players; pitched this plan to the whole program
Researcher & Author
01.2024 - 08.2024
- “The Trap of Entrepreneurial Success and Charismatic Leadership in White-Collar Crime: Case Studies of Bernie Madoff and Elizabeth Holmes”
- Advised by Dr. Mary Li Ma, a research fellow at Calvin University
- Conducted a comparative case study of Bernie Madoff and Elizabeth Holmes, examining white-collar fraud crimes through criminal, psychological, and economic perspectives to delve into the factors behind their longevity and success
- Analyzed information from documentaries, victim interviews, fraud confessions, financial reports of Theranos and Madoff Investment Securities, and relevant news reports
- Found that key factors aligned with the Dark Triads personality traits observed in toxic leadership
- Paper published by Curieux Academic Journal for February 2025 Part 1 Issue
Golf Coach Intern
MIGA International Golf Academy
07.2024 - 08.2024
- Assisted a verified senior Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) verified coach to coach 10+ younger or beginner golfers during practice sessions, including setting up practice drills for different games such as driving, putting, and chipping
- Helped create personalized swing analysis reports to give students detailed feedback on their performance
Short Novel Writer
05.2022 - Current
- Captured inspirations from life observations to craft short fictions that explore societal inequalities in education, gender, and income through relatable characters and narratives
- Completed 7 short stories, each approximately 4,000 words, all featuring subtle twists in the end to engage readers and provoke thoughts
- The Card of Benevolence, a story about an underprivileged boy striving for education but succumbing to leukemia, was awarded Silver Key in the Scholastics Writing Competition and was published in the school magazine
English Teacher
Vision Education
11.2021 - 08.2022
- Independently developed speaking and writing curriculum with PowerPoint and designed original Kahoot! games to assist in the process of teaching
- Helped students prepare for English exams, including writing and speaking sections of standardized tests and domestic school English exams
- Helped 15+ students improve their TOEFL scores from 70+ to 100+
Education
Hoosac School
Hoosick, NY12.2024
Bachelor of Science - Computational And Systems Biology
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA06-2029
Skills
- Languages: Mandarin (Native), English (Fluent), French (Intermediate), Latin (Beginner)
- Marketing: running online ads, branding, product sourcing, sales, customer service, E-Commerce operation
- Strong foundation in mathematics, statistics, and scientific reasoning from AP and college coursework
- Design: fashion design, interior design, logo design, illustration design
- Procreate, PS, AI, Video Editing
- Friendly, positive attitude
Accomplishments
- Gold Key Award: Future Me (Digital Art)
- Gold Key Award: What’s On the Surface (Digital Art)
- Silver Key Award: The Card of Benevolence (Short Story)
- Gold Key Award: Casual Daily Snap (Digital Art)
- Gold Key Award: Walking the Shining Sea (Digital Art)
AP Scholar 2024,2025
Scholastic Art Awards x2 (Top 5%) 2024
Scholastic Writing Award (Top 15%) 2024
Scholastic Art Awards x2 (Top 5%) 2023
John Locke Competition Economics Commendation 2023
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Chinese (Mandarin)
Native or Bilingual
French
Limited Working
Timeline
Golf Coach Intern
MIGA International Golf Academy
07.2024 - 08.2024
Researcher & Author
01.2024 - 08.2024
Artist
11.2023 - Current
Wharton Global Youth Summer Program Participant
07.2023 - 2023
Independent Designer & Seller
08.2022 - Current
Founder & Owner
07.2022 - Current
Short Novel Writer
05.2022 - Current
English Teacher
Vision Education
11.2021 - 08.2022
Hoosac School
Bachelor of Science - Computational And Systems Biology
University of California, Los Angeles
Awards
Philadelphia PGA Regents’ Glen Country Club Tournament 1st place 2024,
Philadelphia PGA Coatesville Country Club Tournament 1st place 2024,
Philadelphia PGA Reading Country Club (JGS) Tournament 1st place 2024,
Philadelphia PGA Golden Pheasant Golf Club(JGS) Tournament 1st place 2024,
Philadelphia PGA Olde Homestead Golf Club Tournament 1st place 2024,
3x School Championship Winner 2021-2024, 3x #1 player on the Varsity golf team 2021-2024,
Pennsylvania State Golf Championship Champion 2022, 2023, Philadelphia PGA Reading Country Club (JGS) Tournament 2nd place 2023
Ranked #1 for PGA Junior Scoreboard in Philadelphia for 2024 Fall and Spring
School Golf Varsity Team MVP player 2022, 2023, 2024,
Philadelphia PGA Section year-round 8th ranked 2024, Red Devils Invitational (13th out of 78) 2024,
Handicap 4.6 2023, 2024,
Pennsylvania State Golf Championship 2nd place 2024,
Swinging Against Cancer Tournament 2nd place 2024,