Filipino Wharton grad snags double Summa cum Laude

MANILA, Philippines — Lately, young Filipinos are grabbing front page news for excellence on the global stage of the academe and sports.

Jacob Johann Wee, 21,  is one of 2021’s shining Philippine stars. He earned highest honors, double summa cum laude, for double degrees — Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School of Business and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania. 
 
Quite an amazing feat to graduate with highest honors in the school where Elon Musk, Manny V. Pangilinan, Mar Roxas, William Buffet, Chris Po, and Cesar Virata, among others, were alumni. 

Jacob is following the starry footsteps of the Wee clan headed by stellar grandparents Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Lee Hiong Wee and Pearl Buck International awardee Rosalind L. Wee. The Mindanao-born philanthropic couple spearheads the country’s most lucrative seaweed industry. 

His equally distinctive maternal grandparents are Gerorge Go Pen Siong, President Emeritus of Association of Volunteer Fire Chiefs and Fire Fighthers of the Philippines and Rosalina Go.

The eldest of three kids of John and Elaine Wee and the eldest Wee grandchild, Jacob humbly attributes his academic achievement to “my parents, uncles, aunts, especially, Lolo and Lola, who taught me the importance of hard work. They work very hard in their respective careers and all their examples are a guide for me to follow.”

Like his father, Jacob graduated with honors at Xavier School, Greenhills, San Juan.

“It’s a funny story. I never planned to study undergrad abroad. It just happened that I scored high in SAT. And I was involved in multiple leadership roles in high school. After talking with a college counselor, I submitted applications for schools abroad. My first choice was world renowned business school UPenn (University of Pennsylvania). And I got in!” he recalled. 

On why he chose a double degree in Economics and Psychology, he replied: “Most people study Economics and Psychology because they’re interested in Behavioral Economics. I studied Economics to get a better understanding of business, and I studied Psychology because I think part of business (and life) is understanding how other people and even yourself think. Our biases, personalities, and ultimately, psychology affect how the entire world is run - from everyday relationships to the government.”

How did he achieve Summa cum Laude honors for both degrees? Jacob answered: “With so many classes, it was hard to have fun learning. I optimized my studying patterns. If a reading was optional, I didn’t do it. If I could get by studying the night before an exam, that’s what I did. One thing I didn’t do was lose sleep. I learned through experience that sleep is important for focus, memory, and mood - things you don’t want to mess with before an exam.”

His advice for those who aspire to achieve their educational goals: “One thing I learned was that it was often easier to retain something if you taught it to someone else. So my friends and I would often teach each other concepts from an exam. The teacher gets to reinforce that memory, and the learned learns something new.”

What’s next for Jacob? Real world training for 18 months through the leadership program of Miami, Florida-based Restaurant Brands International in different corporate departments. 

Get ready world, Jacob is trailblazing to achieve his next goal: “I want to start making and focusing on my contribution to the world.”