Yee Hong Pua
Yee Hong Pua is a Class of 2026 Texas Honors Electrical and Computer Engineering and Business program (Texas ECB Honors) student from Frisco, Texas. As an active member of various on and off-campus communities, Yee Hong has strived to surround himself with inspiring peers and pay it forward to those who follow in his footsteps.
As a part of the inaugural Texas ECB Honors cohort, Yee Hong came into UT understanding very little about the program and engineering as a whole. As a result, the first semester was very challenging for Yee Hong, who sometimes finds himself struggling with coding until late at night. However, the tight-knit Texas ECB Honors cohort was a source of immense support. For instance, one night, a peer in Yee Hong’s course stayed up until 2 AM helping him debug his code. Yee Hong had no prior experience with coding before this class, so this selfless gesture was invaluable. Such experiences fostered a sense of camaraderie and collective effort, motivating Yee Hong to study harder and cherish the close bonds formed through shared academic challenges. He has found some of his closest friends in the Texas ECB Honors community, and he continues to be inspired by them.
After helping define what it means to be a part of Texas ECB Honors, Yee Hong played a key role in supporting future students in the program. Alongside others in his cohort, he established the Texas ECB Association to build a mutually uplifting community. In his own time, Yee Hong also shares personal experiences to help underclassmen navigate the double major.
Beyond his academic pursuit, Yee Hong is involved in many student organizations, including the Texas Product Engineering Organization (TPEO), the Undergraduate Management and Business Research Association (UMBRA), and the Student Engineering Council (SEC).
Additionally, Yee Hong found a community of passionate individuals in technology, design, and product management at TPEO. Inspired by these like-minded peers, Yee Hong considers this organization a cornerstone of his professional development. Through TPEO, he has not only deepened his knowledge of product management and tech but also developed his commitment to technology products.
Joining UMBRA, a student consulting organization, Yee Hong was surrounded by highly intelligent and experienced peers. This allowed him to push his limits and gain invaluable insights into soft skills ranging from conflict resolution to leadership. Committed to expanding the opportunity for learning about management consulting, Yee Hong worked as the Recruitment Director to increase outreach efforts, focusing particularly on individuals from diverse backgrounds and majors.
Finally, Yee Hong’s involvement in the Student Engineering Council (SEC) at the Cockrell School of Engineering is another testament to his dedication to building unifying communities. Yee Hong believes the SEC significantly enhances the Cockrell college experience. Besides personally meeting many great friends within the organization, he encouraged engineering students to make meaningful connections through SEC’s mission. As a member of the Academic Affairs Committee, Yee Hong works to improve relations between students and teaching faculty by facilitating connectivity and hosting activities. He is particularly proud of the Sip & Share event, where students chatted with and learned about female professors over a cup of boba. The event served to empower women in STEM, who are severely underrepresented in engineering.
Outside of UT, Yee Hong partakes in various endeavors for professional and personal growth. Yee Hong attended the Out for Undergrad (O4U) business conference, which aims to inspire LGBTQ+ students to pursue their ambitious careers. As O4U brings together like-minded LGBTQ+ students and professionals, Yee Hong was able to let down his guard and connect with others on a natural, personal level. Seeing so many high-achieving LGBTQ+ individuals in one room empowered Yee Hong to believe that it is possible to achieve success while being unapologetically himself.
Additionally, Yee Hong continues to expand his perspectives in his own time. As a cello player who participated in various competitions in high school, he is learning to reframe music as an activity for enjoyment rather than achievement. Now, Yee Hong picks up his instrument to take a break from academics, using it as a therapeutic guidance toward peace. Yee Hong also aspires to foster a deeper connection with his Chinese Malaysian family history. To do so, he consumes various forms of Mandarin media and often visits his family in Malaysia, which helps him relearn Chinese while staying up-to-date with recent trends and pop culture. Additionally, in UMBRA, Yee Hong worked with Wee’s Cozy Kitchen, a New York Times-featured Malaysian restaurant in Austin. He continues to help the owner with marketing and business strategy outside of UMBRA, leveraging the opportunity to simultaneously help out a small business while connecting with his Malaysian roots.