Holding the door open

By Rachel P. Farrell | Published May 2026

As a first-generation student from an immigrant family, Norman Law (Questrom’00) doubted he could afford Boston University. But he applied anyway.

And then BU came through—not only with an admission offer, but also a generous financial aid package that included scholarships and other funding sources. As a result, Norman received an education that jumpstarted his career, and he’s since held senior roles at Microsoft, Uber, Expedia, and Netflix.

A loyal donor and 1839 Society member, Norman hasn’t lost sight of the doors that once opened for him. Now, by giving back to BU, he keeps them open for others.

What are your favorite memories from BU?

When I think of BU, I think of all the activities I participated in. As a sophomore, I was a peer advisor and a teaching assistant. That started me down the path to where I am today and pushed me to learn skills like public speaking and leadership. For two summers, as an orientation student advisor, I helped incoming students get acclimated to campus. The people I met through that program became my best friends, and we still hang out today.

I was also a “president’s host,” which allowed me to give tours of the University, and a “dean’s host” at Questrom, which allowed me to talk about the school and its values. Finally, I have a lot of great memories from my work-study job in the Undergraduate Program Office at Questrom. That was a really fun place to work as a student.

Did Questrom prepare you for your career?

Without a doubt. When I started school, I had no idea what I wanted to do, aside from working in business. One of my professors, Professor Kohn, was really an inspiration. He taught me that there was more to business than marketing, finance, or operations. He introduced me to the idea of management information systems back in 1996, when the internet was still up-and-coming. Professor Kohn noticed my interest in computers and said, “Hey, you should really consider the Management Information Systems (MIS) track.” I didn’t think much of it at the time, but eventually I realized he was right. When I graduated, I had a double concentration in finance and MIS.

Questrom taught me a holistic view of management as a system. I learned about all of the different areas of business and how they interacted. Also, being exposed to subjects like organizational behavior and taking psychology classes through CAS was great. All those skills helped me get to where I am today, where I understand the different aspects of a business.

Also, after graduation, I got my MBA from Georgetown University, and my Questrom experience definitely helped with that. My MBA was almost a rehash of what I learned as an undergraduate student. In fact, I found the first year of my MBA was not as difficult for me because I already had exposure to classes like accounting. Many of my MBA classmates who didn’t have that experience found it a lot more difficult.

It’s amazing how much you remember from Questrom.

I think about what I learned and my people I met all the time. Professor Kohn, by far, has been the most influential in terms of impacting my life from very early on. He was the one who helped me become a teaching assistant, and that really set me down this path. We still keep in touch and even met for lunch here in Seattle a couple of years ago.

Why have you supported BU so generously as a donor?

It wasn’t until I graduated from business school and paid off my undergraduate loans that I started saying, “Okay, I should start giving back to BU” because of what the community meant to me. Questrom and the Community Service Center are the two places I’ve supported pretty consistently. I give every year because I think back on all the things I was able to do because of what I received from BU. It was such a great experience for me, and I want that for others.

What value have you gained from staying engaged with BU?

The value comes from giving back—whether that means helping a student afford their education, keeping a program alive, or moving a new program forward. I’m grateful for the education I’ve received, and I want to give back in a way that helps somebody else and pays it forward.

It’s cool to think about how the experiences I had in Questrom have helped shape who I am today. It’s exciting to be able to recognize that and give back.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.