On July 31, Sue Meng, partner at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP and Prep for Prep alumna, joined 9th and 10th grade students from Prep’s summer entrepreneurship program to ring the NASDAQ opening bell. Opening the NASDAQ with Prep students is another step in Sue’s long involvement with the organization that she credits with supporting her academic trajectory, which took her to Brearley, Harvard, Oxford and Yale Law School. Today, Sue is a member of the Prep for Prep Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, the first alumna to serve on the Board ‒ her way of giving back to the organization that so profoundly impacted her life.

Prep for Prep is an education and leadership development program that prepares promising students of color for success at independent schools throughout the Northeast. With many being the first in their families to graduate from college, Prep students go on to become effective and ethical leaders in numerous fields.

Sue’s experience with Prep was transformative:

“What is incredible about Prep is that it is not just about providing access to the best schools, internships and opportunities – it’s about completely changing the course of a person’s life. We came to New York from China when I was six years old and squeezed into a one-bedroom apartment in Chinatown with my mom, my uncle and my grandparents. My mom navigated the public school system the best she could, but Prep was the critical turning point. Prep recognized the potential in 11-year-old me, and fulfilled the promise that we make to all of our kids – that hard work and talent, combined with opportunity, make all the difference. For me that was a path from Prep to Brearley, to Harvard, to Oxford, to Yale Law School to where I am today – a partner at Debevoise & Plimpton advising many NASDAQ-listed clients on their most transformative mergers and acquisitions.”

She also has the distinction of being Prep’s first Rhodes Scholar.

For over 40 years, Debevoise has partnered with Prep for Prep as pro bono counsel.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is a premier law firm with market-leading practices, a global perspective and strong New York roots. We deliver effective solutions to our clients’ most important legal challenges, applying clear commercial judgment and a distinctively collaborative approach.

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