# Oscar Lu

> Self-taught sports graphic designer and founder from Los Angeles, studying at Princeton University (Class of 2030). At 13 he cold-emailed Harvard Men's Basketball and designed their recruiting graphics for four years, then founded Oscar Lu Design Co. He also throws events and launches projects that get people talking, like a 200+ person slip 'n slide in his first week at Princeton. A sales specialist (Toyota Southern California), he is now pushing into consumer tech.

Oscar Lu is a Princeton University student (Class of 2030), seeking internships. Contact: ol7039@princeton.edu. Website: https://oscarludesign.com/

## The story so far

### The hustle before the hustle (2008–2020, Los Angeles, CA)

I grew up in LA with my twin brother, Victor. At 8 I was selling orange juice. At 10 it was phone accessories on eBay.

Highlights: Orange juice stand, age 8; eBay store, age 10; A Better Chance Scholar, 2018.

### Stuck at home with Photoshop (2020–2021, Home, lockdown)

COVID locked me inside in 7th grade, so I taught myself Photoshop by reverse-engineering NBA graphics. An Instagram fan page grew into a 2,000-member sports design community with free resources and contests. My first paid design came in February 2021. I spent all of it on candy.

Highlights: 2,000+ community members; First paid design, Feb 2021.

### Harvard said yes (2021–2022, Cambridge, MA (by email))

At 13, with an improvised portfolio, I emailed Harvard Men's Basketball. A few emails later we were on a call, and by the end of it we were in business: four years of recruiting graphics, social and arena work. At 14 I turned it into Oscar Lu Design Co. I led a four-person team, worked with Big Baller Brand, and ran it to five-figure profit before closing it after high school.

Highlights: 4-year client: Harvard Men's Basketball; Big Baller Brand; Five-figure profit.

### “What are you doing about it?” (2021–2025, Przemyśl, Poland → Dublin)

When Russia invaded Ukraine, my dad and I talked about it every day. He asked what I was doing about it. Within a week we decided to raise money and booked the flights, then spent seven days at a refugee center in Przemyśl, Poland, on the Ukrainian border. Meanwhile I was building the tech behind International Youth Tobacco Control. I cold-emailed Google and Wix for funding and directed a WHO film that Dr. Tedros shared with 4M+ people.

Highlights: 7 days · 14-hour shifts · 400 bedding sets a day; $25K+ from Google & Wix; WHO film shared to 4M+; Presented at the World Conference on Tobacco Control, Dublin.

### First night under the sheets (2022–2026, Church Farm School, Exton, PA)

I arrived at an all-boys boarding school in Pennsylvania knowing nobody but my twin. The first night I hid under my sheets until classmates introduced themselves over fruit snacks. Four years later I gave the valedictorian speech. In between I revived the school magazine and got it printed for the first time in a decade, served as class co-president, captained lacrosse to the championship game, and built an outdoor program from zero into a J-Term course.

Highlights: Valedictorian · 4.0 · 1540 SAT; DECA Pennsylvania State Champion; Magazine EIC · 40-person team · $3K raised; Lacrosse captain · All-League First Team.

### Type Two fun (2024–2025, Leadville, CO · West Point, NY)

I spent a semester at the High Mountain Institute backpacking the Rockies and Utah's canyons, and summited a 14,000-foot peak in the dark to catch the sunrise. Then came West Point's Summer Leadership Experience, a documentary co-produced with Fast & Furious writer Kelly Turner, and Dublin. On weekends I caddied at Aronimink to help pay my own way.

Highlights: HMI semester, Leadville CO; 14er at sunrise; West Point SLE; Wiley Center documentary.

### Playing in the arena (2026, Princeton, NJ)

This summer I sold cars at Toyota Southern California. Then I found one wilderness permit left for Yosemite, bought it, and two days later I was at the trailhead alone. Now I'm at Princeton. In my first week the orientation socials were flat, so I pitched ten friends, had a slip 'n slide Instacarted to campus, and 200+ freshmen showed up.

Highlights: Princeton '30 · Economics; Sales intern · Toyota SoCal; 5-day solo trip, Yosemite; 200+ at the slip 'n slide.

### Next chapter: your team.

I'm a Princeton freshman looking for internships. I move fast, cold-email first, and finish what I start. If your team is building something, I'd like to help.

## Experience

- **Founder & Creative Director, Oscar Lu Design Co.** (Los Angeles, CA, Jun 2022 – 2026)
  - Turned self-taught design skills into a business with five-figure profit, using a social-media portfolio and cold outreach to win Harvard Men's Basketball, Big Baller Brand, and other direct clients.
  - Created brand identities, recruiting graphics, and uniform concepts; led a four-person team from pitch through final delivery.
- **Sales Intern, Toyota Southern California** (Costa Mesa, CA, Jun–Aug 2026)
  - Opened conversations with walk-in customers, uncovered their needs and budgets, and guided them toward relevant vehicles.
  - Qualified prospects and handed off leads to the sales team.
- **Caddie, Aronimink Golf Club** (Newtown Square, PA, 2025 – 2026)
  - Advised members at a Golf Digest Top 100 course and 2026 PGA Championship venue on club selection, strategy, and green reading.

## Leadership

- **Board Director & Former Global IT Director, International Youth Tobacco Control** (Remote, 2021 – Present)
  - Built the website, shared workspace, and member database used by 200+ youth advocates across 60+ countries.
  - Cold-emailed Google and Wix, led the resulting pitch meetings, and secured $25K+ in funding.
  - Directed 14 contributors across seven countries on a WHO campaign amplified by Director-General Dr. Tedros to 4M+ people; selected to present at the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin.
- **Class Co-President, Church Farm School** (Exton, PA, 2024 – 2026)
  - Created an outdoor program from zero: recruited 15 students, secured funding, piloted camping trips, and persuaded leadership to establish an outdoor-education J-Term course.
- **Editor-in-Chief, The Griffin Review** (Exton, PA, 2023 – 2026)
  - Revived the school magazine and led a 40-person team; raised $3K to print it for the first time in a decade.

## Education

- **Princeton University** (Princeton, NJ, May 2030): Intended A.B. in Economics · QuestBridge Finalist
- **Harvard University, Summer School** (Cambridge, MA, Jul–Aug 2024): MGMT S-4105: Cultivating Authentic Leadership
- **Church Farm School** (Exton, PA, May 2026): GPA 4.0 · SAT 1540 · Valedictorian · DECA Pennsylvania State Champion · Varsity Lacrosse Captain · Penn-Jersey All-League First Team · National Honor Society

## Skills

- Adobe Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Figma
- Mandarin, Spanish

## Links

- [Interactive story](https://oscarludesign.com/)
- [Resume](https://oscarludesign.com/resume.html)
- [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/oscarl.u/)
- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscarlu23/)