On March 17th, we invited 8 Asian Studies alumni to share their university and post-grad experiences for our annual Asian Studies Careers Night. Calling in online, alumni offered insights and advice to the next generation of Asian Studies students. One alumnus even came with a job opportunity to share with interested parties. Attendees included Asian Studies majors, minors, students from other disciplines, and prospective Asian Studies students. 5 lucky attendees also had the opportunity to win an swag bags of Asian Studies merchandise.
A recording of the alumni introductions and Q&A session is now available (video edited by Anh Luu). Watch it above and on our YouTube channel.
We were joined by the following alumni panelists this evening:
- Zining Wang, BA ’18 – Public Policy Manager, Huawei Canada
- Ciaran Dudley, BA ’11 – Culture and Public Relations Coordinator, Consulate General of Japan, Vancouver
- Oliver Mann, BA ’13 – Communications Strategist, UBC Community Engagement + Freelance Photographer and Videographer
- Kristy Lin, BA ’21 – Communications Specialist, SAP
- Richard N. Liu, BA ’93 – Honorary Brigade Division President, St. John Ambulance, BC/Yukon
- Paul Hsu, BA ’06 – Principal, St. Regis Secondary School; Chief Executive Officer, New Castle Japan Investment; Chairman of the Board, Canadian Housing Society
- Faiz Jaffar, BA ’17 – Member Services Manager, AGN International
- Rossa Sung, BA ’01 – Management Consultant
Learn more about the panelists on our event page here.
Group photo with the alumni panelists and staff moderators
After alumni introductions, we moved into a Q&A session that covered the panelist’s journeys to pursuing a degree in Asian Studies at UBC, the kinds of industries that the degree opens doors to, and advice they would give to their student selves.
The diverse range of stories from alumni emphasized the notion that there’s no one right path to go about an Asian Studies degree. Some came to UBC with a plan while others stumbled into the program and realized the community suited them. However, in every case, the vast opportunities that the degree offers upon graduation became an exciting chance for alumni to continue exploring their passions.
Many praised the usefulness of speaking multiple languages and understanding a range of cultures, especially as the work environment continues to become more integrated with people from all around the world. Alumni also highlighted UBC’s international exchange opportunities, with some having studied in Japan and others in Korea during their time in university. In general, taking advantage of UBC resources was a reoccurring theme in alumni advice, be it from work experience (through the Co-Op and Work Learn programs), establishing internal communities, or fostering connection with professors.
One unique aspect of hosting an online event is the ability to use the chat function. In lieu of verbal back and forth with the audience, the chat was filled with follow-up questions and comments of appreciation from attendees, and additional pieces of advice from alumni. Along with sharing more tips and resources for language learning, alumni were also able to cheer each other on from the sidelines fostering a warm environment even from across the world.
Group photo with the alumni panelists, student attendees, and staff moderators
To mimic the roundtable sessions of previous in-person years, we included a new networking element via breakout rooms. With each panelist hosting their own room, attendees were able to float around and foster deeper one-on-one discussions with alumni that resonated with them during the Q&A.
The Asian Studies Annual Careers Night provides opportunities for students to learn from and connect with alumni who have walked down the same academic path and now have well-established careers. We would like to thank all students, staff, faculty, and alumni who helped to make the 2022 event a great success.
We’ll see you in 2023!
