Peking University, July 8, 2021: #Meet Our "Future Leaders"# is a featured series on stories of PKU Guanghua "Future Leaders" International Undergraduate Program students. It aims to introduce program students coming from Peking University and our partner schools all over the world and share their experiences and thoughts before and after studying at PKU.

Today, let's introduce one of our "Future Leaders" program students, a Chinese girl who actively engages in voluntary services, public welfare programs, and promoting Chinese traditional culture, Gloria Zhang.

Chenxuan Zhang (Gloria) was born and raised in Hohhot, China. She is currently a third-year undergraduate on Business Administration at Guanghua School of Management, Peking University. She has dedicated herself to improving public welfare and is actively involved in many voluntary activities that benefit disadvantaged groups both home and abroad, such as people in poverty and children who need education. She was recognized for her outstanding performance and devotion and was honored as one of Peking University's Top Ten Volunteer Model for 2019-2020. In her spare time, she enjoys playing volleyball and studying traditional Chinese culture.

From Guanghua to the Greater World: Positive Influence in Volunteering

As the deputy secretary-general of the Guanghua School of Management Youth Volunteers Association, I led the initiative in organizing many volunteering events, such as Feixiang Education Support Activities, the 2019 Guanghua School of Management Charity Case Competition, and other activities. I also actively participated in setting up a poverty alleviation library in Jilin Province, voluntary teaching in Cambodia, caring for the elderly in nursing homes, and supporting and hosting various competitions and activities.

Among these experiences, what impressed me the most was teaching in Cambodia for a month on behalf of Peking University. This was my first time engaging with international teaching support. Despite the challenging weather and the danger of epidemics, both the students and the teachers persisted in attending classes. To get to school each day, we had to take a tractor across difficult stretches of roads. I was greatly moved by the students' perseverance and enthusiasm for knowledge. I learned at first-hand how big an impact our actions and services could have on their lives. My time in Cambodia taught me how to better care for, and to embrace the world with love.

Windows Campus Marketing Competition Championship: Innovative Mindset

In my sophomore year, I teamed up with my friends and won the national championship of the first Windows Campus Marketing Competition. The competition was about designing a marketing plan for Microsoft's new generation of PCs. We first conducted a market survey to get to know the need and interests of targeted customers—university students. After finding out the characteristics of the computer consumers cared about most, we compared them with the new generation of PCs and selected the most important selling points, including the lightweight, small size, superior performance, integration of tablet and laptop, etc. We then introduced these points to students in the form of small interactive games, so as to attract more students to take the initiative to learn about the products proactively. Our marketing plan focused on the innovation of the activity forms, the cost-saving of the activity plan, the fit with consumer needs, and its landing and feasibility. These characteristics made us stand out and scored first in all individual items. This experience gave me an in-depth understanding of the marketing planning process and improved my ability to successfully pitching a project as well.

Women's Volleyball Team: Stress-release

As a member of the women's volleyball team of Guanghua School of Management, I love playing volleyball. Moreover, I cherish the friends I've made along the way. On the court, I forget about all my worries and let my mind roam free. I greatly enjoy the feeling of cooperating with my teammates on the court and working together for a common goal. This is the greatest charm of volleyball.

A Promoter of Chinese Traditional Culture

In my spare time, I also enjoy studying Chinese traditional culture. Back when I was in high school, I published a paper on women's clothing in the Tang Dynasty that was influenced by Western culture. I also like making photoshoots with traditional Chinese clothes. To match my outfit, I often DIY the handicrafts with ancient Chinese techniques, including Su embroidery and jewelry making. When I was in Cambodia, I also played an active part in introducing Chinese culture to foreign volunteers.

A Member of the Future Leaders Cohort: Enjoy the Cross-cultural Environment and Understand China Better

The future leader program offers a great cross-cultural environment. Outstanding peers from all over the world helped me broaden my horizons and learn to view problems from different angles. This embracing community taught me how to interact with different people and be a better team player. We are like a family, helping each other and making progress together. In our spare time, we often discuss our career plans and ideals. Through these discussions, I realized that our future is full of possibilities. For example, the internship experience shared by my French classmates in the luxury goods industry is very unique, which I seldom hear from Chinese students before. There are also classmates who believe the start-ups have better opportunities than traditional big companies, and seek job opportunities thence, which is also a unique career plan compared to traditional ones. All of these helped me become less stressed about my career trajectory and think more openly about the future.

In addition, the curriculum of the Future Leaders Program has enabled me to understand China better. Although as Chinese students, our understanding of China is actually not in-depth enough. Through studying in the Future Leaders Program, all students gain a deeper understanding of China's economy and society, and a thorough analysis about China from an international perspective.

PKU Guanghua "Future Leaders" Program 

By partnering with 15 of the world's best business schools, Guanghua School of Management have created "Future Leaders" International Undergraduate Double-Degree Program that gives students the opportunity to gain an understanding of their local markets while also immersing them in one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic economies in the world: China. This program will focus on admitting top students with outstanding leadership potential from Peking University and each partner institution. After completing their first two years of study at the institution in their home country, students will live and study together with classmates of diverse backgrounds from all over the world, including students from China, for two more years as a single cohort at Peking University.

Source: PKU Guanghua School of Management