Niu Yishan: Finding her voice through media
Niu Yishan
Class of 2025, Department of Communication
Offer: Social Anthropology, University of Edinburgh
"Learn to express, think, question, and build trust in yourself." Over her four years at BNBU, Niu Yishan has been on a journey of self-discovery. Her summer internship at Henan TV thrust her into high-intensity news production: shooting in sweltering heat, handling on-the-fly challenges, and traveling nonstop. Seeing her own three-minute news stories air brought her an irreplaceable sense of achievement.
Earlier, she interned at Xiaohongshu, managing livestream operations. Along with previous experience in running interest clubs in school, she honed her coordination and management skills.
These roles taught her that clear expression is the hallmark of a great media professional, and she gradually shed her shyness, daring to speak up and ask questions.
By participating in a summer programme at CBS University of Applied Sciences, she deepened her understanding of politics and economics of the European Union, broadened her worldview through cross-cultural exchange, and forged lasting friendships.
Niu in Germany for summer programme (third row, third from left)
Now bound for Social Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh, she urges younger media students to clarify their goals early and plan their learning paths wisely.
Li Hanrui: Anchored in finance, aiming high
Li Hanrui
Class of 2025, Department of Finance and Economics
Offer: MS in Climate Finance, Columbia University
"Don't stop and learn by doing." From day one at BNBU, Li Hanrui set his sights on finance.
Now holding an offer from Columbia University, he credits his global outlook to BNBU's English-taught environment and international platforms. During his first year at the university, he completed an online programme at Spain's Esade Business School, second year at the University of California, Berkeley for his summer programme, and later returned to Berkeley for a semester-long exchange.
Competing against top university teams, he and his group won first place in the CFA Institute Research Challenge (South China Regional Competition) in 2024–25, and he earned best-individual honours.
Li at the competition with teammates
Internships at Guotai Junan Securities and China Credit Trust exposed him to diverse financial roles. Despite tough modelling tasks and unfamiliar domains, he tackled each challenge with a positive mindset, learning on the job.
Li is deeply grateful for BNBU's rich resources, like international exchanges and competition support, and feels ready to embark on his next chapter.
Zou Ruiting: Balancing artistry and accounting
Zou Ruiting
Class of 2025, Department of Accounting
Offer: MSc in Accounting, Organisations and Institutions, London School of Economics and Political Science
"Looking back on the bleakest moments, I return, unmoved by storm or shine." A devoted calligrapher and poetry enthusiast who once appeared on CCTV's Chinese Poetry Conference, Zou Ruiting chose an accounting major to bring balance to her artistic inclinations.
Zou's calligraphy
Calligraphy sharpened her focus for meticulous data analysis, while poetry eased her stress. She stresses that university life isn't just about academics, but cultivating hobbies is also vital.
Scholarship awards and a unique learning strategy focused on mastering underlying logic have empowered her to tackle challenging courses like Hong Kong Taxation.
Interning at China Electronics Shenzhen and BDO China Shu Lun Pan CPAs, she tackled high-intensity finance work and noticed how automation is replacing routine tasks.
Facing the rise of AI, she's determined to become "irreplaceable." Her philosophy? Balance study, passion, and practice by finding your own equilibrium.
Chen Yucong: From media art to marketing maven
Chen Yucong
Class of 2025, Department of Culture Creativity and Design
Offer: MSc in Business with Marketing, University of Warwick
"Study hard during the term; go all-out in internships during breaks." Chen Yucong's bold switch from Media Art Design to Marketing sprang from internship experiences.
Interning at Edelman in his first year, he worked on packaging relaunches for M&M's, Snickers, and Dove, and coordinated nationwide partners and planned events.
Back on campus, he chaired the student association of the Media Arts and Design Programme and organised a fashion show. These trials honed his risk-management skills and confirmed his passion for marketing's macro-scale challenges.
BNBU's fashion show organised by Chen
Meticulous time management enabled him to excel academically while gaining real-world experience. Driven by challenge, efficiency, and excellence, Chen plans to stay open-minded and pragmatic as he ventures into new fields.
From MPRO
Reporter: Cecilia Yu
Photos provided by the interviewees
