Yifan Wang

Yifan Wang came to the University of Newcastle through the Sichuan International Studies/University of Newcastle Double Degree Program and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in 2017. She describes her study experience at the University as ‘transformational and life changing’ and feels that the course helped her mature over her two years of study.

Yifan explored Australian culture and brushed up on her English skills by engaging in many volunteer activities whilst at university. Beginning as a mentee in the University of Newcastle exclusive iLEAD Plus program, she went on to work in various teams in the University’s international office. Yifan also participated in the Lucy Mentoring Program, run by the Newcastle Business School, Yifan was mentored by the Director of Corporate Tax at PwC. “It was an awesome immersive program and I was really inspired by her leadership and the working environment there.”

Yifan also served as the first-ever Director of International Student Relations at the University’s BusCom Club. It exposed her to Newcastle industry and helped her develop her communication skills. As an International Student Ambassador, she was awarded the inaugural University of Newcastle Global Citizen Award. Yifan believes that her time spent volunteering was “a great experience for my overall skillsets, including soft skills and hard skills. The community was very supportive, and I was very grateful that the people whom I met were willing to help me grow myself further.”

Studying at the University of Newcastle deepened Yifan’s understanding of the Australian business environment and the background of many Australian companies – a competitive edge that lead to her joining AustCham Beijing for a 3-month Summer internship.

She is currently working in Capgemini Shanghai as the Project Director Assistant on an IT integration project for two of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. She assists the JV IT Integration Director in managing the project team, facilitating relevant communication and ensuring the smooth IT system transition between the two companies.

Yifan’s favourite part of studying at the University was the opportunities to get to know the domestic students as well as fellow international students who she found to be very friendly and open-minded. She loved the cross-cultural environment that allowed her to engage with people from diverse backgrounds.

Yifan is proud to be an alumna of the University of Newcastle. As a Global Alumni Ambassador, she is dedicated to sharing her stories to prospective students and ensuring the next generation have the same positive experiences she had while studying. “I love the University of Newcastle because of the diversity, support, and lovely people I met while studying.”