Stories of Success: Joshua
For “Joshua” Junyi Wang, a senior at North Carolina State double majoring in statistics and economics, the University Performance Program (UPP) was the catalyst to greater intercultural understanding and a desire to support his fellow international students.
Joshua quickly discovered that his experiences outside of the classroom were just as important to his development as his courses and welcomed the opportunity to get involved, “I am in the data analytics club, statistics club, and the Chinese Students and Scholars Friendship Association. Attending different clubs broadens my perspectives and gives me the opportunity to interact with American students who have the same interests,” he explained. He credits the UPP for his desire to promote cross-cultural understanding, “UPP let me realize my value and they encouraged me to use my international status to take advantage of it. UPP really advocates for Chinese culture to American students and helps us connect with American students.”
Pursuing this interest, Joshua served as a UPP Student Mentor and later as a Resident Advisor in the Global Village dormitory for the past two years, assisting and advising international students from all over the world, “I have met people from Spain, France, the UK, Brazil, South Korea, and China. I interacted with my residents frequently and developed a good relationship with them. I built a welcoming, inclusive, and diverse community. Besides, I host three community events every semester. It allows me to think outside of the box in order to create a successful event. It has been an awesome experience.”
As a UPP Student Mentor, he provided incoming Chinese students with transitional support and advice, “It was a pretty cool experience. I was able to guide my group to reach out to different resources and answered their questions in terms of housing conditions, IEP [Intensive English Program] courses, and tips to pass IEP. I developed a very good relationship with the people in my group.”
During his time at NC State, Joshua also sought out real-world experiences where he could develop on-the-job training. He is currently working at Fidelity Investments, a US multinational financial services corporation, where he is a data analytics intern. This is the second of two internships he has secured while studying at the university.
For Joshua, UPP provided critical support and encouragement during his first year studying abroad and helped him quickly make friends, “In UPP, I developed a very good relationship with my advisor. You got a chance to meet everyone and bond with them. From the UPP program, I met a lot of people and became really good friends. Besides, a lot of events that UPP hosted are very meaningful. It really helped me to learn more about American culture and adapt my life in the U.S. easily.” His relationship with his advisor was the highlight of his experience, going beyond traditional academic support, “The biggest benefit is that your UPP advisor is always there to support you. Whatever you need, your advisor will always try to help you and provide useful resources and information. My advisor Erin is not only my advisor but also my friend. I can talk about everything with her and share my happiness and stories with her. When I achieve success, she truly feels happy for me.”
After graduation, Joshua plans to pursue a master's degree and become a data scientist. He recommends UPP, especially to students who have never been to the US, “It is a great program to help you make the transition and adapt to life in the U.S.”