By Wanda Praamsma, Communications Officer

Queen's in the World

Sunny Wang (MIR’13) seems perfectly suited to her new position as a recruitment officer in Queen’s China Liaison Office in Shanghai. A Chinese native with a multinational education, she spends her days raising Queen’s profile in China, speaking with students and giving presentations at high schools and educational fairs about the advantages of studying at Queen’s and living in Canada.

“It’s been such a natural transition for me, with my cultural background and my education in human resources, psychology and industrial relations,” says Ms. Wang, who started her new post last fall. “I am so enthusiastic about my role and really love having the opportunity to help these students find their way to a great university such as Queen’s, and realize their own potential.”

Sunny Wang, who received a Master of Industrial Relations at Queen's, now works for Queen's as a recruitment officer in Shanghai.

Ms. Wang has spent most of her life in China, attending Anhui University and working in Shanghai before moving to Canada in 2008 to further her education. She wanted to pursue studies in human resources and landed at Western University for an honours bachelor’s degree in human resources and psychology before coming to Queen’s for the Master of Industrial Relations program.

She didn’t expect to return to Shanghai so soon after graduating, but she says not being away too long makes it easier to understand the needs and desires of China’s young people. Knowing the educational systems in both countries, Ms. Wang can help ease any fears about studying in a foreign country and the students, she says, appreciate having someone who’s lived and studied in both places to guide them and their parents through important decisions.

“When I speak with students, I emphasize the tight-knit community Queen’s offers, along with the relatively small size of the university and Kingston,” says Ms. Wang, who works alongside Zhiyao Zhang in the China Liaison Office. “There are many advantages, including smaller class sizes, more personalized attention from professors, all within the peaceful and friendly setting of Kingston.”

Many of the students she speaks with attend large international schools in Shanghai, so there is some trepidation toward moving to a smaller city in an unknown place. Ms. Wang shows them, through her own stories, how rewarding it can be to explore another world.

“It’s so valuable to move outside your normal environment. I was so intrigued by the history and politics of Canada when I came to study – it’s been wonderful to pass that on to these students and see their interest in another culture build.”