Alumni Insights at HNC’s Career Day

For today's Throwback Thursday post, Madelyn Ross, the director of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center Washington Office, shares insights gained at the HNC's annual Career Day in Shanghai:

The strength of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center’s alumni network was clearly demonstrated at Career Day 2015, held Friday March 20 in Shanghai. Almost half of the more than 40 panelists were alumni of the Hopkins Nanjing Center! HNC students met practitioners in many different professions--panels focused on Business; Consulting; Education; Energy and the Environment; Entrepreneurship; Human Resources; Financial Services; Government; Law and Legal Services; Non-Profits; and Public Relations and Media.

All three of the professionals on the Business Panel

Madelyn Ross moderates Business Panel at HNC Career Day

were Hopkins Nanjing Center graduates--Bryan Withall (HNC ’04), Managing Director of Sino-Outbound; Sharon Tang (HNC ’95), Regional Community Director of Hershey’s; and Andrew Clayton (HNC ’92), Managing Director of Scotsman Ice Systems. One point they all agreed on: it’s ok if you don’t know exactly what you want to do when you finish your studies. Be open-minded, they advised, and look for a chance to gain skills and experience that interest you. Bryan Withall noted that he worked for several non-profits in China before moving to the private sector and finding his current niche in the China outbound investment sector, while Andrew Clayton was an attorney before applying his business skills to companies with operations in China. Sharon Tang worked for several companies headquartered in Toronto, Amsterdam, and Beijing before taking up her current position at Hershey’s in Shanghai. One student asked about their memories of HNC, and all 3 panelists agreed that fellow HNC students were at the heart of their best memories and in many cases are still among their close friends. Take time to have fun and appreciate the unique HNC experience while you’re there, advised Sharon Tang.

Sponsored by Deloitte Consulting, Career Day ended with an evening reception for all participants, followed by smaller HNC alumni/student gatherings around Shanghai.