Being a 16-year-old international college student was tough, and Juyi wasn't sure which school he wanted to transfer to. He wrote “UCLA” on his dream school list, because who knew what would happen. He decided his major and started following a mentor who shared a similar background. He became more involved on campus and participated in tremendous activities. While running for a leadership position against his best friend, their relationship got closer than before. Juyi was elected the student body president at the age of 17 and led a team of diverse students tackling food, transportation, and housing insecurities. Not only did he contribute to saving students over $6000 within the first semester of a meal bundle, Juyi also drafted the first-ever Housing Resolution in Canada College history by petitioning to the District Chancellor for campus housing on three San Mateo County Community College District college campuses. With all of these experiences, Juyi was still uncertain that he would get into his dream school because of the competition.
In May 2019, Juyi remembers the moment he opened the decision letter and it was the best feeling of his life. His best friend was cheering for him by his side and UCLA's official page and the UCLA transfer center reposted his story. Every time he look at it, it reminds him of all the efforts he did to get here and motivates him to achieve bigger things in the future!
Juyi is trying to make the most of his two-year journey at UCLA. He is currently the Chief of Staff at the Office of USAC President, Director of Internal Relations and the Director of Student Affairs and Internal Relations. He wants to continue his involvement in student government to help others and improve his leadership skills. During the summer, He went back to his home country -- China, where he provided resources to the English teaching company that taught him when he was little. Meeting a lot of foreign friends had a huge impact on his childhood. Thus, Juyi wants to give back to his community through provide job opportunities for college students and contribute to the next generation. He will soon launch this initiative on campus and is planning to turn this into a formal business after graduate he graduates! Juyi was thirteen-years-old when his parents said he got into an American high school. It was a dream come true. However, in the process of preparing for his new life in the USA, his family’s financial status changed drastically. After a bad investment decision, his family lost two apartments and two cars to the bank. Juyi felt hopeless. Following this sudden change, Juyi wasn't able to attend his dream high school. He was very disappointed as this altered his intended path completely. However, he didn't give up on his American dream. He challenged himself in every aspect to find a way to pursue higher education in the United States. He was always the last one to leave the classroom, listened to English audio tapes, and wrote daily journals to improve his listening and writing skills. He utilized his friends who could improve his English proficiency. His hard work paid off a few months later when he entered the provincial-level final of the Star of Outlook English Competition. Not only was he one of the top thirty candidates of his province, he was also recognized by the Hunan Educational Exchange Association to become the first private high school exchange student in his province through this organization. This was his ticket to the education and experience he always wanted because this program would help reduce his educational costs. Finally, he started his journey in Kansas at fourteen. Knowing his family’s financial status kept him motivated to work hard on academics and independent growth. Entering college, he has been driven to support himself financially by budgeting, working, and winning scholarships. The progress he has made excites him and his ambition continues to grow. Juyi has grown from a boy with simple dreams and now, with a mature mindset, is realizing his goals. Reflecting back, he has progressed a lot and is increasingly close to achieving his degree, pursuing his dreams, and releasing the financial stress that his parents have endured to give him these opportunities. Thank you Juyi for your inspirational story!!
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