“Seniors were less lonely. They made friends with each other, and we became good friends as well.”
— Lucy Zhang, Master of Arts in Leadership (Business), 2021
As someone entering new frontiers, Lucy Zhang helped others who, like herself, were adapting to life in Canada while managing university studies and preparing for future careers.
She did it through volunteering.
This is Zhang’s third year in Canada. She recently graduated with her Master of Arts in Leadership degree with a Business specialization, in January.
Back in her student days at TWU, Zhang led a volunteer club at TWU Richmond and mobilized student volunteers to help the city.
One of their key community partners was Connections Community Services, a charitable organization serving children, youth and families in Richmond.
“Hundreds of students participated,” said Zhang, recalling the volunteer placements that she coordinated.
The goal of student volunteerism, said Zhang, was to connect TWU students with the city in positive ways, as well as to help students step into a variety of industries and find their future career.
One project that Zhang organized was to help senior citizens learn basic I.T. skills and computer literacy. Zhang noted that the project not only provided practical training but a social outlet as well.
“Seniors were less lonely,” she said. “They made friends with each other, and we became good friends as well.”
In addition to serving seniors, Zhang has led TWU students to volunteer to help a single mom clean her house and yard, host a cultural expo booth, assist with Richmond's federal election day, and distribute breakfasts at Samuel Brighouse Elementary School throughout the fall of 2019.
Being relatively new to Canada, most of Zhang’s Canadian experiences have been in the context of TWU. She said that the University served as her introduction to Canadian life and to Christian faith.
Zhang is now pursuing a career in the finance and insurance sector, working for Canada’s largest credit union.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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