International Student Success Story

CSSC-MacEwan

International student Shaoping Shi, from Longkou in Yantai City,
China, is a proud graduate from the Accounting and Strategic
8 ]  u& b2 R  m2 a3 XMeasurement program. Her hard work has paid off; in July 2008 she
& A" {, y. p2 a8 \1 maccepted a position in the MacEwan Financial Services department.
# j2 P8 F6 T) e, \- Q/ UIt is an outcome she could never have predicted in 2003 when she
came to Grant MacEwan as an exchange student from Heze Medical
7 q- g. d$ d) X! nCollege to continue her nursing studies. She came as a top student
and vice-president of her student activities association, but when she
4 B- y0 ], E& z$ T7 ^7 d6 ugot here, everything changed. Two years later she found herself struggling,
& ?8 K3 u2 _0 E5 H3 xbarely keeping up with her program and on the verge of commencing
2 ?  h! c7 s5 \. F% oher clinical practicum. “I asked myself, ‘What’s my goal? Do
I want to stay in nursing my whole life?”
9 R1 I( v! L: J- u5 P$ h% DShe turned to Katherine Hildebrand at the Student Resource
& ]: g5 J; L6 h: V: n! DCentre. “I noticed that Katherine was a good friend to many, and as
+ J& c5 G% H& ]+ }" L$ Ran international student I have learned that you have to speak out,
talk to someone. You cannot be struggling by yourself. Even if you
5 n) C/ W- H. N/ J1 j! o8 Cfind a way forward, it’s going to take you so long. They are going to
4 |3 {) d5 m( @% Ogive you the help that you need.”
( Z# ?' Z; L( s% L! |; s“Katherine asked me, ‘What are you interested in?’” I was interested
in numbers, so I tried a few basic accounting courses, and I did really
5 q: P. e3 v' B& \" i) j! Jwell. I got As, and I was so satisfied. Then Katherine helped me apply
to the program.” That, however, was just the beginning of a long haul.
“It was a really, really big challenge. It was a good thing I was in the
co-op program. I was able to practice and get paid. It really helped
* q# R8 p, E0 `. ~' g3 _/ ~out.” Shaoping believes that nothing is impossible. “My favourite
feeling is enjoying a small success after working hard on a challenge.”
Throughout this period Shaoping relied on a large circle of friends
and staff at Grant MacEwan, and high among them, Katherine.
“Katherine is like one of my parents. I trust her and could tell her
  c: K8 t. ~. zanything from my heart. She always has my best interests in mind.”
With such support and a new job, she has decided to stay in
; \2 n# A; b) o- n: l; d$ {Edmonton for now, “I feel Grant MacEwan is my home here.” With
# ?1 e$ W; t- d$ ldiploma in hand, Shaoping is looking forward to a trip back to China
% L9 x7 b* r2 i; w" W$ L( N* Nin February 2009 for Chinese New Year.