CW Chu College The Chinese University of Hong Kong eNewsletter

Third-year students Mr Kevin Cheung and Mr Charles Wu participated in the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) and the World Business Dialogue, world-renowned conferences, in the academic year 2014–15. They hosted a sharing session on 26 March 2015 to encourage fellow students to explore the world by joining different conferences and international activities, to share their memorable experience, and to give valuable advice on how to succeed in applications.

The HPAIR Asian Conference held in Tokyo during 22–26 August 2014 was eye-opening for Kevin and Charles. Through participating in small-scale workshops, they had the opportunity to interact closely with people from all walks of life—scholars, senior politicians, scientists, businessmen, and elite students like themselves from other universities—and to gain insights into important issues on politics, economics, culture, and business.

The World Business Dialogue held during 8–13 Mar 2015 in University of Cologne was an equally thrilling experience. Kevin and Charles related how fascinating it was watching intellectuals and business leaders in heated debate over controversial topics, such as the global workforce crisis and the impact of social media on modern life. They also visited Ford Germany and saw the assembly line in action; they also went to The Beethoven House and different museums.

Through joining these conferences, Kevin and Charles built public speaking skills, had intellectually-rewarding idea exchanges, and gained networking opportunities with world leaders and friendship with students from various backgrounds. They shared tips on writing impressive resumes and essays, getting prepared for interview, and networking in advance; they also introduced useful references and encouraged fellow students to apply and make a difference.

Entrepreneurship with a Vision: Starting a small business with long term planning, extensive networking, and large-scale goals (by Kevin Dhali)

Entrepreneurship may sound challenging, but it is not that far away!

Mr Kevin Dhali, an exchange student from Brown University in the US, hosted a sharing session on 2 April 2015 on the topic 'Entrepreneurship with a Vision: Starting a small business with long term planning, extensive networking, and large-scale goals'. With his extensive experience working with NGOs, municipal governments, and private companies, Kevin shared his story, his view on entrepreneurship, and what he had learned in the process.

Kevin started off as a mediocre debate team leader in high school, but overcame his weaknesses. He founded his own NGO, Voice of the World, to advocate human rights, and successfully carried out a fund-raising concert to a sold-out audience that earned him experience in event management and interpersonal skills indispensable to his later endeavours.

At Brown, Kevin majors in International Relations and Political Science, opening his mind to a myriad of opportunities out there. Through trial and error, he found himself a job working as the assistant to Basuki T. Purnama, the then Lieutenant Governor (and later the Governor) of Jakarta, Indonesia; he gained exposure with the media working for Reuters; he also experienced life as a chef, making pizzas for the homeless.

Passionate about modelling and himself a part-time model, Kevin eventually connected all the dots and realised his goal—founding an online clothing store, FINE.ID. Kevin showed photos of designer clothes reflecting social issues, such as hunger and education for the underprivileged, raising public concerns over these issues through fashion and design.

Kevin demonstrated exceptional talent and maturity for a student of his age; his stories captivated the audience with his insights into the role of planning and networking in starting one's own business. Participants were all impressed.