Have you met Wendy Yu?

Get to know a little bit more about the staff at UAI.

09 July 2020

UAlberta International has a friendly team of professionals that focus on various areas of work that support internationalization at UAlberta. Let's spend a few minutes getting to know Wendy, International Student Advisor - Career Development!

What different languages do you speak?
Ni Hao (Hello), I speak English and Mandarin. I grew up in China and Mandarin is my mother tongue. I always admire people who are multilingual, and I am trying to learn some basic greetings in different languages from our international students.

Have you ever lived/studied/worked/volunteered outside of Canada? If yes, tell us when and where, and share one key life lesson from your experience.
I grew up in China and came to UAlberta as an international student for my bachelor degree. I was also an exchange student and studied for about two months in Peterborough, England. The key lesson I would love to share is: be curious! Be curious about life style, how they work, food, festival, language, everything! Curiosity can help you overcome fear, enrich your experience and boost your happiness!

What is your favourite space on UAlberta campuses and why?
Harry Potter Room in Rutherford South! I love the wooden chairs, the high ceiling, the décor, the collection of books, everything! Being in the room makes you feel that you are in a bubble. Quiet and peaceful.

What previous position have you held that contributes most to your position at UAI?
I appreciate all the positions, whether paid or volunteered, that I've held in the past years. All of the experience contributed to my current position, but the position that with the settlement agency was most valuable and prepared me to work with the international students. As a career practitioner in a settlement agency, I work closely with newcomers from all over the world. I developed the intercultural communication skill, learned how to be an active listener and established the network with employers and communities. The skill-set that I've developed definitely help me to provide quality of services to the international students and succeed in my current role.