Jin Yibei
A distinguished graduate of the Class of 2024 from the bachelor’s degree program in international tourism and hotel management at City University of Macau (CityU), Jin Yibei is currently pursuing a master’s degree in communications at Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC.
During her time at City University of Macau, Jin joined the student team and the public relations department of the student union. While working hard in her study, Jin actively participated in university events as an event host and a member of the student union. Her recent appearance on the stage of the Chinese Embassy in the United States is the result of years of solid experience and continuous growth accumulated during their undergraduate study.
In this feature interview, let’s hear the story of her journey from the CityU campus to the international stage, and learn about the insights and reflections she gained along the way.
Ans: Looking back on her days at CityU Macau, Jin admits that there was no single romanticized “turning point”. For her, the significance of CityU lies in the long-term, systematic practical environment it provided. During her time on campus, she gathered extensive experience through hosting and participating in large-scale events. Yet what benefited her even more was CityU’s high standards for professionalism and rigor in event management.
“From rehearsals and time control to stage positioning and contingency plans—every detail was taken seriously. The instructors in the Student Affairs Office and the Student Union always approached every event as a serious professional task," Jin recalled.
She admitted that at first, she didn’t realize how valuable this rigor was. It wasn’t until she left campus and became involved in more large-scale events that she understood—CityU had already established a mature and professional set of standards for event planning and execution.
It was precisely this continuous refinement that allowed her to gradually grow from “knowing how to host” to “understanding the overall execution of an event”, developing her own professional judgment regarding program design and emergency response.
Q: The courses you took at CityU were taught entirely in English. Did this help improve your language abilities and international competitiveness?
Ans: Jin’s program in International Tourism and Hotel Management (English Medium), adopted comprehensive English instruction: lectures, examinations, presentations, discussions, and assignments were all conducted in English. This sustained language environment, combined with her multiple hands-on experiences hosting events bilingually in Chinese and English, greatly enhanced her language proficiency.
Later, when she achieved an overall IELTS score of 7.5 with a 7.5 in Speaking, she attributed this not to short-term cramming, but to the natural accumulation resulting from CityU’s authentic and consistent English-usage environment.
Q: Considering your internships at Alibaba and the National Development and Reform Commission’s newspaper, as well as your classmates who have entered renowned companies like ByteDance and Red, what unique advantages does CityU offer in empowering students' practical experience and growth?
“CityU doesn’t preset a path for you, but it provides an open and authentic platform that equips you with the ability—and the confidence—to pursue greater opportunities,” says Jin.
At CityU, Jin not only gained professional competencies but also received the platform support to step into a broader world. She completed internships at Alibaba and the newspaper of the National Development and Reform Commission, while her classmates have gone on to join renowned companies such as ByteDance and Red. She believes these achievements are no coincidence—they stem from CityU’s abundant practical opportunities, international perspective, and strong encouragement to students’ initiative.
Q: Having been admitted to multiple world-renowned universities, what practical advice do you have for fellow students and younger alumni who aspire to pursue graduate studies abroad?
Sharing her experience for students hoping to study overseas, Jin said, “many people ask whether CityU can support students in applying to top-tier institutions like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, or Yale. My answer is, absolutely YES.”
She emphasized that with early planning, competitive language scores, and a strong GPA, students at CityU stand on a platform equally capable of reaching world-class universities.
She herself began preparing during her freshman and sophomore years, ultimately receiving admissions from multiple prestigious schools including Johns Hopkins University and New York University. She made the decision to decline a scholarship of 150,000 RMB from NYU to pursue her master’s degree in Communications at Johns Hopkins University at the Washington DC campus, which ranks sixth overall in the United States.
Q: Reflecting on your time at CityU and your personal growth journey, what insights would you share with current students?
Looking back on her journey, Jin reflected, “I wasn't propelled forward by a single moment. Rather, step by step, through steadily being myself at CityU, I made my way toward a larger stage.
She encouraged current students, “don't underestimate CityU, and even more importantly, don’t underestimate yourself. Plan early, dare to set ambitious goals, and diligently prepare your language proficiency and academic record. This world-class stage belongs to you as well.”
Source: Student Affairs Office
