水木清華眾秀鐘

水木清華眾秀鐘

YOUNG WOMEN LEADERS ON THEIR WAY TO REACH FOR THE SKY

As modern women, Zoon and Theodora believe that Tsinghua University is playing a crucial role in a path where they can dedicate themselves to furthering their own dreams.

Text by Irene Photos by Wang Zhirui & Zhang Zhigeng

“I am 26 years old and from Pakistan.I study at Tsinghua's Department of International Relations.Ten years from now I will be one of the leading voices in Pakistan's security sector.” Zoon said with con fi dence.She admits that she was not born with a set path to follow.When she joined Lahore University of Management Sciences, becoming a physicist was her dream.But by 2007, the determination to understand what was happening around her made Zoon realize that studying statecraft, political movements, and ideologies resonated with her.

Zoon was offered a job in 2015, as a host of what became one of the most watched international relations talk shows on Pakistan's national television - KYA.

“A question I have frequently been asked is 'Why China?'” said Zoon.“While people from Pakistan love China, the fact is that we know very little about her.It was during the path of my career as a journalist and a researcher that I realized the importance of understanding Central and South Asia through the rising power of the 21st century - and the heart of Asia.”

Zoon added that from energy and security to development and economic progress, it will be Chinese institutions that will matter morefor Pakistan in the years to come than Anglo-American ones.And Tsinghua University, as China's best university, with leading international academics, provided just the opportunity that she was looking for.

Theodora is a second generation overseas Chinese, born in the multiracial society of Singapore.Prior to her MBA at Tsinghua School of Economics and Managements (SEM), she was an associate director of a Singapore-based private equity fund.

Theodora was passionate about giving back to society.She was a founding member and chairperson between 2011 and 2014 of the Young Women's Leadership Connection, a distinctive society aimed at connecting and empowering young women leaders in Singapore.She also became a Council Member of the Singapore National Youth Council.

Keen to pursue graduate studies, Theodora applied to join the Tsinghua-MIT Global MBA program.“With Tsinghua and its X-Lab, I was able to develop business ideas, learn and test strategies with the faculty, industry experts and peers,” she says.Theodora was happy to fi nd partners and mentors to work with for her start-up business, PrepForChina, which aims to create a learning community for Chinese language learning among globally-minded young professionals outside China.

Tsinghua University is serving as the turning point in a new chapter, not just for these two young ladies, but also for more globally minded individuals.

在為個人與時代夢想不懈奮斗的路上，國際學生Zoon和Theodora堅信，清華大學對她們有著重要的影響。

“我是來自巴基斯坦的Zoon，正在清華大學國際關系學系讀研一。十年后，我將成為一名在巴基斯坦安全問題上發出重要聲音的人。”起初，她的夢想是成為一名物理學家。然而，當她關注到巴基斯坦國內的政治環境后，漸漸對國家的政治與治理產生了興趣。

2015年，Zoon曾主持巴基斯坦國家電視臺熱門的政治類脫口秀節目《KYA》。對于“為什么選擇中國”這個問題，Zoon認為，相較于研究英美體系來說，研究中國的國家制度對巴基斯坦更有意義，因為中國是亞洲的中心。“作為中國最好的高等學府，清華大學為中巴關系的發展提供了更加廣闊的合作空間。在這里的學習經歷是我歸國后最大的財富。”她說道。

Theodora 是第二代海外華人，出生于新加坡的多民族社會。在清華大學經濟與管理學院讀MBA之前，她曾是新加坡一家私募股權基金公司的副總監。學校追求卓越與創新的校園文化，讓Theodora為自己的創業項目——PrepForChina找到了共事的伙伴與導師。該項目旨在為具有全球視野的中國地區以外的年輕專家，提供專業、系統的中文學習社區服務，“借助學校的X-Lab創意創新創業教育平臺，我相信我會實現我的創業夢想。”