I am Zhang Shangmingzhu, from the Class of 2020 of the MA in Communication program-- Film, TV & New Media Concentration (FTNM), School of Culture and Creativity. Initially, I discovered by chance that UIC offered a Master's degree related to my undergraduate major and internship experience. Later, I learned that the faculty members at UIC, including our UIC teachers and those from Hong Kong Baptist University, have rich teaching and industry experience. After my taught postgraduate study, it was proved that I had made the right choice and later even successfully enrolled in the MPhil program at UIC.

I have been in the spotlight before. Quickly, I found that the behind-the-scenes work, including scriptwriting, was more appealing to me. Therefore, I choose this taught postgraduate program to balance my personal interests and career plan.

My study experience at UIC has contributed significantly to my personal growth. I became more persistent and could immerse myself fully to the reading of literature and research papers. This has greatly enhanced my personal, academic, and professional development. Apart from completing the regular coursework in high quality, I also spent extra time tutoring mainland students studying communication-related courses at Hong Kong universities off-campus. In addition, I did some screenwriting and lyric writing to enrich my life.

A shift in thinking is a rare occurrence in life, and I experienced such a transformation during my study at UIC. Furthermore, an excellent learning environment always cultivates outstanding talents. The UIC students around me have made me aware of my shortcomings. However, both teachers and classmates have been very supportive, making my study experience at UIC invaluable.