I am Liu Shengjing from the Class of 2022 of the MA in Communication program-- Film, TV & New Media Concentration (FTNM) , School of Culture and Creativity, a persistent and humorous person.

UIC does not, in my opinion, suppress my free-spirited nature at all, allowing students like me who like to question to enjoy campus life without fear of judgment from others.

Learning is interesting, working is earnest

Study and life are intertwined at UIC, creating an engaging experience. Teachers not only impart theoretical knowledge but also stimulate potential and encourage thinking as well self-expression. In the one year taught postgraduate study, I acted in stage plays, participated in performance art, created artworks, experienced moot court, became a rapper, joined a book club (feminist theory and theater), attended a high table dinner, held the first postgraduate student screening event with friends... Liberal arts education has greatly enhanced my personal strengths such as teamwork, execution, communication, learning, coordination and thinking, and has continuously enriched my spiritual world.

Maybe we are used to repressive education since we were young, but UIC specializes in encouraging education, where trial and error are allowed, so that we can grow in the direction we like. Everyone doesn't have to be a towering tree.

For me, studying at UIC enhances my professional endeavors in work. Through a series of internships at Internet companies or media organizations, I have gradually realized my aspiration to become a producer. However, my undergraduate degree is Information Management and Information System, so I urgently need to acquire systematic knowledge of production and management of Film, Television and New Media. This is one of the main reasons why I choose FTNM concentration. After graduation, I get a job in the industry. My daily work involves contract negotiation, budget control, event execution, script revision and so on. These regular job duties are all matched with the courses I took at UIC. At the beginning of my postgraduate study, I was worried that the FTNM courses were too broad, and I thought that the knowledge of New Media Promotion, Foundations of Communication Study, and Leadership Theory and Development would not be practically used in the future. However, my part-time job in we-media organization proves that these courses are useful and help me a lot in practice. The mode of team formation in the courses is also similar to that in work, which is to predict uncontrollable factors, control risks, coordinate human resources and materials, and show problem-solving skills. Overall, the training received in UIC makes me confident and firm in the pace of work.

Pleasant surprise, harvest friendship

The unexpected outcome during my study at UIC is that I made many friends and met some amiable teachers. I truly believe that I am in the right place, and I hope students who will join UIC soon would also share the same view and feeling.