The Class of 2025’s journey has been full of ups and downs and countless challenges. But as they navigated the twists and turns leading to graduation, they discovered who they are and who they want to be. We sat down with some seniors to uncover the transformative impact of their NYU Shanghai experience.
Julie Wu Shuli ’25
Hometown: Shanghai, China
Major: Political Science in Social Science, Minor in Philosophy
Julie in 2021: “I hope that in these four years, I can explore the outside world and challenge myself to go beyond my own way of thinking. In my studies, in my work, and in the way I interact with people out in the world—everything’s going to change. Only when people change their hearts can they change the way they look at things.”
The journey: "In the summer of my freshman year, I conducted an oral history research on the history of Shanghainese food, and in my sophomore year I served as a research assistant for my professors, undertaking several projects on language patterns in China and legal judgments in Chinese courts. I also served as a research assistant at NYU Abu Dhabi, particularly focused on issues of mobility, human rights, care, and culture rights in different parts of the world.
One very important thing that I learned from this experience is the importance of positionality in the research and fields of humanities and social sciences. In research, it's quite important to emphasize where we are coming from and the angles that we can see in the research to grant the research subjects respect in the studies.”
Julie in 2025: “I was inspired by a class called Feminist Social Theory taught by Professor Almaz Zelleke. I’ll be pursuing a PhD degree in philosophy at Northwestern University. I'll be particularly focusing on feminist philosophy, particularly how we theorize the concept of care and how different social systems like patriarchy, capitalism, and structured racism are influencing people’s reproduction and care."
Nathalie Brzesowsky ’25
Hometown: Texas, United States
Major: Business and Finance
Minor: Global China Studies
Nathalie in 2021: "I am sure that we all can’t wait to meet in person at one location as soon as possible to make change, help each other learn our respective languages, laugh about our mistakes, and work on our hopes and dreams. I’m so excited to meet each and every one of you in Shanghai when the time comes! It’s my dream to work on the crossroads of all these cultures, promoting mutual understanding in either business, law, or politics."
The journey: "I challenged myself through rigorous coursework and by saying yes to as many opportunities as I could. I served as President of a business club, where I organized finance and consulting competitions, built a peer-to-peer mentorship program with alumni, and introduced incoming students to practical business skills. I also guided new students as an Orientation Ambassador and supported peers as a Learning Assistant for Introduction to Computer Programming. These roles pushed me to lead, listen, and collaborate effectively across cultural lines—and they gave me the confidence to pursue more ambitious goals each year.
While I came to NYU Shanghai with a clear focus on business and Chinese studies and have stayed that course, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed venturing into other disciplines like data science and mathematics along the way. One of the most meaningful aspects of my experience has been this blend of academic exploration and intercultural connection. I’ve studied and lived alongside classmates from every continent, and these friendships have reshaped my understanding of how enriching intercultural connections really are.
Study away: I spent two semesters studying away at NYU New York, which turned out to be the perfect complement to my time in Shanghai. I dove into specialized business and finance electives, connected with students from across NYU’s global network, and organized alumni meetups for our business club. NYUSH’s international environment inspired me to seek out internships in several global cities. New York’s dynamic business environment and diverse networks led me to entrepreneurial meetups and eventually to my next summer internship."
Nathalie in 2025: "After graduation, I’ll return to New York City to take the first step in my professional journey with a role in financial consulting, where I will have the chance to collaborate with global firms. I’m excited to continue growing in an international environment while staying connected to the professors, friends, and mentors who have shaped my experience at NYU Shanghai.
I know I’ll return to China—whether for work, further education, or simply to reconnect with the friends and communities that made it home. Graduate school is something I’m keeping on the horizon, but for now, I wish to dive into the professional world and sharpen my eye for the real-world problems I hope to work on in the future."
Zhong Mu ’25
Hometown: Shanghai
Major: Business & Finance
Zhong Mu in 2021: "We’re all in different places, but it’s amazing to see how people are living on the same planet, but how our living habits, our past experiences, our cultures, are so diverse and so different from one another. And it’s just amazing to recognize this because we don’t have many chances in our life to notice things like that."
The journey: "I think the most important aspect of my journey was I really got to understand that my happiness comes from creating something to help people in need. Since I’ve been able to explore and see a bigger world now, I’m more comfortable with uncertainties, because I know I have a tool kit to really navigate through all the challenges I have in my life and to be with the people that make me feel happy.
I spent my study away year in New York, that was the most amazing year in my life. I think the most important thing that NY teaches me is how diverse the world is and you should really respect different people and just to spend time getting to know people deeply. I understood that even though we’re quite different, we still can be connected through a smile, through some kind words, through a hug."
Zhong Mu in 2025: "For the next step, I’m not too sure what I’m going to do in my life, like a specific job, a specific industry, but the next step is grad school in the States. I want to keep my way of exploring, meeting more people, soak up what the world is giving me, but at the same time I want to grow deeply embedded in the soil of my core belief of who I am as a person."
Maanyaa Jain ’25
Hometown: Jaipur, India
Major: Environmental Studies in Social Sciences and Humanities
Maanyaa in 2021: “I am most looking forward to continuing my studies in the Chinese language, exploring Shanghai, and learning about its history! I always dreamed of moving to this city and am stoked I get to do that and pursue my studies at the same time. I hope this experience will allow me to travel across China and around the world as well.”
The journey: “I got to study at all three of NYU’s degree-granting campuses and make lasting friendships and connections all around the world. My degree also allowed me to travel for my research, most touchingly back to my hometown through the DURF and capstone process. I feel like my personal research was definitely the most profound experience of my time at NYU Shanghai, as I got to investigate an issue that was close to home while also presenting it for a global audience which felt important.”
Maanyaa in 2025: “I found that most of the things I learned in college happened outside the classroom, whether in my reflections after class discussions or in navigating how to balance all the responsibilities of being a student. Aside from pursuing my masters program and career, I am most looking forward to approaching life with the nuanced lens NYU Shanghai gifted me. Of being able to connect with people from backgrounds very different from mine, and be able to find surprising similarities and joy in our differences, and most importantly hold on to the spirit of curiosity in the face of daunting challenges.”
Yu Morui ’25
Hometown: Shanghai, China
Major: Social Science (Psychology track)
Minor:Global China Studies
Morui in 2021: I am keen on reading and writing, especially prose. Reading and writing have been habits of mine since childhood. Writing gives me a chance to think about philosophy, reality, and fables, looking into my own life for examples and learning how to better understand myself and my relationship with the world around me.
The journey: The first year was a really big challenge because I need to read and write and do everything in English. It was a real struggle at the beginning, as we didn't do the orientation with international students together and it was COVID time. And I feel like the trauma still has some impact and somehow like we're trying to enjoy the present moment.
Morui in 2025: I always have had this passion to work with people, but I actually didn’t take my first psychology class until the first semester of my sophomore year. I also learned a lot from my friends who had different majors and learning differences, talking about stuff like gender and sexuality, which I never thought about before. I'm interested in how people function, how I can work more closely with people, maybe understanding more about human beings. In the fall, I will go to NYU Steinhardt for a masters in counseling.
Khaliun Enkhbold Shavarsh Melikyan ’25
Hometown: Ulaanbataar, Mongolia
Major: Business and Finance
Minor: Economics and Chinese
Khaliun in 2021: Since we’re still in the pandemic, I am one of only three international students from the class of 2025 on campus. I’m really thankful for my RA and roommate who are taking me out to find new places to eat and explore. I am really excited to be on my own, to make my own decisions for myself, and I am a little scared and nervous though.
The journey: During COVID-19 during freshman year, I feel like our school helped us so much go through that process because we were in lockdown. I studied away at Abu Dhabi and New York. Going to those campuses opened my eyes to all these other people, activities, classes, courses, clubs, and everything. It also made me realize this is also a part of my life, and I play a part in this community. I feel these two study away experiences added so much to my life in the past four years, and were much more than I experienced in the previous 17 years in my home [country].
Khaliun in 2025: I was going to pursue a master's, then I kind of realized I needed a break. So I am now going to go back home and just rest and then start working. I’m currently thinking about working with national banks back at home or in the finance industry. And then after that, if I choose to pursue further studies, I’ll do that.