Tang Yang, a student majoring in Marketing at WKU, impressed everyone with her achievements in her study: a 3.92 GPA, 331 GRE score, a peer tutor, and a member of the Advisory Committee for the College of Business and Public Management. But she has done much more than that. Apart from academic excellence, she also keeps putting knowledge acquired in class into real practice and seeking growth to pursue her dream with passion and courage.

Graduate of 2023: Tang Yang

Major: Marketing

Graduate School: Duke University

Origin: Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province

An American Drama Enthusiast Studying Marketing at WKU

“I loved watching American dramas since my childhood, and I have always been longing to study at a free and open American-style campus. During the “3-in-1” Comprehensive Examination, I came to this amazing school,” recalled Tang Yang, who believed that admission to WKU was the fate to go with her inner pursuit.

Being a girl with a free soul, she was determined to choose marketing as her major. For her, marketing is about researching insights deeply rooted in people’s hearts. From content to channels, a poster, and an advertisement, everything is based on the research of the “person”. It is a subject that truly motivates users to make emotional responses. Whether for social media operations or brand launches, marketing remains a cutting-edge discipline that brings art and science closely connected.

In academic study, Tang always practices what she learns, stays focused in class, and makes time for play as well. The most important thing for marketing study is to apply knowledge to practice. She introduced, “The essence of learning marketing is anything but cramming. The application of knowledge in real life matters most.” She enjoys classroom study, which greatly motivates her to learn more knowledge. Professors at the WKU create a relaxed atmosphere in the classroom and always offer a lot of help in her studies. Of course, her motto in life is to work hard and play hard. In her opinion, learning and having fun have always been complimentary.

Classroom Study and Extracurricular Activities at WKU Serve as Driving Force Behind Her Growth

Tang has been making progress during four years of study at WKU, aiming to further her study overseas. With the help of an all-English environment and the mode of American teaching, she becomes bold in expressing herself. She said, “I am greatly encouraged at WKU and become more confident. In my first year at college, I was too shy to make a presentation, but now in my senior year, I was able to take it easy.” By communicating with professors from different nations and regions, she broadens her horizon and sees more possibilities in life. This is a booster for her progress.

Outside the classroom, she also shows her talent in student clubs. As the former vice chairman and chief marketing officer of the School Student Ambassador, Tang planned the Lawn Music Festival, filmed a video about the university at midnight, and participated in the conference of the Belt and Road Global Chambers of Commerce and Associations Conference together with her partners. From these valuable experiences, she not only improved her critical thinking and leadership skills but also made some friends. Additionally, she performed brilliantly in a Campus Singer Competition as a member of the group singing team. At WKU, she gives full play to her talents and makes greater improvements from the precious opportunities the university has offered.

Internships in ByteDance and Unilever Taking Her to a Bigger World

During the four years of study, Tang has taken many internships: ByteDance in her freshman year, Ruder Finn in the second year, Branding Department of Unilever in the third, and Tiktok Overseas E-commerce in the fourth. Speaking of these practices, she said, “I am lucky to learn about the ecosystem of different industries and the job duties of different roles. I can get many fresh ideas for marketing.” The knowledge in the textbook becomes vivid and interesting in the real business world. For Tang, the internship is not simply a form of professional practice. It is also a process of trial-and-error learning, in which she explores and eventually identifies her career path.

As the graduation season is approaching, Tang has been ready to move on to the next destination. She has a clear plan for her future, “I am going to study Management at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, continue my journey on the marketing career path and try to become an interesting and rational brand manager.”

“For me, life is not a track but a field. It may be difficult to find something we love, but we can still step out of our comfort zone and embrace more possibilities in life. I hope that WKU and WKUers can become better and better,” said Tang Yang. When you can do whatever you love and do it well, when you keep exploring yourself and the bigger world, and when you try hard to get closer to the sun, you will show the whole world the dazzling brilliance in you.