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Yirun Wang (BMgmt’24) builds a community while earning his degree

Posted by Connor Dalton on October 18, 2024 in Students

Yirun Wang stands outside yellow grass and green trees behind him.When Yirun Wang talks about how he’s changed during his time in the Bachelor of Management program, he proudly picks out one key difference.

“I’m more outgoing—that's the biggest change,” says Wang.

By pushing himself outside his comfort zone, Wang says he built a strong social circle in his new home of Halifax.

As he gets ready to graduate this October, he appreciates how important that support circle has been on his journey.

Building a new home

Wang arrived at Dalhousie in 2019 and started in the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program to build on his existing English skills. He is from Xi’An, an ancient city in the central north of China.

He says he found some cultural differences challenging at first. He gives examples like people directly saying hello to him on the bus, and his professors asking students to address them by their first name, practices which are uncommon in Xi’An.

“I came here all by myself. No friends, no family. So at first I felt a little bit lonely,” says Wang. “But with time going by, you live here every day, eating and studying and getting to know people. You get more confident.”

Caring for himself

Sports helped Wang make friends and feel more comfortable in his new home.

He loves to play table tennis and badminton. It helped him get to know fellow international students from China and other countries like Thailand. He also started playing chess and organized card games.

One of his highlights was starting what he calls an "unofficial" badminton club over the summer of 2022. He called his friends to organize games at Dalplex and played every day.

By staying active and social, he says that he became "stronger and happier" and learned the importance of taking care of himself.

Enjoying a flexible program

He started in the Faculty of Computer Science but switched into the Bachelor of Management program in his second year. What appealed to Wang was the flexibility of the program, and how it allowed him to pursue what he was interested in.

His journey included some challenging moments. When the university stopped in-person classes due to the pandemic, he returned home to China. To stay on track, he often had to wake up at 4 am to attend online classes.


Wang studying at home during the pandemic.


He also failed the third-year class Financial Management. He says it taught him how to be resilient, and how to channel his energy.

“If you pay more attention, spend more time on the course and be more patient, then eventually, I think you can conquer the problem,” says Wang.

Preparing him for a job search

Re-taking that class was one of his favourite experiences at Dalhousie and has spurred his interest in pursuing a career in banking.

Wang says the Bachelor of Management program also equipped him with skills like writing an effective resume, creating business plans, and presenting himself professionally.

Those skills are proving helpful as Wang searches for a job as a new graduate. Although he’s excited about completing the program, he’s also nervous about finding the right job and figuring out what comes next.

Getting out there and introducing yourself

His advice for someone starting his program? Build new connections and get fully engaged while you’re completing your degree.

“Introduce yourself to people or companies and be friendly. I think this ability is very important,” says Wang.

Although his family can’t make the long trip from China for his convocation ceremony, he’s happy his new circle of friends will be there celebrating with him.