Running the Show!
Left photo: Hui Ling (2nd from right) on attachment in Beijing.
Right photo: Hui Ling (2nd from left) among friends after a group presentation.
“Running the show” has been a recurring theme for as long as Hui Ling can remember. She held leadership roles in her Secondary School (Nan Chiau High School) as Welfare Head of the Red Cross Youth Society and also Student Councillor. Organising school events and community activities, training juniors, leading teams and speaking in front of large groups were all part of the job.
But it was during her years at NYP that Hui Ling discovered and unleashed a hidden talent – her creative flair. She joined the Stage Arts CCA as a member of the Theatre Management Team, which saw her doing a bit of everything related to theatre performances. Suddenly Hui Ling found herself sourcing or making props for various performances, coordinating performers and props, and planning the stage management to ensure the lighting, sound and scene transitions were spot-on.
The leadership and people skills honed since secondary school merged well with the new theatre management skills she was picking up at NYP, and Hui Ling was gaining confidence and skill in production management. Little did she know that the toughest test of all lay just ahead – one that would push her to her limits.
Hui Ling’s internship programme was the turning point, where reality hit hard. She was posted at Informa Exhibitions and was quickly roped in to assist in major marketing and operations aspects of PALM EXPO China 2016. She confides that she felt out of her league, liaising and coordinating with media partners, exhibitors and suppliers and even handling translations for the team. Adding to the pressure, she was then sent to Beijing to handle on-site operations and lead a group of part-time staff.
Hui Ling explains that this was one of the defining moments of her life. Struggling with multiple and unfamiliar tasks, trying to pick up administrative skills, adhering to strict deadlines and all in a strange new environment! She admits that at one point it was all too much and she nearly broke down. But she persevered, staying positive and working late nights. In the end she scored an A grade for her internship – a testament to her ability to overcome challenges and setbacks.
Hui Ling looks back fondly on NYP, for its great variety of food, eco gardens and group-study corners, and the many flea markets at the Atrium. She will always remember the lecturers who helped her, especially her PEM Mr. Kevin Wee who provided a lot of guidance throughout her 3 years at NYP. “He’s someone who doesn’t spoon-feed students but instead asks more questions, encouraging us to think through the problem”, she reflects.
Hui Ling has now accepted a place in the Project and Facilities Management programme at NUS, where she was offered a NUS Merit Scholarship. And she is looking even further ahead, hoping to pursue a career in the MICE sector. One thing is certain - wherever her career takes her, Hui Ling will surely find herself “running the show”!
Well done Hui Ling!
Because We Can