Tell us your name, country, university and degree?
My name is Jingyi Zhu. I am pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Commerce, a double concentration in Management Information Systems and Human Resources at McGill University in Canada. I enjoyed the a lot as it has a lot of flexibility. On the one hand, I have to complete fundamental business courses to better understand how it works as a whole. On the other hand, I can specialize in the area I am interested in, which is technology and people.
When did you join the Student Ambassadors community?
I joined the Student Ambassadors program in October 2021, which was in my first semester as a senior student. I still remember how excited I was when I received the onboarding email that Friday morning, and I shared it immediately with my family and friends. Later in the day as I followed the onboarding process, I was just amazed by how many learning resources and other students are in the program. I knew I had a limited amount of time in the community, so I tried to be as active as possible to make it count.
What was being a Student Ambassador like?
It was fun and fulfilling. First of all, the program is gamified into different levels and has clear instructions to help new ambassadors navigate their own learning journey. Even though the program for me is primarily remote, I felt well-equipped and engaged at the beginning as well as when I leveled up through the different program milestones. (E/N: Student Ambassadors must complete various pre-identified activities to grow their skills on a well-defined road to success. As they complete these activities, their program milestones are advanced. Additional program benefits are unlocked too. Milestones are advanced in order from New to Alpha, Alpha to Beta and Beta to Gold.)
Secondly, my favorite part is that there are many hands-on project opportunities. Ambassadors can work on their own to create a technical solution to a social issue, team up with other global ambassadors to build a workshop, and more. There is no limitation except the limitation of imagination! I genuinely believe that learning by doing is the best way to test your understanding. I also made new friends through each project.
Lastly, the program has helped me to improve my public speaking and communication skills a lot. By hosting workshops and sharing experiences, I became more confident in sharing my stories. Each time I do it, I feel proud to have stepped out of my comfort zone.
Was there a specific experience you had while you were in the program that had a profound impact on you? Why was it so impactful? For example – being involved in a Social Impact Project, Networking with a Cloud Advocate or MVP, Mentoring another Student Ambassador?
To be honest, I had so many unique experiences, and I can’t decide which one has had the most profound impact on me. They are all unforgettable memories, and each one of them shaped who I am today. To elaborate on one, I will go with Social Impact Project Leagues as this was my very first project. (E/N: Social Impact Leagues are diverse communities of like-minded Student Ambassadors and mentors formed around specific topic areas.) I signed up as a team lead for two consecutive quarters from January to June. During the first quarter, our team created a workshop that included a technical solution, step-by-step instruction, a training video and other resources. There were many challenges during those three months, such as team management, the learning curve of modern technology, and time management. However, with the support of our team’s Cloud Advocate, we learned from our mistakes and we managed to deliver the workshop successfully and on time, and received great feedback. I learned a great deal about Power App and custom Vision, and how to do a technical demo, and also felt really satisfied when we published the final workshop to Microsoft GitHub.
Tell us about a technology you had the opportunity to learn during your time as a Student Ambassador? How have the skill you acquired helped you in your post-university journey?
At first, as an Alpha Student Ambassador, I was really amazed by AI and Power Platform, so later, my projects focused on these two areas. Previously in my work as a business analyst intern, I used PowerBI for data analysis. I am also glad to have the knowledge and experience I gained in PowerApp development, as I work on a software development team now. The functionalities that Power Platform offers give me a lot of room to think about different possibilities.
What is something you want all students, globally, to know about the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador Program?
Try to think of the program as an internship. Within the community, there are different technologies for ambassadors to explore. You can explore what area you are interested in most. There are also many opportunities to engage with cloud advocates and network with Microsoft employees. It is an excellent opportunity to work on both technical and soft skills!
What advice would you give to new Student Ambassadors, who are just starting off in the program?
Follow the onboarding map, join the mentorship program, and reach out to community operations managers or other ambassadors if you have any questions! I would highly recommend the mentorship program or reaching out to an active Beta or Gold ambassador in your region or preferred tech league, as they can be your support network along the way.
Share a favorite quote with us! It can be from a movie, a song, a book, someone you know personally. Tell us why you chose this. What does it mean for you?
“To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.” ― The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
I like this movie, as it is about courage and stepping out of one’s comfort zone. Life is short, and there is so much beauty in the world to explore. But I also believe in minimalism, like “less is more”. So, a good balance is the key. :)
Tell us something interesting about you, about your journey so far.
I was born and raised in Zhengzhou, China. I had not really left home and been on my own before 18, when I came to Canada to attend university. Luckily, I am not alone - I have my high school friend, and roommate for four years. A lot happened during my Uni time like culture shock, the pandemic, and academic difficulties (have you ever questioned whether you can graduate or not at some point while pursuing your degree? I definitely did ). Thankfully, it all worked out. And now, I am in another transition period as a new graduate and entry-level employee. This is a common journey that most people can relate to, but the interesting part is that each moment is unique, and it is fun to just experience life.
Do you have any social handles you want to promote? If you are a social media influencer, what are you an influencer of? Include those pages and handles if you'd like.
I love to travel so I may post irregularly on my Instagram, but only for the purpose of documenting. You can find me on LinkedIn if you want to connect!
Jingyi Zhu, Gold Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador
Jingyi unboxing her Beta Swag Kit. Student Ambassadors unlock this benefit when they advance to the Beta Milestone. Beta Swag Kits contain Microsoft Swag
A screenshot of Jingyi’s Social Impact Project League presentation.
Jingyi Zhu presenting about her experience as a Student Ambassador at the Montreal Microsoft Building