Class of 2023: What A Difference Four Years Makes

From their first year and on to graduation, the members of the Class of 2023 have courageously risen above challenges and setbacks to make it to Commencement Day.  For many of them, the past four years have been transformative. We caught up with several students to see how their NYU Shanghai experience shaped them into who they are today. 

Abigail Clark ’23

Hometown: Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States

Major: Biology, minor in Chinese and Global China Studies

Study Away: New York 

Abigail in 2019:

“I want to become more connected with the world around me. I want to try many new things, step out of my comfort zone, and learn a lot. I also want to become fluent in Chinese by the time I graduate.”

The journey: the path less traveled

“In the beginning, I was considering the pre-med track, but things took a different turn. It was around my sophomore year when I was facilitating the LEAD program that I realized my interest lay in teaching. Since there’s no education major here, I decided to get my bio degree, and then a Master's degree in education to become a biology teacher. 

I was among the earliest who flew back to Shanghai after the 2020 COVID outbreak. The following summer, it really was a step out of my comfort zone to join the Chinese immersion program where I had to communicate using a language that is not my native language for the whole nine weeks. It wasn't easy but enabled me to get my Chinese minor, and I also tried new things such as paper cutting, knot-tying, and other traditional activities.”

Abigail in 2023:  

Abigail will pursue a Master’s Degree in Education at Harvard University, where she will be paired with a teacher mentor for a year-long internship starting this summer.

Declan Mazur ’23

Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Major: Global China Studies 

Study Away: London, Yonsei, South Korea on exchange through NYU's IEP (international exchange program), New York

Declan in 2019:

“NYU Shanghai opens the door for me to explore past and present Chinese culture, and I’m excited to see what’s in store for China’s future, and how that will affect all of us.

I hope to serve in the American Peace Corps’ Education sector, teaching in China and/or Southeast Asia. After living in Shanghai for four years, I hope my knowledge can be put to good use.”

The journey: language learning as a *spark* 

“I started studying Mandarin in middle school, and stuck with it all the way until college, and it was a big reason I wanted to come to NYU Shanghai. I started studying Korean when I went on exchange [in my] junior year. It happened in the middle of COVID and I’m so proud that I did it. Fulbright is the direct result of that, too. The growing evolution of my languages is kind of like the spark for my past, present, and future self.” 

Declan in 2023:  

Declan was awarded a coveted placement in the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Program and will travel to South Korea to teach English to primary or secondary students alongside a local teacher. 

Zhang Yueyang ’23  

Hometown: Qingdao, Shandong, China

Major: Business and Finance (Business Analytics track)

Study Away: New York

Yueyang in 2019:

“Over the next four years, I will participate in various student clubs and activities and make friends with classmates and professors. Four years from now, I hope to be pursuing graduate studies in a major I love.

The journey: “The best decisions I’ve ever made”

“Choosing to study at NYU Shanghai has been one of the best decisions I've ever made… Over the past four years, I have had the opportunity to meet and build relationships with people from various academic backgrounds and interests. I am proud to have taught several international students how to play mahjong and taken them to a Sichuan restaurant to try spicy food. NYU Shanghai has provided me with the chance to make meaningful connections and create unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime.”

Yueyang in 2023:  

Zhang Yueyang discovered her interest in finance while taking an algorithmic thinking module core curriculum course. In the fall, she will pursue her master’s degree in Data Science at NYU in New York. 

Zineb Dardafaa ’23 

Hometown: Rabat, Morocco

Major: Business and Finance, Minor in psychology

Study Away: New York and London (Go Local)

Zineb in 2019: 

“I expect college to be a fabulous experience that will last a lifetime. NYU Shanghai presented itself as the perfect way to leave my comfort zone, in every way. I am eager to discover what this city still has to hide from me. I would like to learn new things, widen my knowledge, and become proficient in what I aspire to pursue as a major (business), immerse myself in Chinese culture and start mastering the language.”  

The journey “across the world”

“When I arrived in Shanghai, I never imagined that my studies would take me on a journey across the world. I've been to Shanghai and London, and now I'm graduating in New York. NYU Shanghai is global in different ways, and it is absolutely a treasure trove of opportunities, whether it is the people you meet, the classes you take, or the places you go. You really have to put yourself out there to find them.” 

Zineb in 2023:  

Zineb Dardafaa was selected as one of the representatives of NYU Shanghai at the NYU All-University Commencement at Yankee Stadium. She is a rising entrepreneur and will be working as a client services associate in London. 

Camila Matamoros ’23

Hometown: Bogota, Colombia 

Major: Social Science (International Relations track)

Study Away: New York and Washington, DC 

The Journey: Home Away From Home

“There was a very big Latin American community at NYU Shanghai including both students and professors from countries like Colombia, Chile, and Mexico. So it was nice to have a home away from home. I made my first friends in a Spanish language group, and these are friends that I still talk to nowadays. 

During my first semester, I considered business as a major, but after speaking to my professors, particularly my GPS professors, I began exploring the social science curriculum. This led me to my current major, which is a departure from my initial vision. It wouldn't have been able to happen if it wasn't for the experiences both in NYU Shanghai and the whole COVID situation.” 

Camila in 2023:  

Living in New York’s Chinatown neighborhood, Camila will start a position in public relations agency in July.