As an active member of the Southampton Chinese Student and Scholar Association (CSSA), Shuheng, has been instrumental in providing many of our Chinese students with a warm welcome to the University.
A love of writing
Shuheng did her first degree at Southampton and studied BA English with Creative Writing. After graduating in 2024, she progressed on to our MA Creative Writing course, where she is due to graduate this year.
Studying creative writing has inspired Shuheng and helped her develop the skills she uses in her role with CSSA.
"Since we have the opportunity to chat with some of the most popular writers every month, I can gain more insights into the current literary market. This has helped me improve my writing skills."
Vice-President of CSSA
Shuheng has been a member of CSSA for four years and has been Vice-President of the society for two of those. She led the creation of a Chinese version of the University’s Freshers’ Handbook and has worked closely with the Wellbeing team, Careers Centre and faculty departments to make sure that Chinese students had all the information they needed.
Shuheng has also been Director of the Chinese New Year Gala on campus. “Although it is the most important holiday in China, many students are far from home, but our event brings them warmth and a sense of belonging,” she says.
Working for the International Office
During her time at Southampton, Shuheng has also worked for the University’s International Office editing the Chinese social media content and sharing the latest updates on the WeChat platform.
As a student ambassador, Shuheng has represented students at meetings organised by the University for Asian or Chinese students, sharing her experiences and answering their questions. “I also attend offline CSSA meetings in cities such as Shanghai and Beijing, meeting with more students and parents to share my story.”
As a globally renowned institution, the University attracts many Chinese students who aspire to study here. Over the past four years, I have helped tens of thousands of Chinese students, offering them a warm welcome and I feel very proud of that.