When Zuhayr Abdullazhanov applied for the Impact Lab Course, he had no idea what to expect from his internship with Foundation for Shared Impact (FSI)’s Community Business Support team. He did not know how to effectively manage his time, and he did not know how to conduct market research or write research reports. But that all changed when he was entrusted with the direct business support work for a community partner supported by FSI.
Read our interview with Zuhayr to find out how his Impact Lab experience and internship with FSI changed his mindset, and subsequently led him to pursue an internship at Deloitte before applying for studies at the Bard College in New York.
Which year did you join the Impact Lab Course?
I joined the Impact Lab Course in my first year at The University of Hong Kong, so that was the Spring 2023 semester. It turned out to be a really good experience for a first-year student.
Which company did you intern with?
I applied for an internship with FSI, where I worked at the Community Business Support team with another intern and also my friend, Audrey Neoh, and our supervisors, Vivian Seo and Adnan Riaz.
What were your role and responsibilities?
My work mainly involved conducting market research and writing research reports as a way to provide direct business support to Sisnu Sisters, an FSI community partner and also a mentee organization of FSI’s inaugural Mentorship Program for Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneurs. At the time, Bijita Thapa and Saiksha Gurung, the two co-founders of Sisnu Sisters, were planning to create multilingual storybooks – in Chinese and their native language, Nepali – to raise the visibility of ethnically diverse children in Hong Kong.
I also assisted with website development for what is now known as GuideFong, Hong Kong’s first ever directory for ethnically diverse businesses.
Why did you apply for the Course and subsequently, an internship with the company?
I applied for the Course because I believe internship is important for my career planning, as it gives me an opportunity to gain real work experiences. And Impact Lab is advantageous as it is a credit-bearing course that allows students to build practical and workplace skills.
What was your greatest achievement during the internship?
My greatest achievements are not the things I did during the internship, but the lessons learned. Before the internship, I didn’t know how to manage my time effectively. I was always late, but Vivian and Adnan are great people and they supported me a lot. For someone who was having his first-ever internship, receiving such great support from the supervisors was really helpful.
Not only did I learn to better manage my time, I also learned research skills and how to work in a real workplace. I learned how small things can lead to great impact. And I learned the importance of connecting with people. I remain connected with Vivian, who wrote me a recommendation letter, which led to my successful application for my current studies at Bard College in New York. David Bishop, Impact Lab Course’s instructor, was also very inspiring.
What was your biggest takeaway from the internship?
When I decided to apply for Impact Lab, it was late at night and I suddenly saw an email about the Course. I didn’t know what to expect from the internship, but it turned out to be an amazing experience. So my biggest takeaway is that there is always something to learn, that you can always learn more, and you should try things that you believe may bring some fruitful results.
In what ways did your Impact Lab experience influence your decision to pursue further internships and your current studies at Bard College? How has it shaped your worldview and personal goals?
As my first internship, my Impact Lab experience enabled me and inspired me to apply for more internship opportunities. I had zero work experience when I joined Impact Lab. I didn’t know how to write research papers, and I was often late for meetings. My internship at FSI helped me build a sense of responsibility.
In the summer of 2023, with the new skills I learned from my internship, I applied for an internship at a local financial trading company, where I conducted financial analyses and wrote research reports. After that, I secured an internship placement at Deloitte, where I first worked as a software engineer and developer at their operations department before being transferred to their investment department, where I worked as an investment analyst. All these experiences have helped me develop my critical thinking, engagement, and collaboration skills.
My mindset changed a lot as a result of my experience at Impact Lab and FSI. I was a completely different person one year ago from now. I applied for Caltech and Bard and eventually chose Bard out of intuition, because I wanted to try something new. In Hong Kong, I had everything – I had academic study, I had internships, I was connected with great people. But then at some point, I just wanted something different.
Impact Lab has helped me build the mindset and personality I have right now. From an unexpected decision – choosing to register for Impact Lab – I have arrived at where I am currently, studying Computer Science and Finance at Bard.
What is your take on youth empowerment?
There are many talented students and youths in the world. While there is always something to learn, and youths are eager to learn, there needs to be the right people directing youths towards the right path. In my case, the great people I met through Impact Lab have directed me towards the path I am currently on, and I’m satisfied with where I am right now.
What advice would you give to future Impact Lab students?
I would tell them to just apply for the course! To the current cohort, I would say, just enjoy it. You will be working in the near future, but the small things that you do at university, the people you get to meet, will potentially help you build a good start for the future and offer you assistance or advice for your future endeavors. I used to have doubts about the uncertainty of the future, too, but I learned that things will eventually be fine. So don’t stress so much, just take everything as an opportunity to learn and grow.
I believe one of the missions of Impact Lab is to connect people from diverse backgrounds around the world. I was able to catch up with and meet Impact Lab alumni and other people at the Impact Lab 10th Anniversary Event in September last year, and I am still connected with them to this day. As an alumni, I want to do as much as I can to support other Impact Lab students. I was interested in joining the Impact Lab Alumni Network Committee, but with my current course load I’m not sure if I can fulfil the responsibilities of my role as event organizer. Impact Lab has taught me to take responsibility for my work, and right now, my priority is to adapt to my new life first before I can take on more responsibilities.
As an international student who calls Hong Kong home, I can say that there is no place like Hong Kong and no experience like the Impact Lab Course. What I had in Hong Kong are some of the more vibrant moments of my life. I do hope that I can contribute to Impact Lab, its alumni, and its partner companies in the future.
