Meet Yunfeng (also known as Jack) from China, a proud alum of the University of South Carolina (USC). While at school, he pursued his passion for supply chain management and operations at the Darla Moore School of Business. Today, Yunfeng is a thriving business leader for a toy manufacturer, leveraging the international connections he built during his time at USC throughout his career.
Read on to learn more about Yunfeng’s experiences at USC and how he’s shaped his academic background in logistics and supply chain management into professional success!
Yunfeng’s Journey at USC
Yunfeng began his academic journey in the US by enrolling in the USC International Accelerator Program (IAP), in collaboration with Shorelight, to improve his English language skills. Specially designed for international students, Shorelight’s Accelerator programs provide academic assistance and English language support to ensure students are well-prepared to earn their top-ranked degree.
After completing his initial semester, Yunfeng transitioned to the Extended Accelerator Program (EAP), during which he had the opportunity to take a class with Angi, USC IAP student success manager. Through the IAP student success and academic teams, Yunfeng was able to successfully navigate from the EAP to the Darla Moore School of Business, enrolling at USC as a full-time, fully matriculated student.
Initially, Yunfeng chose to pursue international business at USC, but later decided to specialize in operations and supply chain management as it would prepare him to gain the skills needed to one day take over his parents’ toy manufacturing company. The program covered various supply chain management strategies and techniques, global sourcing strategies, process management, and how to design efficient operation systems.
The USC curriculum played an important part in preparing him to successfully take his business forward: Students in the global supply chain management program are also encouraged to apply classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios, offering a practical and hands-on educational experience.
“I still remember this class — the professor required maybe five people [to form groups]. We [built] one business,” Yunfeng said. “We need to think about the brand, what product we need to sell, how we get in, and how much we sell out. Then [we learn] how we manage a year of the profits and the cost.”
The projects, workshops, events, and other extracurricular activities on campus also helped Yunfeng build a strong set of interpersonal skills including communication, leadership, and networking. Mastering these skills contributed to Yunfeng building lasting relationships during his studies that have benefitted him to the present day.
“[Yunfeng was] an amazing student,” Angi said. “He worked super hard to build professional connections and that was how he was able to have so many friends and be able to be professionally connected with somebody immediately, right after graduation.”
Building a Strong Professional Network at USC
During his time at USC, Yunfeng was the president of the Chinese Student Association. In his role, Yunfeng worked closely with Angi to organize cultural awareness programs and offer a small piece of home in the US to the Chinese and Asian-American community. Events and activities regularly focused on helping new students adapt to life in the US and make friends while still prioritizing their studies.
“Yunfeng was volunteering all the time to help me take care of new students,” Angi said. “He was working for the university directly to manage dormitories as a residential mentor. He had multiple roles, multiple hats to wear, and he was excellent in all [of them]!”
Oftentimes, Yunfeng found that connections started simply, with just a friendly conversation. USC nurtures a culture of diversity and inclusion where students learn about different communities and cultures while also learning to communicate, network, and help other international students along the way.
“IAP organizes cultural events like potlucks, Halloween trick or treat, Thanksgiving,” Angi said. “We have a lot of cultural activities, not just for the US culture, but also to celebrate student culture. IAP does biweekly event planning for IAP students, cultural events, and a lot of other different activities and events to help international students get more comfortable with US culture and find their home here.”
Yunfeng’s passion for making friends on campus became more than just a way to socialize — it transformed into a valuable skill. By engaging with peers, joining clubs, and attending events, he developed strong networking abilities and built lasting relationships which he was later able to leverage to expand his family business.
Yunfeng’s Career as a Toy Manufacturer
Today, Yunfeng is the general manager of foreign trade at Runmei Toys and Gifts Company in Dongguan, China. His goal is to expand trading into different countries and new markets, including the higher education industry, while ensuring he offers high-quality products to his customers.
Through Angi, Yunfeng plans to help Shorelight’s recruitment team in China. From building stages to creating mascots for the events, Yunfeng hopes to provide USC merchandise designed to help international students engage with student advisors.
Yunfeng believes being a USC alum, studying logistics and supply chain management, building meaningful relationships during his studies, and helping international students has given him a well-rounded educational experience. He has been able to transfer that knowledge as a toy manufacturer and become a successful leader at his company.
Angi and Yunfeng’s Advice for International Students
Angi, still working with international students at USC, encourages a positive attitude. “Always remain hopeful and excited about the opportunities in the US,” she said. “Studying in a multicultural environment benefits students in many ways.”
“Globalization is an unstoppable trend. So [make] more connections, not just with people from your own culture, from different backgrounds, walks of life, and cultural beliefs as well,” she added. “The more professional connections you make, the more exciting your future might be!”
Yunfeng agrees. “As a student, get more in touch with people from different countries,” he said. He has three tips for international students to follow during their studies:
Get involved in campus activities and seek out opportunities. “Work hard and play hard,” he said.
Connect with people from different countries so you can learn from different cultures and adapt those learnings to your own life and goals.
Find ways to apply what you learn to real-life projects. “I always think about ‘what if I started Amazon or any business when I was just a student?’” he said. “It could have been a very different [experience] because studying always needs to connect with real life!”
International students can access a world-class study abroad experience with top-ranked degree programs at USC. Taking the first step may seem challenging at first, but with support from Shorelight’s expert student advisors, you can achieve your dreams.
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