Zhao Zeyu: A Journey to the Dream of Law

Concluding his study at NYU Shanghai, Zhao Zeyu’ 17, a Business and Finance major who discovered a passion for law and public policy, has chosen to embark on his career at a non-profit think tank in the healthcare realm.

Unlike many of his classmates who are gunning towards a master’s degree straight after graduation, the 22-year-old decided  that two to three years of working experience would be more valuable in later applying to  top US law schools to fulfill his ultimate dream.

“The turning point for me to steer towards law and public policy was a sophomore course, The Relationship Between Government and Religion,” Zhao said. In that class, he went up against the teaching professor, former NYU president John Sexton, in a debate about The First Amendment of the US Constitution. The experience was in essence, a calling.

Studying away in Prague in 2015, he took two law courses and interned for four months at Amnesty International, a human rights NGO.

Zhao spent the  second semester of his junior year in Washington DC, where he worked for Hakeem Jeffries, a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives. “I not only gained a deeper understanding of US politics but also improved my communication skills in the workplace. The opportunity has opened up many possibilities for me.”

Bringing fresh career skills back to Shanghai, Zhao learned, through the Career Development Center, about ACCESS Health International, where he interned over the summer.

“NYU Shanghai students benefit greatly from the CDC -- they encourage us to branch out and develop  good relationships with potential employers,” Zhao said. “I got an offer from Access Health International in March and decided to accept it.”

Humble, assertive and diligent, Zhao has also kept active in student activities. For two years he held the position of Clubs Committee Chair for NYU Shanghai’s student government, setting up the whole club system from the ground up. 

He also enjoyed working as a Resident Assistant, helping handle discord between roommates and mediate “crises” with innovative approaches. “We managed to have related parties sit down, talk about problems and raise a solution themselves. It was an interesting challenge for me,” Zhao said.  

“The biggest reward of my education at NYU Shanghai was finally finding out what my truest interests are, switching directions into a field I really want to pursue and getting to know more about myself while doing it all, ” he added.