The Utahloy Alumni Association (UAA) was founded in 2015. The original objectives of the UAA are to strengthen the bond between the Utahloy graduates from around the world, to embrace the Utahloy spirit and to serve the community.
From now on, you will be able to access the most up-to-date information on all our latest events, development highlights, and much more in the UAA website. We will bring you the best networking opportunities in both personal and career-related areas.
For further information, please visit: http://www.utahloyalumni.com
Seungin Jang - Class of 2018
42 points IB result achiever
University of Hong Kong
Major in Business Administration
My message to all students that are going through now what I went through in year 12. I worked very hard especially in Business, which was the degree I was aiming for and my goal was HKU and I got it. I achieved over 40 points only through hard work and long time studying. Focus on your studying, (although I did not always, I did take it seriously.) Time will fly quickly especially with CAS, IAs, EEs, TOK plus all the times, classes stop for things; it is a big pressure and you will get tired and nervous but teachers will help. So listen from the start, many have done this for many years. Good luck everyone!
Class of 2018
42 points IB results achiever
Major in Mechanical Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
I would like to advise them: never stop studying, hardworking always pay off, and believe your teachers, they are your best supporters.
David Park - Class of 2018
40 points IB result achiever
University of Hong Kong
Major in Business Administration
First, never give up! When I was grade 12, I was on a depression. Everything seemed aimless to me. I was even rejected to go to the school. However, at last, just before exam (like 1 month left), I have started working so hard again and asked help from teachers. At first, I thought not one of the teacher will help me because I was somehow juvenile delinquent, however, it was not. Teachers gave me lots of comforts and helped me with studying. As a result, I got a total score of 40. So, never give up!
Asami Okumoto - Class of 2018
39 points IB result achiever
Keep a good balance of studying and rest. I really recommend to do past paper.To know the trend of questions and how to answer them.
Sang Kyoung Kim - Class of 2018
Although final exam seems more important in comparison to IA (75% against 25%), but that smaller portion has a huge impact. And yes I made it to Hong Kong University of Bachelor of Education and Science
Name: Marie Lengert
Class of: 2018
What I am currently doing: Studying Chinese at the JiNan University Guangzhou
To the current IB students: Now it might feel as if this will never end. But it will. And the time will fly. So put the most effort into these years. It will pay off in the end. Good luck!
My advises for students are:
1. Plan is necessary, but do not make long term plan because you will procrastinate everything you have planned.
2. Don’t do past papers too early, it is better to revise everything for one time and then do the past papers.
3. When revising for the final exam, don’t ignore the subject that you think you are good at, or leave it to the last minute.
Class of 2006
B. Biomedical Science
University of New England, Australia
Master of Pharmacy University of Newcastle, Australia
Back in 2006 when I was graduating high school my IB coordinator, Gavin Machell, foreseen I would share my story in 10 years’ time to UIS graduates and it finally has come to a past. I very much enjoyed writing this short essay and I am looking forward communicating to you guys in near future.
My name is Dong Ho Soh, class of 2006, first IB diploma graduate from UISG. After finishing high school I went off to Australia and majored in Bachelor of Biomedical Science at University of New England. I further studied and did Master of Pharmacy at University of Newcastle, Australia. Now I live in, Newcastle, Australia and work as a pharmacist. To be truthful, I did not do very well in high school. I was very active and outgoing; was a school vice captain, was in all sports tournaments, was in a school band. But when it comes to grades I was not the best. I tried many different study methods but none of them suited me. At the end of IB, I passed and graduated IB however, to my knowledge, I got the lowest score in my year. Later when I entered University then I discovered, with studies, persistence is the best way to achieve what you want.
For those of you who are seeking different study methods, one method I can introduce is, find out your sleeping pattern. I found this very important during my year 11 and 12. So how do you find this out?
Well go to sleep! Sleep for 4 hours, 4.5 hours, 5 hours etc and find out when your brain time is most optimal. Personally, I felt most awake after 4.5 hours and 7 hours of sleep. This pattern is especially handy when it comes to exam/assignment period. During exam period I would use my sleeping pattern and studied in the mornings. For instance I would go to sleep at 10pm and get up at 2:30am and start my studies (when it is the quietest time of the day) until 6am, and always had 30minutes morning sleep at 6am to put the short-term memory into long-term before getting prepared for 9am exams. This is one method to you guys, so you are welcome to try, nevertheless there are many other ways to study and my method could not work for all. Hope this tip helps.
Class of 2016
Kelly He joined Utahloy International School Guangzhou in 2009. She was a candidate for this year’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma examinations and earned herself a record-breaking result of 45, a perfect score. Academically, this was not a complete surprise, as she scored the highest points in her IB Middle Years Programme Certificate at the end of 2012. However, it was not only in her academics that Kelly shone. In her time at school, she represented UISG in badminton, basketball and volleyball, and competed in a number of successful ACAMIS tournaments. She was recognized as one of the scholar athletes of her class. Kelly also participated in the arts inside and outside of school, from the jazz band to modern dance and cheerleading. However, as an artist, Kelly truly excelled; her contribution to the 2015 Art Exhibition at Redtory was outstanding and earned her one of the highest marks in DP Visual Arts the school has ever achieved. In line with the IB philosophy, Kelly also participated in many service learning projects, including local projects such as with GETCH, a local charity, and more global projects such as supporting farming communities in Rongshui. Kelly has certainly lived up to the IB Learner Profile (a description of the attitudes the programs foster) and certainly goes into the world with an exceptional appreciation of learning. The school wishes her well in her pursuit of her art studies in New York. From all of us here at Urban Family and in the PRD, congratulations to UISG, and to Kelly He for her outstanding commitment to educational excellence. Kelly has certainly lived up to the IB Learner Profile (a description of the attitudes the programs foster) and certainly goes into the world with an exceptional appreciation of learning. The school wishes her well in her pursuit of her art studies in New York. From all of us here at Urban Family and in the PRD, congratulations to UISG, and to Kelly He for her outstanding commitment to educational excellence.
Sheetal Madnani, 17
Utahloy International School Guangzhou
Class of 2017
India
What sort of activities did you take part in whilst at UISG?
I often engaged in community-service based leadership activities, because I believe helping other people is truly a goal worth pursuing with perseverance and effort. Whilst at school, I led a group of students in an 8-month long fundraising endeavor to finance our refurbishment project in an orphanage in rural Rongshui. This was an unforgettable experience, since not only was it an amazing learning experience for me as a leader, but it was also incredibly fulfilling; the time spent at the orphanage and the joy our work brought the orphans is something I will never forget. Thus I suppose my leadership activities have taught me that, being a leader for something you are passionate about, makes all of the hard work involved in leadership completely worth it.
What sort of leadership skills did you learn whilst at UISG?
Being a leader is not just about ensuring everything works as it is supposed to; it is about inspiring others through the decisions you make and the qualities you demonstrate. I also like this quote is because it comes from a writer who is not famed for being a leader, and so I believe it suggests that leaders do not become leaders simply for glory or credit; they become leaders because it is the right thing to do. I believe leadership is not a quality; it is a set of skills, all of which can be honed with time to cultivate a strong leader. Perseverance, as well as hard work, practice, and commitment are all required to create leadership, and I believe that none of these are qualities people are born with. Being a leader is all about responsibility, and if you are prepared to step up and take on this responsibility with true determination, you will become a leader worth listening to.
Having been at UISG for my entire primary and secondary schooling, it is very hard to choose just one favorite memory. Although, I’d have to say my fondest memories would definitely be all the ACAMIS sports tournaments that I was a part of. The energy, excitement and enthusiasm displayed from all my teammates and competitors will always be remembered.
IB has definitely played a huge part in my life and it seems to still follow me around. It has led me to meet some of my best friends today by giving us a common thing to talk about – the pain of IB itself. But all in all, its allowed me to be really open to new cultures and opportunities that I see other people may be unsure about. I’m glad IB has given me access to this international community around me.
I am currently completing my bachelor degree, majoring in psychology and criminology at the University of Melbourne. I have one year to go and alongside my studies, I represent the university playing for their volleyball team and maintain a part time job as a retail assistant in the city. To balance my work, studies and social life is quite difficult but not impossible, it just may require a bike ride to get around.
Honestly, I’m not too sure if I can provide any words of wisdom, given that I’m still discovering my own path. I guess if I have anything to contribute at all, it would be to stress that grades are important but they aren’t EVERYTHING. I remember stressing out SO much before my exams and now I’ve just realized to take things as they come, not to stress out over something that does not depict the rest of my life. Not saying you shouldn’t study though, its good to have a balance between challenging yourself and not being too hard on yourself.
It has been a year since I graduated with the class of 2017! After spending 6 years in Utahloy, I moved to Boston, United States and right now, I’m double majoring in Film Scoring and Electronic Production & Design at Berklee College of Music.
UISG really encouraged me to do what I like and to pursue what I want in the future. It’s always been my dream to become a film composer and now I’m on my way to reach my goal! I really miss my UISG family and the times we went through in the IB together, even the times when we suffered from the pressure that IB exams and IAs gave us. Those memories were really valuable for me as a senior. I faced many obstacles but I met good teachers and they gave me valuable advice and always supported me. Without their help, I wouldn’t be here! Thank you UISG!
It has already been a year but I still constantly think about the amazing memories I had in Utahloy, from playing football every Friday after school to hanging out with my friends. Life in university has been awesome so far, but the experiences from high school are definitely precious, and changed my life perspective in a very positive way. I am very grateful for the time I spent in Utahloy. Life in university is incredibly different to high school. There is definitely a lot more pressure in university, the classes are much bigger, you don’t have as close of a relationship with most of your professors and there is nobody to check on you to see if you are doing your work or if you have questions. I feel, however, that this has led me to become much more independent, proactive and responsible, which is great! Also, I love having the increased freedom and being able to choose what I want to do and according to my interests.
Right now, I am studying in Australia, at the University of Melbourne where I am pursuing my dream job of becoming a mechatronic engineer. There are so many opportunities here to continue doing what I really like or what I have always wanted to give a shot, in and outside of campus. Just like the experiences from Utahloy, I know that the experiences I gain at university will surely enrich my life even more and prepare me for the future.
It feels like it was only yesterday that we were all graduating and saying our goodbyes as we started classes at our respective universities. My greatest memories of UISG lie with the friends that have become family. While I thought I would not stay in touch with many of my UISG friends at university, the opposite happened. We became closer and we now visit each other in our different universities and countries. I believe this is what makes UISG so special as the friends we made became family.
My first year of university has been everything and more than I could have ever imagined. I got to make amazing new friends from all over the world, meet inspiring people like Kenyan refugees and be an active member of a number of university clubs like UNICEF and the McGill Marketing Network. I was also able to attend a number of conferences like Desautels Women in Business and McGill x Ted Talks which have all been very informative. My first year of university has been filled with so many opportunities that I can’t wait to see what the next two years have to offer. My first year of university has also been filled by memorable social events such as your typical university house and frat parties. But, I have also had to overcome a number of challenges in terms of becoming independent and facing the high academic expectations of university. However, overcoming these challenges has been eye-opening and is what makes university so unique as it represents the step before complete adulthood and after total independence from your parents. For the future, after I graduate in two years, I plan on pursuing a Master’s degree most possibly in Europe in Business Administration.
I studied in UISG for 15 years. I entered UISG as a 3-year-old in K1 and left after graduating as an 18-year-old from grade 12 and along this journey, I built meaningful relationships and friendships and met incredible people. For me, UISG is more than just my school. Home and family are the first words that come to mind when I think about Utahloy. Leaving UISG was bittersweet since even though I was excited for the next chapter of my life, it was very difficult for me to say goodbye to the place which was such a huge part of my childhood and the source of many fond memories. Even though UISG is no longer a part of my life, I know that my Utahloy family and the friends I made along the way will continue to be a part of my life and I am so grateful for them.
I am currently studying at the University of California, Berkeley and am intending to major in Nutritional Science with a focus on Toxicology. I am also considering a double major with Theatre and Performance Studies. Coming into university, I was definitely overwhelmed but also so thrilled and excited because of the vast amounts of opportunities that were available to me. There are so many different clubs, organisations and activities that I can participate in or be a part of such as volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and taking Salsa classes. In addition to these opportunities, one of the best parts of studying here is the flexibility and freedom that we are given. I loved that I got to explore and take several different types of courses which was very helpful because it made me realise what it is that I would like to pursue studying.
I cannot wait to continue my journey in University and I hope that it will continue to be as meaningful and rewarding to me as the experiences I had and the lessons I learned in Utahloy.
Graduating class of 2008
NUS Bachelors Degree in Communications and New Media
Roshan Gidwani is an Actor.
One of the films I’ve starred in has premiered in LA. It was called “Faeryville” and it was represented by US-based distribution company Elevent Arts.
Power of Pop hailed the film as "brave and remarkable" calling it "a fairytale of nightmarish consequences. Screen Anarchy, a website featuring news and reviews of mainly international, independent and cult films called Faeryville "A new cinematic universe... bleak, exciting, surprising.”
Faeryville became the first Singapore film to compete at FLIXX Festival in Scott Valley. The film won the Best Original Story Award. Faeryville was also screened as part of the Singapore: Unbound - A Singapore Cinema Showcase at the Griffith Film School.
All my memories boil down to my friends. In such an international setting we made friends with respective students from all over the world. My favorite memory is probably taking in the lake with friends next to the library. It’s my favorite place and planning out the future there made it seem like our dreams could come true.
I’ve become a jovial individual who loves talking to people and finding out where they’re from and where they’re going. As an Actor, we must think of the scene and the emotion before the scene we’re playing right now, and hopefully we know where the character is going next. By having such a wide array of friends to choose from at UISG, I was able to place myself in other people’s shoes quite well after a while. Now, I use that soft skill in my work. I’m able to play different characters and draw from my knowledge from the people I interacted with at UISG.
UISG is an international school. The ‘real world’ is an international place with different currencies, different languages and different ways of thought. If something doesn’t go your way, it’s not personal; it’s just from a different culture. Learning to accept that at an early age is like discovering diamonds before gold.
It’s been 10 years since I graduated. It feels like I’m only graduating in 2018.
I guess you never graduate school and I’ll feel the same in 2028. For the kids, for the teenagers and for the teachers, your bond is so special that no one should really ever feel like he/she is graduating. Life is a constant upward trajectory and if we embrace that we’ll be able to complete its smaller challenges today before we’re faced with tomorrows.
Follow me on Instagram as I document my journey @roshanslife.
Kelly He joined Utahloy International School Guangzhou in 2009. She was a candidate for this year’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma examinations and earned herself a record-breaking result of 45, a perfect score. Academically, this was not a complete surprise, as she scored the highest points in her IB Middle Years Programme Certificate at the end of 2012. However, it was not only in her academics that Kelly shone. In her time at school, she represented UISG in badminton, basketball and volleyball, and competed in a number of successful ACAMIS tournaments. She was recognized as one of the scholar athletes of her class. Kelly also participated in the arts inside and outside of school, from the jazz band to modern dance and cheerleading. However, as an artist, Kelly truly excelled; her contribution to the 2015 Art Exhibition at Redtory was outstanding and earned her one of the highest marks in DP Visual Arts the school has ever achieved. In line with the IB philosophy, Kelly also participated in many service learning projects, including local projects such as with GETCH, a local charity, and more global projects such as supporting farming communities in Rongshui. Kelly has certainly lived up to the IB Learner Profile (a description of the attitudes the programs foster) and certainly goes into the world with an exceptional appreciation of learning. The school wishes her well in her pursuit of her art studies in New York. From all of us here at Urban Family and in the PRD, congratulations to UISG, and to Kelly He for her outstanding commitment to educational excellence. Kelly has certainly lived up to the IB Learner Profile (a description of the attitudes the programs foster) and certainly goes into the world with an exceptional appreciation of learning. The school wishes her well in her pursuit of her art studies in New York. From all of us here at Urban Family and in the PRD, congratulations to UISG, and to Kelly He for her outstanding commitment to educational excellence.
Sheetal Madnani, 17
Utahloy International School Guangzhou
Class of 2017
India
What sort of activities did you take part in whilst at UISG?
I often engaged in community-service based leadership activities, because I believe helping other people is truly a goal worth pursuing with perseverance and effort. Whilst at school, I led a group of students in an 8-month long fundraising endeavor to finance our refurbishment project in an orphanage in rural Rongshui. This was an unforgettable experience, since not only was it an amazing learning experience for me as a leader, but it was also incredibly fulfilling; the time spent at the orphanage and the joy our work brought the orphans is something I will never forget. Thus I suppose my leadership activities have taught me that, being a leader for something you are passionate about, makes all of the hard work involved in leadership completely worth it.
What sort of leadership skills did you learn whilst at UISG?
Being a leader is not just about ensuring everything works as it is supposed to; it is about inspiring others through the decisions you make and the qualities you demonstrate. I also like this quote is because it comes from a writer who is not famed for being a leader, and so I believe it suggests that leaders do not become leaders simply for glory or credit; they become leaders because it is the right thing to do. I believe leadership is not a quality; it is a set of skills, all of which can be honed with time to cultivate a strong leader. Perseverance, as well as hard work, practice, and commitment are all required to create leadership, and I believe that none of these are qualities people are born with. Being a leader is all about responsibility, and if you are prepared to step up and take on this responsibility with true determination, you will become a leader worth listening to.
Life gives you a canvas and we do the painting. Utahloy was where i had painted for seven years each stroke of who I am has been influenced by the people who are involved with this school. I have taken so much from here, therefore I make it my mission to give back to those which acted like a mother whom nurtured me when I was down and a father whom encouraged me when I needed a push to fight for my dreams. The memories I hold closet to my heart are the ones which were made with with my fellow peers and teacher. They are the ones whom I look back and say to myself I wish someday I can be surrounded by those people again. Utahloy isn’t just a high school its a family, a family that accepts me and everyone for who they are! The people I’ve met there are irreplaceable and thats why it is important we stay connected.
My goal is to help the UN millennial of achieving universal primary education. My best advice I can give Utahloy students is that the path that everyone tells you to take - parents, society, peers- may not always be the best path for you. Do what YOU think is best, don’t ever be afraid to take risks, and embrace failure with open arms. You won’t ever know how things will turn out until you at least try.
My name is Kunal Wadhwani. I am from India. I attended UISG between the years of 2003 to 2013, graduating with the Class of 13. After spending 10 years in Guangzhou I moved to Adelaide in Australia to study for my Commercial Pilot License. Now, I will be going to University of New South Wales in Sydney to study for my Air Transport Pilot License. As I spent a large span of my life in UISG, it had an influence on my career choice and what I wanted to achieve in the future. UISG was very supportive of their students and teachers always encouraged to pursue your goals and to never give up. It has been a childhood passion of mine to become an Airline Pilot, thus I choose to take on this career path. In my last years at UISG, I had a lot of support and advice from all my teachers which has really helped me as of this date. I have had many great memories during my time spent at UISG. The best memories are no doubt the great camps we participated in, especially in Cambodia. We travelled with the HOPE Organization to help with charity work in Pursat Province. My other memories are the countless ACAMIS tournaments I participated in and of course my graduation ceremony with my fellow classmates. My advice for current seniors is to always put all your effort into these last 2 years and to never give up. You will face many obstacles but with your determination and the help of your teachers it will be much easier to overcome. Also enjoy the time you have left in High School and always stay in contact with your friends.
It has been already 7 years since I graduated UISG, but how can I forget all the precious memories that UISG has provided me! Though I attended UISG for only 3 years I still had uncountable laughter and tears that I could not experience at anywhere else. Middle Year Program (MYP) is tough? Oh well, because of MYP I could be successfully prepared me for International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. And guess what I am going to say next. Yes, because of well-designed IB Diploma program, I was given a chance to study at University of British Columbia in Vancouver Canada with a scholarship. Now I look back, I could not be where I am now without the strong foundation at UISG. I feel like I have crossed a vast ocean and UISG has been my golden bridge for that. Teachers at UISG are more than just teachers. They teach and care for students with their hearts, and they are always there for the students. As I was the school captain of UISG, I could observe every one of the staff is always putting their efforts to contribute to the school, and as a result, UISG has been tremendously improving in various aspects including academics, facilities and general services. As a person who has been both physically and mentally with UISG, I highly value and cherish every bit of the memory that I have with UISG and will never forget it. Your future will be brighter with UISG.
Emily Haver graduated as valedictorian from UISZ in 2013. Following this, she returned to her hometown of Seattle in the USA to attend Seattle University. During university, she spent a semester abroad in Chengdu at the Southwest University for Nationalities. She graduated summa cum laude from Seattle University in June 2017, receiving a B.A. in Theatre with a minor in Chinese. Emily is now a theatre artist whose areas of focus are acting, directing, and writing. Currently, she is living in Shanghai attending Shanghai Theatre Academy to get her M.A. in Intercultural Communication Studies. She looks back fondly on her days at UISZ—her main advice for students is to take a moment to breathe and remember that you are so much more than your grades or IB score! While it’s important to work hard, it’s also important to be a well-rounded person with interests and experiences beyond school. To keep up with her work, check out her website at: www.emilyhaver.com
Ben graduated as valedictorian from UISZ in 2016. He is currently reading law at the University of Bristol and is expected to graduate with his Bachelor of Laws with Honours in 2019. He plans to complete his Master in Laws & Legal Practice in London before qualifying as a Solicitor of England & Wales. Ben made the decision to study law in university and eventually pursue a legal career having briefly worked at two different law firms as a legal secretary. He recalls many fond memories from his time at UISZ - mainly the ones spent with his classmates on school-trips. Ben's advice to the current cohort would be - to stay committed to your goals, plan ahead, and work hard for it. If you really want to do something, you will find a way to do it! You can connect with Ben at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-lin/
The six years that I was able to spend in Utahloy were without a doubt the best times of my life thus far. It was not so much the school’s beautiful 200 acres campus, with its botanical garden, 3 football fields and its Olympic sized swimming pool. It also wasn't the IB with its endless impossible requirements and tasks. It was the people that I have spent these years with. The people that have taught, guided, and served as role models in my life. The people that have influenced me and shaped me to who I am today. I am undeniably grateful to the school for allowing me to meet these people, create a network of international relations, and the countless other opportunities the school has to offer. I learned that anything that you are offered should be taken; actually no, scratch that. Anything you want, should be achieved, no matter how impossible it may seem in that moment. With enough strive and will to work until your whole body breaks, I know anything can be achieved. I hope everybody will be able to find their definition of happiness in their lives. Thank you Utahloy. Thank you People (you know who you are). Go hard or go home”
Medical student @ Western University of Australia
Future Career Dreams: Pediatric Surgeon
Advice to future IB students:
Think carefully before you choose your subjects,
make sure you choose what's right for you,
not what other people expect you to take.
Quote: "I never dreamed about success i worked for it" - Estee Lauder