2122T1 TSM/Participant Information/Cindy Zheng
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Contents
Why TSM?
- What motivates you to join TSM?
As a tech enthusiast with amateur entrepreneurial ambitions, TSM presents itself to me as a befitting venture.
Why tech? Because it gives one the unparalleled potential to positively impact the lives of huge populations and make the world a better place, which sounds pretty powerful to me. Also because, simply put, I enjoy building things and watching them radiate in the hands of users, and technology allows me to do just that. Almost nothing in the world could be more satisfying.
Entrepreneurship is where I leverage technology to solve problems and challenge the status quo. The best tech products we rely on every single day had been born out of a desire to address problem(s) that most people faced, but chose to live with rather than "seek redress". I was a developer of SMUMods, a 100% student-run initiative that's looking to redefine the college experience. As an SMU student myself, I tackle common challenges students face (in particularly when in comes to bidding) by developing innovative solutions that would make their student life more smooth sailing.
Check out this Medium article if you are interested to know more about my journey building the SMUMods Analytics feature that was hailed a "game changer" by SMU students.
- Where do you NOT want to travel for TSM?
I do not have strong objections against traveling to any country. (Honestly, to be able to travel again any time soon would be a godsend blessing, so I'm not going to be picky)
Starting a business
- What types of business interest you?
As a university student who is familiar with the complicated bureaucracy and lack of agility of school administrations (presumably not a phenomenon that is privy to only SMU), I'm greatly invested in businesses that seek to simplify and accelerate operational processes within schools, and those that are able to address challenges resulting from said legacy processes. These challenges can be related to any aspect of student life – including bidding, landing suitable internships and building communities.
- What plan do you have in starting a business?
- Start out as a small group of determined, like-minded and high-caliber teammates with a desire to make history.
- Understand the market you disrupt and the audience you serve, and ensure business objectives address the relevant problem(s).
- Work hard (and smart) with a plan and an end goal in mind.
Past Experiences (optional)
Startups / Entrepreneurship
- Fullstack Engineer, AfterClass
May 2021 – Present
Previously SMUMods. Only with more and better features, with a goal of expanding to the rest of the world. (Think Facebook for university students)
- Frontend Developer, SMUMods
December 2019 – April 2021
We're a 100% student-run initiative that's looking to redefine the college experience.
- Software Developer Intern, Ezsofe
May 2019 – August 2019
A software development house and systems integration start-up that aims to provide affordable IT solutions that helps SMEs go digital and streamline their business processes.
Others
- Incoming Software Engineer (Summer Analyst), J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
June 2021 – August 2021
Cloud Services Team
- Software Engineering Intern, Accenture
May 2020 – August 2020
Undertook a client project in Health & Public Services; took part in the development of the National Electronic Health System (NEHR), a software that streamlines and unifies healthcare data, enabling clinicians to have more timely and accurate health information at the point of care to support effective prevention, diagnosis and management of illness.
CCAs
- Founder & President, SMU Women in Tech
AY20/21 – Present
- Curriculum Director, SMU Business Intelligence & Analytics Club
2020-2021
- Co-Founder & Programs Director, SMU Artificial Intelligence Club
2019-2020
What keeps you ticking?
Change excites me, as much as the mission of improving lives with technology. It's intriguing to know your best opportunity could present itself at the next turn, if you're game for it.
A quote that inspires me from Moonwalking with Einstein: "Monotony collapses time; novelty unfolds it."
Other than that, I'm an avid lover of traveling the world and have a brown belt in karate. (I had made plans to backpack across Europe alone until my dreams were halted by Provost's announcement that exchange would be cancelled)
