Alex Ye: Growth Filled with Experiences

Alex Ye

• DHSZ Class of 2018
• Undergraduate - University of Florida Sports Management
• Postgraduate - University of Southern California Media Management

Alex Ye, a graduate of  DHSZ class of 2018, has a remarkable track record since graduation. In this edition of the alumni spotlight, let’s hear Alex's "experience-filled" story of growth.

Every challenge is an opportunity for growth

Alex, who was a track and field athlete in junior high school, began exploring other interests when he arrived at Dulwich. During the university application process, he was clear and firm about studying something he was genuinely interested in, rather than pursuing a job that would make good money. "Because for the next few decades, you might be doing the same thing every day. If it doesn't make you happy, I don't think it's meaningful. That’s why I chose sports management as my major based on my interests at that time."

Undoubtedly, Alex's choice was not only driven by his passion but also by a detailed and precise plan that accompanied him along the way. When he first entered college, he made a detailed plan for himself. "I knew that excellent social skills and networks are required in this field, as well as a reservoir of sports-related knowledge and unique insights. Compared to academia, our major focuses more on practical experience." In his freshman year, he started his internship, responsible for the Premier League Asia Trophy events in Shanghai and Nanjing. This experience allowed him to understand that the relationship between media, sponsorship, and other aspects is crucial to profit from the commercial world of sports. This was a crucial step that allowed him to work from simple events to the field of "sports marketing." In his sophomore year, Alex went to a sports company to do strategic consulting, where he was responsible for marketing activation and equity exchange for the team. In his final year of university, Alex successfully entered Wasserman Media Group--the world's second-ranked sports and entertainment brokerage company. "Fortunately, I followed two groups at Wasserman - experience and hospitality - and participated in many international brand sponsorship activation projects." In addition to these professional internships, Alex also had many part-time experiences during the past four years in the university, including moving services, food delivery, and coffee making. In his view, "experience is everything," and one should catch up every opportunity.

Alex’s emphasis on “experience” is largely due to his parents’ educational philosophy. “Before I entered Dulwich, my parents were very strict with me. But when they saw me getting involved in various activities at Dulwich, not only in academics but also in arts, sports, and other areas of comprehensive development, they were very pleased. From the beginning they frequently urged me to make decisions and now strongly support whatever I choose to do.” This change is also because Alex's parents have been entrepreneurs who have worked hard throughout their lives. They believe that experience is the most important thing: everyone can learn, but experiences are different for each person. “I participated in various cross-curricular activities at school, such as serving in different functional roles at the Shakespeare Festival and trying to shoot and perform in the video challenge and band performances. They know that I can learn how to deal with things through these experiences and get real growth.”

Whatever cannot defeat me will make me stronger

Speaking of these experiences, Alex talks fluently and logically, and we were curious about how he developed these skills. Alex shows that he likes to communicate with people. Whether inside or outside the school, he tried to seize the opportunity to communicate with others and constantly improve his communication skills. “Cultivating good speaking skills and learning how to get along with people are both very important.”

More important than opportunities is how to seize them. How did Alex stand out and move forward in each experience? Looking back on his journey, Alex believes that one of his strengths is his strong ability to deal with stress and good mentality. No matter what difficulties he faced, he can adjust and recover in a timely manner. He recalled the Olympic Games held at Dulwich College in 2019. He was originally determined to participate, but he couldn't because of a leg injury. “The teachers knew that I would definitely go, and they registered me. I was also confident to win a championship. But unfortunately, I strained a ligament in my leg during soccer training one week before the sports meeting. At first, I was quite sad because this was a great opportunity to bring honor to the school and to show what I could do. What touched me was that Devlin, the counsellor and basketball coach, sent me an email to comfort me. Principal Zhuang also said that there would be opportunities in the future, so I should get discouraged. I think that experiencing this incident allowed me to maintain an optimistic and positive attitude when facing setbacks.”

Another experience at Dulwich left a deep impression on Alex. Because he was active in school, he was recommended by teachers to join the school drama club to participate in the Shakespeare Drama Festival. After he joined, he found that he would be responsible for the lighting design, but he still took it very seriously even though it was a "behind-the-scenes" job. "I think even if I am a lighting designer, I will learn a lot of different things, such as how to adjust different lights according to the plot on stage, and how to communicate and collaborate with other students in the same group." His diligent and serious working attitude, communication and comedic talent, made him shine even when he was behind the scenes. A year later, he was selected by the teacher to play the leading role Orlando in "As You Like It". Alex believes that competition is everywhere, but the key is how to adjust your mentality and discover your own strengths.

In addition to his resilient character, Alex's good habits have also helped him achieve twice the results with half the effort. "I will sort out the things I need to do in the next six months or two to three months and write a track sheet to list my goals and projects," he said. Time management is also crucial. Alex's internship at Worthington required him to simultaneously follow up on projects in two departments, which necessitates him to prioritize and plan his time reasonably, a skill he has been gradually honing since his time at Dewey. When preparing for the Shakespeare Festival and sports meet, he would write a work plan in advance, clearly outlining when to study, rehearse, and exercise. "Writing a track sheet and work plan has been a habit I've developed over many years, because it's the most direct way to tell you what you want to do and achieve in the near future, and it can constantly remind you of your goals," Alex said.

#Alex's Advice

Apart from managing time well, Alex also suggested that "especially in international schools like DHSZ, you must seize the opportunity to enrich your experiences. I think DHSZ is a platform that can help shape your personality. You can only explore your interests through different experiences, including planning for your college studies. It was at DHSZ that I decided to pursue sports management. In these experiences, you can also develop social skills and optimize work habits and routines. These are the most useful things I think, and learning should not be limited to books and exams. While maintaining good grades is important, you should also have more experiences, seize opportunities, and do things you love: 'work hard and play hard'."