University Destinations & International Alumnae

“Studying abroad was always something I was looking for,” says Judy who left her parents behind in Beijing to join us for the Sixth Form. “The Maynard is, of course, one of the top schools in South West England and honestly more welcoming and friendly than I ever expected.

“Coming to the UK for the first time was really a big transition period, especially for someone from a completely different language, cultural, and societal background. Also, the fact that I looked different from everyone else was something really strange for me to accept during the first few months, given that you can’t really see too many non-Chinese people in Beijing.”

Judy absolutely flew at The Maynard, leaving us in 2020 with a fantastic set of A-level results to study Law at the University of Manchester. “I ranked in the top 10 in my final year and graduated with a first-class degree. The credit should go to my time at The Maynard because my critical thinking skills were greatly developed through studying A-Level History.”

However, following in the footsteps of her parents who “didn’t work in the area of their degrees”, Judy decided to changed track and is now employed by Citi as a Treasury and Trade Solutions Analyst in London. “I chose this because it is client-facing and it is not as generalist as corporate banking, meaning you are more specialised in certain financial products.

“I enjoy the international working environment immensely. I get to connect with colleagues literally across the globe on a daily basis and am exposed to a very diverse and inclusive culture (each colleague in my team is from a different country). I also prefer being in a business environment where you are involved in many economic or entrepreneurial decision-making processes, so it suits me perfectly for now,” adding, “Insights into these areas are very useful for me to go into any other industries further down the line.”

Keen to apportion some of her success to her time at The Maynard, Judy explains: “It was a great starting point for a 16-year-old, equipping me with so many new skills and opening the world ahead of me! Looking back now, a 16-year-old me in Beijing probably wouldn’t have been as considerate or generous as the people whom I have encountered here at The Maynard or in Exeter.”