Qihua Cai

Member of The Dean's List, class of 2021

Qihua made great strides in developing her knowledge and confidence to progress in her chosen career of Accounting and Financial Management, whilst making the most of opportunities to help others reach their own potential.

Increasing capabilities

Realising that skills such as public speaking and networking are important employability skills to have, Qihua took the initiative and completed a masterclass in developing public speaking, took part in presentation training, and attended business-led Insight Days, all helping to improve her confidence in presenting and networking in a business environment.

Qihua also completed internships during her studies: a role in Investment Management with upReach, and in Assurance with EY, both of which helped Qihua to gain further career insight into accounting and financial management.

Making the team

Always pushing to gain further practical experiences and insights, Qihua was a keen member of the Sheffield team that entered the University Business Competition. Her role was to analyse her team’s business’s financial position to inform their decision making, contributing to their success in making it to the semi-finals.

Peer support

Qihua has a natural aptitude for helping others. As a note-taker for students with disabilities and dyslexia, Qihua quickly began adapting her work according to the students' needs, helping them to achieve their best academic potential, and learning to adapt quickly to situations on her feet.

After joining the University’s mentor scheme, Qihua was unable to meet her mentees in person due to the pandemic. So, she extended her mentor duties by inviting mentees to meet over social media, which has resulted in a long-term friendship with a fellow overseas student and helping another international student to further develop their English language skills.