Like a lot of international students, Jermaine Yin Mun Kaw didn’t have the luxury of a campus tour before deciding to come to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She relied on websites, social media and testimonials from other Malaysian students to make her choice.
Now, as a social media intern with the College of Business, Kaw, a senior marketing major, is using personal experience and an eye for marketing to promote Nebraska to fellow Malaysian students and other international communities.
“I use a lot of my connections with minority students to feature them for admissions content on social media so we can spread that awareness and share stories that might be overlooked,” she said.
Her time at Nebraska has been marked by involvements in several Asian-interest groups, like the Nebraska University Malaysian Student Association and Delta Phi Lambda sorority. For each, she’s taken on social media management and communication roles that have honed her skillset and allowed her to broadcast the university’s international student experience.
“I’ve gotten a lot of opportunities to make videos targeted toward international students so they can really experience what it’s like to be in Nebraska and have that perspective,” Kaw said. “I really want to encourage people to get out of their comfort zones.”
Stephanie Smith, social media and design coordinator, helps develop the interns in the Communications, Marketing and External Relations Office in Howard L. Hawks Hall and shared how Yin Mun Kaw brought global insight to team meetings.
“She brought amazing international and marketing savvy and worked closely with our team and other interns to further develop many ideas into noteworthy and engaging content. She paid attention to trends on the different platforms and applied them,” said Smith.
Smith shared how Yin Mun Kaw quickly adapted the popular “Corn Kid” meme into a College of Business building highlight reel for Instagram and how she often features individuals from around the college community in short videos and photos.
For her, getting out of her comfort zone has meant being intentional about networking with fellow students and integrating into the broader campus community.
“I’d say I was a very different person before coming here. I was really shy and wouldn’t talk to anybody,” she said. “But once I got here, I was in survival mode. I forced myself to raise my hand in class and even compliment someone, which took a lot of practice.”
Kaw says it’s important for students be aware of the wide range of international student experiences.
“I don’t really have an accent, so people tend to think that I’m from here and think the same way as them,” she said. “So it’s important for people to recognize that international students can have different perceptions and perspectives.”
Learn more about becoming an international student studying in the College of Business.
