Fu-kui Shen

Grade: 12

School: Vancouver iTech Preparatory

What do you want to do after high school?

I will attend UW Seattle in September. My major will be urban planning and my minor will be sociology or political science. After graduating from UW, I may work as a transportation planner in Seattle or another city that is developing public transit specifically light rail or metro system. Hopefully, I will also start a podcast discussing politics and social issues.

Who or what helped you make that plan?

I’ve always wanted to work for public transit. I have had a passion for trains and commercial planes since I was 5. Urban planning is the best fit for me to design the buildings and structure of stations and airport terminals. I’d say that my dream began when I traveled to Fukuoka in 2006. I’m aware of the social injustice around me at the beginning of my senior year. I saw that there is a lack of representation of people like me standing out to say what we see in real life. Sociology and political science can give me a more solid knowledge in social issues and educate myself to be less biased.

What advice would you give to a friend or classmate who is trying to decide what they want to do after they graduate?

Think about what you are good at! Sometimes it can be hard to do whatever we “want.” I did not know that I am good at analyzing social issues until the end of 2019. I think it is very good to read the articles you are interested in and involve in local or online organizations. Imagine yourself five years later and summarize what you see in the future. If you really do not know what to start first, the community college will be a good place to try things and see the true self.