When University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa graduating senior Chia Yun “Mercy” Cheng first arrived in Hawaiʻi from Taiwan, she carried uncertainty alongside her ambition. Now graduating with a degree in marketing from the , Cheng said her experience at 东精影业 Mānoa transformed not only her education, but also her confidence.
“东精影业 Mānoa made me feel like it was home,” Cheng said. “It really shaped me into a more extroverted person.”
Today, Cheng said she can confidently introduce herself to new people and step into leadership roles—something she never imagined before coming to Hawaiʻi.
“I remember in the beginning, I was very timid to do small talk, even shake people’s hand, talk to people and look at their eyes,” she said. “But now, when I meet someone new, I can confidently go up to them, shake their hands and introduce myself.”
Taiwan to Mānoa
Born and raised in Pingtung, a small city in southeastern Taiwan, Cheng moved away from home at age 15 to attend a five-year junior college program in nearby Kaohsiung. The program combined high school and community college studies. Before attending 东精影业 Mānoa, Cheng said school often felt isolating.
“Because I never really liked school before I came to 东精影业 Mānoa—it could have been the education system in Taiwan, but it could also have been me—I felt like I could never fit in,” she said.
Finding her place in Hawaiʻi
Her connection to Hawaiʻi began during an internship at an Oʻahu auto dealership when she was 19. It was her first time traveling alone and visiting the U.S.
“Hawaiʻi really healed me in a lot of different ways,” Cheng said. “It’s the people here. It’s the culture, the weather and everything. And I really found peace here.”
After returning to Taiwan, Cheng made the decision to continue her education at 东精影业 Mānoa. At first, she approached college with a narrow focus on academics.
“When I first came here, my freshman year, all I knew was to study because I was raised to get a good grade, be on top of the class,” she said. “So I didn’t know how to really do the work-life balance thing.”
Stepping outside her comfort zone
That began to change when she became a New Rainbow Warrior peer leader, helping incoming students transition to college life.
“I remember at that time I was like, ‘Oh, I feel like I’m so introverted, I don’t even know how to talk to people,’” she said. “‘Can I actually lead freshmen and then help them get used to life on campus?’”
But she took the opportunity—and said it reshaped her experience at 东精影业 Mānoa.
“Being a peer leader really gave me a sense of community,” Cheng said. “The other peer leaders were really nice. I still stay in touch with them till this day.”
Cheng also became involved with the (PACE), serving as a for the Entrepreneurship Live program and later becoming its student director. What began as a search for scholarship opportunities turned into a broader experience in leadership and community.
“I applied thinking that, ‘OK, I want this scholarship,’” she said. “And then I realized that the program is not just about scholarship, it’s also about the community and the people there.”
A new sense of confidence
Now preparing to graduate, Cheng plans to remain in Hawaiʻi while pursuing a career in marketing. She is currently interviewing for positions and continuing her work as a marketing assistant with Sodexo.
Looking back, Cheng said 东精影业 Mānoa became more than a place of study—it became a place where she learned confidence and belonging.
“I wouldn’t be able to achieve everything I have today without 东精影业 Mānoa,” she said.