From IDP alumna to joining the team: Meet Catherine Zeng

Recently graduated, Catherine Zeng was first introduced to IDP when she used our student placement services to move from Macao to Melbourne to study a Master of Marketing Communications at the University of Melbourne. But her experience with IDP didn’t stop there.   

In May this year, Catherine joined the IDP Australia team as a Super Intern. A quick learner, she assisted with the VCE Open Day virtual event, supported Georgia Grelis with a Chinese Google Ads campaign and helped Prachi Tyagi with launching #IDPTakeover content on Instagram.   

Now that she has officially joined the IDP Sydney team as Marketing Coordinator, Events and Promotions, we thought it was time we got to know Catherine a little better. 

When I first applied to my dream university through IDP Australia two years ago, I had a great experience with my education counsellor, Summer Feng. She was very helpful whenever I encountered difficulties with my application and guided me through the process step by step.  

She also helped me explore my study options in Australia, offered me professional advice on numerous universities' courses and assisted me in figuring out my long-term career plans.   

I ended up studying a Master of Marketing Communications at the University of Melbourne and am very happy to share that I recently graduated. 

I couldn't be more grateful for winning the nationwide Super Intern competition and being rewarded with an IDP internship offer.   

In a sense, the award recognised both my personal and professional growth over the past two years. I proactively attended social events to build cohesive connections with my peers, employers and mentors and made sure to develop the skillset required to work in a modern workplace.   

The underlying rationale was always to become more agile and resilient, and be able to cope with any unpredictable changes. 

As part of my internship at IDP's Student Placement and Marketing divisions, I had the opportunity to gain invaluable hands-on experience and master transferable skills on the job, which helped me land my current role.   

A special thank-you goes out to my manager @Danny Condon for helping me land the intern opportunity in the first place. I also want to express heartfelt thanks to @Jane Li, @Vivien Li, @Josh Mackow and @Nathan Barry for recognising my work attitude and believing in my potential.   

Their acknowledgement of my capabilities makes me even more determined to launch and grow my professional career with IDP.

My role as a Marketing Coordinator mainly handles Australasia events and promotions at IDP. So far, it’s been an amazing learning experience.   

It is a privilege to work alongside a team of bright and passionate individuals and it constantly empowers me to improve myself.  

As I progressed in life and my career, I've become more passionate about brand marketing and event management. I feel very content and fulfilled working at IDP, assisting millions of students to reach their dream and establish their future trajectory. Working in such a supportive environment with access to a lot of learning resources and opportunities, I am motivated to challenge myself and keep breaking new ground to become a better self. 

I am beyond excited and determined to embark on this new adventure with IDP Australia. Life is full of surprises and miracles. For now, I strive to support as many international students based in Australasia as I can.    We think it’s fair to say that Catherine truly embodies IDP’s connected community!