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Get to Know Your Fellow Flyer: Ziping Lyu

Making the most of the four years spent at the University of Dayton (UD) was something Ziping Lyu 17’ has passionately set out to accomplish as an undergraduate student. In May, Ziping will graduate with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and a minor in Industrial Engineering Technology. When she is not busy studying, you can find her either involved with her multiple leadership positions through student organizations, or watching Netflix with friends on campus, eating Chipotle or Dominos.  

“I knew that I wanted to use the opportunity of studying at the University of Dayton to create experiences that I would not be able to have back at home in China”, Ziping shares. “I’ve tried to complete as many things on my college bucket list as I can before graduation.” Although Ziping has not yet crossed everything off her list, like creating her own student organization or going skydiving, she has been able to attend a UD basketball game in the student section and join a club on campus.

Ziping, an international student from China, shares that she wanted to expand her horizons by meeting new people and trying new things during her collegiate years at UD. She decided to accomplish that goal by joining Phi Sigma Rho (PSR), an engineering sorority, and joining the Chinese Student Scholar Association (CSSA).

“Phi Sigma Rho gave me an opportunity to do something different that I wouldn’t be able to do in other countries, since greek life is only in the United States”, she shares. Through this organization, Ziping has held leadership positions and received helpful advice with her academic course work. ''After my freshman year, I realized that I did not know many other Chinese students so I decided to become involved with the CSSA to continue to gain new friends.” Since her initial decision to join the club, Ziping has not only gained new friendships, but also assisted other Chinese students to meet one another at CSSA events throughout the year. Through her leadership positions, she has helped prepare incoming students by answering their questions or concerns, and by working an an International Peer Orientation Leader (IPOL) with the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) office.

Ziping advises other international students to be adventurous and to be unafraid of making language mistakes. She was surprised by how patient and understanding other students at the University of Dayton were when navigating through a language barrier. “When I first arrived at UD, it was comforting when U.S. students would take the initiative to talk to me because I was very shy and not very confident that people would understand me.” These relationships have helped her gain the confidence to create unique experiences and meaningful friendships while at UD.

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