Zuang Liu
Welcome to my portfolio!
My name is Zuang Liu, also known as Leo. I am majoring in Education and Human Development with a specialization in Child and Adolescent Mental Health at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education and Human Development.
Over the past three and a half years, my college journey has not only elevated my academic abilities to a level I had never reached before but also provided me with valuable opportunities for cross-cultural reflection.
This portfolio serves as a milestone—a reflection of my achievements, growth, and insights throughout my undergraduate years, and how these experiences have prepared me for the next chapter of my life.
About Me
I spent the first eighteen years of my life in Beijing, China. My parents, who were high school classmates, worked their way from Inner Mongolia to Beijing through university entrance exams, and have since built their careers and family there. I owe them my deepest gratitude—not only for providing me with a comfortable environment to live and study in, but also for teaching me what it truly means to be a good person. They have always been, and will always remain, the role models I look up to.
Surrounded by friendships throughout my childhood and adolescence, I gradually developed an interest in mental health during high school. Through my own experiences and those of people around me, I began to shape my perspective on life, which later became the foundation for my future goals.
I was fortunate to be exposed to English learning through nontraditional methods from an early age, which became a privilege that opened many doors for me. With the support and encouragement of my parents and friends, I made the decision to pursue my higher education across the globe in the United States.
Where My Passion Were at
As an enthusiastic and ambitious freshman, I once believed I had already seen through the problems within every level of China’s education system, which faces a number of structural and cultural challenges, including an exam-oriented tendency, unequal distribution of educational resources across cities, and a lack of perspectives that recognize students as independent individuals before viewing them merely as learners. In addition, the insufficient and often neglected support for students’ mental health, as well as the inherited pressure and traditional expectations within family education, continue to shape the experiences and well-being of many students today. I saw the problems, yet I couldn’t find the solutions. With a determination to challenge and transform the system, I came to a Western, education-centered institution to search for the answers.
Where My Passion Are at
As a passionate and realistic senior, I have come to accept that individual power is limited — yet I have also discovered the fields where my efforts can truly make a difference. Undeniably, change is happening in places beyond my sight, and there are people who share my vision, working toward our common goals in different times, spaces, and ways. I have come to understand my own values: rather than pursuing large-scale systemic reform, my strength lies in focusing on the individuals within my reach. With a multicultural perspective and a new generation’s mindset, I hope to contribute as a counselor who helps others — even if it’s just a small number of people — in meaningful and lasting ways.
Near 10-Year Plans
After completing my undergraduate studies, I plan to pursue a graduate program focused on counseling psychology, where I can systematically develop my counseling skills and professional ideology. Upon graduation, I hope to gain work experience beyond school settings, allowing me to strengthen both the theoretical knowledge and practical techniques I have acquired.
After accumulating three to five years of experience, I intend to return to China with the goal of contributing to the field of adolescent mental health. However, I am also aware that I will need to carefully consider how to effectively establish and conduct counseling practice within China’s unique cultural and systemic context.
Contact Me
My inbox is always open, you can contact me with the contact form here