Today, Jessica Ho, aka Jessica Tse Sai Ka, is a well-known presenter for Commercial Radio, hosting popular programs such as Ultimate Song Chart Awards and Sai Ka Air Travel. But a career in the broadcasting industry was not in her mind when she entered HKUST as a shy and quiet girl majoring in chemistry.
“I was a quiet and shy girl when I entered HKUST, but living in the dorm and meeting with so many different people opened me up,” Jessica said. She took her first steps into popular culture through studying minor subjects such as cultural studies and logical thinking alongside her science degree. While she began her career in a pharmaceutical company, she soon jumped at the opportunity to become a DJ by winning a contest hosted by Commercial Radio, a decision which would change her career forever.
Now, Jessica has become a global traveler, authoring books and hosting television shows on exotic parts of the world. “It does not matter what you study. The most important thing is to expand your horizons,” she said. “(Young students) should not set any boundaries or limits for themselves.”
Jane Li, popularly known in Chinese as “Watermelon”, has also become a hit presenter at Commercial Radio where she hosts Hey, Learners!, for young people and students, and Wondermelon, featuring international pop music. A BBA Marketing graduate and the daughter of Hong Kong music star Sandy Lamb, Jane went for a business-related job interview at Commercial Radio during her job search but was open and keen to challenge herself when offered a creative role on a social enterprise project involving the radio station instead.
Since becoming a presenter, she has used knowledge gained from her degree program – clarity of ideas, concise and clear presentation, identification of target audiences, and an annual self-appraisal of achievements and goals, among others – to build her competitiveness and continuously keep her listeners engaged. “(Young students should) always ask yourself how you can improve, and what do you need to do to make yourself more competitive,” she said.
Read more on Jessica and Jane at HKUST Alumni Winter News 2016
