Chung Yuan Christian University (CYCU) has once again received recognition for its efforts in supporting Indigenous students’ career development. At the 2026 National Conference for Career Guidance Directors of Colleges and Universities, organized by the Youth Development Administration, Ministry of Education, on August 24–25, two CYCU students earned honors in the 2026 National College and University Career Guidance Student Reflection Competition.
Lung I-Hsing Kao-Nan of the Department of Electronic Engineering won second place in the graphic and written submission category, while Lin Yen-Chang of the Department of Mechanical Engineering received an Honorable Mention. Both students serve as CYCU Indigenous Career Ambassadors, and their strong results in their first participation reflect the initiative, self-exploration, and determination of Indigenous youth in pursuing and putting their career goals into practice.
This year’s competition, organized by the Youth Development Administration, Ministry of Education, was held under the theme “Next Step: Your Career Journey Forward.” It encouraged college and university students to share their experiences with campus career guidance courses and activities through written, visual, or video-based submissions, highlighting their growth from self-exploration and career planning to concrete action.
Awards were presented by Director-General Chen Hsueh-Yu of the Youth Development Administration, recognizing students who actively made use of university career development resources and took initiative in exploring their future paths. The competition also encouraged higher education institutions to continue building diverse and comprehensive career support systems for students.
Award recipients Lung I-Hsing Kao-Nan and Lin Yen-Chang have not only remained committed to their academic studies, but have also served as CYCU Indigenous Career Ambassadors, actively participating in and promoting career development activities on campus. Drawing on their own experiences and strengths, they have supported program implementation, connected with fellow students, and shared career information and personal reflections.
Through serving others, both students gradually gained greater clarity about their own career paths while building practical skills and experience. They transformed this journey of exploration and growth into their competition entries, earning recognition from the judges in their very first submissions.
Lung I-Hsing Kao-Nan shared that, through CYCU’s career guidance resources and the UCAN Career and Competency Assessment, he was able to reassess his strengths and identify interdisciplinary capabilities in areas such as programming applications, financial knowledge, student organization leadership, and AI collaboration. After becoming an Indigenous Career Ambassador, he turned his own exploration experience into action by organizing six career workshops and helping more than 100 fellow students identify and reflect on their skills.
Lin Yen-Chang, meanwhile, gradually gained confidence through the training and practical experience provided by the Indigenous Career Ambassador program. He said that, in the process of exploring his cultural identity, he rediscovered the “Gaga spirit” rooted in his Atayal heritage. Looking ahead, he hopes to integrate his mechanical engineering expertise with sustainable development and pursue a career as a green-collar professional equipped with both theoretical knowledge and sound practical judgment.
CYCU’s Indigenous Student Resource Center has long been committed to supporting the career development of Indigenous students. From 2024 to 2026, the Center received full funding for three consecutive years under the Career Guidance Promotion Subsidy Program for Colleges and Universities administered by the Youth Development Administration, Ministry of Education. It also pioneered the Indigenous Career Ambassador initiative, encouraging students to initiate and lead Indigenous cultural and educational activities while strengthening the effectiveness of career guidance. The two students’ competition entries were guided by Director Wen-Hui Chang of the Indigenous Student Resource Center, who supported them in transforming their career exploration and hands-on experiences into compelling submissions.
CYCU places strong emphasis on students’ holistic development. In addition to cultivating professional knowledge and practical skills, the University continues to provide career exploration, career guidance, and diverse support mechanisms to help students better understand themselves and develop their potential. In supporting Indigenous students in particular, CYCU actively connects on- and off-campus resources to provide an environment that fosters growth across cultural, academic, and career dimensions.
CYCU’s Office of Student Affairs stated that the achievements of the two Indigenous students not only demonstrate their willingness to explore and put their goals into action, but also reflect the University’s continued commitment to holistic education and career empowerment for Indigenous students. Moving forward, CYCU will further strengthen its career support and guidance mechanisms for Indigenous students by integrating professional development, peer support, and industry resources. Through these efforts, the University aims to help students identify development paths that best suit them at different stages of their education, build the skills and confidence needed for the future workplace, and pursue distinctive career journeys grounded in both their cultural identities and professional strengths.
