Amid fierce market competition in the consumer security industry, a young Shantou University alumnus has risen rapidly to stand out. He is Su Zhihao, a 2022 graduate majoring in Electronic Information Engineering, currently Senior Supervisor of the Hardware Product Department at Guangdong Hongshi Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. From a fresh graduate to a project manager overseeing annual shipments of tens of millions of units, he completed a three-leap career progression within three years, vividly embodying Shantou University’s educational philosophy of nurturing talents who are ambitious, knowledgeable, persistent and accomplished.

Recalling his campus days at Shantou University, Su Zhihao believes the most valuable asset his alma mater gave him was not merely frontline technical knowledge, but an innate ability to teach himself and the courage to put theories into practice.

“Some say a clock measures time, but at Shantou University, the Bell of Truth serves as a spiritual compass,” Su Zhihao recalled affectionately. The bell tolled upon enrollment to urge students to seek truth; upon graduation, it reminded them to live up to truth. This mental transition from "knowing" to "doing" was deeply reinforced during his graduation project.

Back then, he was stuck for more than ten days by a malfunctioning Bluetooth module driver. Guided by Teacher Shi Yi, he realized: “No matter how complex the theories are, start hands-on work first, then work out solutions based on real problems once hurdles emerge.” This habit of prioritizing practice over empty speculation laid the groundwork for his rapid career growth later on.

Besides, Teacher Cui Yan’s Flipped Classroom benefited him tremendously. The student-centered teaching model, oriented toward enabling students to teach others, pushed him to proactively identify and resolve problems, greatly sharpening his logical thinking and communication skills.

In 2022, Su Zhihao joined Guangdong Hongshi Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. as a Product Assistant. Faced with brutal price competition in the consumer surveillance industry, he did not flinch but quickly immersed himself in frontline work.

With solid professional foundations and a diligent work attitude, he swiftly mastered product performance and development frameworks, earning recognition from the whole team.

In 2024, thanks to his unique insights and coordination capabilities in supply chain management, he was promoted to Supply Chain Supervisor, in charge of peripheral material development and quality control, making notable contributions to the company’s cost reduction and efficiency improvement.

In 2025, still in his twenties, Su Zhihao received another promotion to Senior Supervisor of the Hardware Product Department. He took charge of multiple product projects, coordinating resources to guarantee on-time delivery.

Within just three years, he grew from a promising newcomer to a transformative manager, and finally to an independent department leader. Beyond rank advancement, he delivered remarkable results: overseeing solution and brand product lines with annual total shipments exceeding ten million sets, and winning numerous honors including Excellent Employee and Management Progress Award.

As a young department manager, Su Zhihao holds a clear perception of the industry. He pointed out that rising prices of raw materials such as memory chips and copper, together with growing quality awareness among end consumers, have rendered the low-price-only competition model unsustainable. The industry is shifting toward branding and high-quality products, raising higher requirements for practitioners’ comprehensive capabilities.

Against this backdrop, he developed a unique "translation" philosophy: “What enterprises truly value is your capacity to translate ideas into actionable outcomes.”

Looking back on his short yet fulfilling professional journey, Su Zhihao shared: “Do not fear mistakes; analyze the situation calmly before making bold decisions.”

He believes universities cannot equip students with every piece of specialized knowledge, yet they teach people how to learn. He advised students to identify their strengths, seek help from teachers and peers, and continuously deepen their expertise. Meanwhile, he encouraged everyone to embrace mistakes: “Only by showing your shortcomings can you motivate yourself to improve; pretending to know what you don’t will be seen through instantly. Seeking truth and asking questions when confused is the long-term rule for surviving and thriving in the workplace.”

Though only a few years out of campus, Su Zhihao always keeps the College of Engineering of Shantou University close to his heart. He is grateful for the thorough cultivation from his alma mater and the earnest guidance of his mentors, noting that the university’s “theory plus practice” training model shaped his pragmatic, adventurous work style. “The college’s emphasis on hands-on capabilities, engineering thinking and practice-oriented training aligns perfectly with what industrial employers demand from engineering graduates,” he said sincerely.

He offered sincere advice to current students: “Sometimes the core skill university imparts to you is self-directed learning. After entering society, enterprises value your translation ability — translate user demands if you work in technology, translate strategic targets if you take up management roles. Cherish your campus time, spend more hours in laboratories, master theories solidly, and actively participate in research and practical projects.”

As a renowned enterprise in the consumer security sector, Hongshi Intelligent consistently offers R&D internships and campus recruitment positions to Shantou University students, building a talent matching bridge between university and enterprise to help graduates secure high-quality employment.

Starting from a single resistor and wire in STU’s laboratories, Su Zhihao is now building an intelligent security network serving global users. Armed with the confidence nurtured by Shantou University, he strides steadily toward his future amid the broad landscape of intelligent manufacturing.

Launching the alumni feature series "Mark of STU Engineering" is a vital initiative for the College of Engineering to carry forward its spiritual heritage and unite forces for development. Since its founding in 1981, the college has cultivated alumni across all walks of life. They tackle tough challenges on frontline engineering projects, achieve breakthroughs at the cutting edge of scientific research, and dedicate themselves to grassroots posts, embodying the engineering spirit of concentration, rigor and innovation through hard work. By collecting and presenting these scattered success stories, the college turns the struggles of senior alumni into spiritual beacons inspiring current students, helping undergraduates draw directions from the growth paths of role models around them.

Furthermore, "Mark of STU Engineering" serves as an emotional bond linking the college and its alumni. The feature series lets alumni feel the care and recognition from their alma mater, while building a platform for resource sharing: alumni enterprises can carry out industry-university-research cooperation with the college to convert research findings into industrial driving force; entrepreneurial alumni can provide internship opportunities and startup guidance for students to pass on experience. This two-way interaction boosts alumni career development and injects new vitality into the college’s disciplinary construction and talent cultivation.

In addition, "Mark of STU Engineering" acts as a window showcasing the college’s educational achievements and elevating its social influence. When alumni take core responsibilities in major engineering projects and win honors in technological innovation, their accomplishments stand as the most powerful proof of the college’s high-standard talent training quality. By promoting these achievements, the college can attract outstanding prospective students, expand cooperation resources, further implement the dual-college collaborative education and holistic education covering moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic and labor education, and cultivate more high-caliber engineering talents for industrial development in Shantou and the whole country.