Hi everyone! My name is Emily Rivera and I am currently pursuing the HNC Graduate Certificate in Chinese and American studies. I am originally from Miami Beach, FL and this is my second time in China. After deepening my interest in international relations during my first year at Hamilton College, I decided to begin learning Chinese my sophomore year and well, here I am! I graduated from Hamilton College in 2016 with dual concentrations in Government and Chinese.
Last year, I lived in Honolulu, Hawai`i where I worked as an AmeriCorps Advocate/Paralegal at the Legal Aid Society of Hawai`i. I was so excited to be able to use my Mandarin speaking skills to directly communicate with clients and to help translate during meetings with attorneys. I chose the HNC because of the intensive language and cultural immersion aspect. It has been a blast getting to know my roommate, my peers, and my professors. I am currently helping co-lead the Yoga student group and am actually involved in two Moot Court Competition teams. Having recently gone through the HNC application process myself, I know the value of having a knowledgeable mentor to guide students through the critical decisions that lead to the Hopkins-Nanjing program. I hope I am able to offer useful advice and support!
Alexandra Hansen; HNC Certificate ‘18大家好! My name is Alexandra Hansen, and I am a current Certificate student at Hopkins-Nanjing Center. This past May I graduated from Kenyon College (’17) where I triple majored in Chinese Area Studies, International Studies and Asian Studies. Although I was born in Irvine, California, I actually spent my formative years in Beijing and Singapore.
I first found out about the HNC during my sophomore year at Kenyon. I was immediately drawn to the opportunity to further develop my Mandarin skills and cross-cultural fluency. By November of my senior year, I knew that the program would be the perfect next step towards a career in Sino-US relations. Now that I am studying at the HNC, I can attest to how unique and valuable this experience is.
This semester I am taking four classes including, Chinese Foreign Policy, Anthropology and Chinese Studies, Critical Developments in American History and, US and China: A Cross Cultural Dialogue. In addition to taking classes, I am also heavily involved outside of the classroom. In addition to being a Student Admissions Worker, I am also involved in a sports mentorship group for girls in Nanjing and the Price Media Law Moot Court Competition team.
I am very excited to be working with the admissions office. In this position, I will be giving you a glimpse into the HNC life and supporting you through your application process!
Ben Miles, MAIS '19Hello! My name is Ben Miles, I am a first-year master's student at the HNC in the international politics concentration. I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Southern California where I took a keen interest in Chinese politics and culture. While at USC, I spent a year abroad at Peking University focusing on Chinese language and international relations. The time spent at Peking University laid the foundation for my time here at the HNC.
So far, I have discovered that the HNC is truly a unique place that attempts to blend together two very different perspectives and create an environment where Chinese and international students can come together and critically analyze themselves and each other's academic traditions. By critically analyze, I mean we can participate, discuss and engage in important dialogues that mirror those of our leaders and the world. Thus, the HNC is truly a place that prepares the next generation of innovators, leaders and great thinkers!
The mission of the HNC is what brought me here. Traveling to different lands and learning different methods of communication has always been a passion of mine. This is why representing the HNC on the blog is an important component of my time here: I can communicate this experience to potential students or people who are just curious about what we do!