Program: Hopkins-Nanjing Center Certificate '18
Hometown: Newtown, Pennsylvania
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Pennsylvania State University ’16, Economics, Chinese
Fun Fact: I was born in the United States, but my parents are Polish. I moved to Poland when I was two years old, so my first language was actually Polish. I moved back to the U.S. when I was 10 years old; that’s when I first learned English.
Tell us about your undergraduate experience. How did you become interested in China Studies?
In undergrad, I first chose economics as a major because I was interested in the subject matter. The main reason I started learning Chinese was because first, everyone kept telling me that economics and Chinese go well together and second, I really wanted to learn a third language, and everyone talked about how impossible it was to learn Chinese. I like a challenge, so I thought, if it is impossible then I’m going to learn it. I began taking Chinese language courses my freshman year of college.
Why did you choose the Hopkins-Nanjing Center?
After graduating from Pennsylvania State University, I worked for a year. My job at the time had to do with technology. On the one hand, I’m glad I had that job because it taught me valuable lessons in business and grew my interest in the technology industry. On the other hand, it was also driving me crazy that my job had nothing to do with China. I spent four years learning Chinese, and the fact that I was not growing in my China-focused goal felt like I was stalled. Every time I even saw a picture of someone in China, I felt this envy inside of me and knew that I needed a change in my life. I applied to the Hopkins-Nanjing Center because I knew it was the next best step. When I talked to Lauren Szymanski, Deputy Director of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center Washington Office and an alum of the Certificate program, she spoke to me of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center’s uniqueness and how it is unlike other graduate programs in China. I had previously done a language program in China and only knew what language programs were like: the structure of classes is the same for everyone, and language is the main focus. At the Hopkins-Nanjing Center, not only do students have the ability to choose their own schedules, but more importantly, the subject matter of the courses is very specialized. I liked that I could choose to specialize in economics, government, Chinese studies, etc. I also liked that there was time to get involved in extracurricular activities, such as starting your own interest group.
Tell me about one of your favorite classes.
My favorite class this semester is Professor Feng Chuan’s Comparative Chinese-American Legal Cultures class (中美法律文化比较). As you can tell by the name, the class deals a lot with law, and I have never taken any sort of law class before. I think the class is really interesting, and the Professor really knows a lot about the topic. I really like the concepts he talks about during class, such as law’s influence on the foundations of America and China. I think in order to understand anything, you first have to understand its foundation. I really like the Elon Musk quote which says, “It is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree – make sure you understand the fundamental principles, i.e. the trunk and big branches, before you get into the leaves/details or there is nothing for them to hang on to.” I always try to live by that concept, so I think that Professor Feng Chuan’s class helps me in that way, by helping me understand the foundation, because law has so much influence on the foundation of a country.
What are your summer/post-graduation plans?
My biggest goal is entrepreneurship. In the future, I want to start my own company. I have been working towards that goal, even while I have been here at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center. This semester, I have traveled around China to talk to local manufacturers and spent time learning about the importing process from China to America. For example, I took advantage of some free time over spring break to travel to the Guangzhou Canton trade fair to establish professional relationships with suppliers and manufacturers in China. For work in the more immediate future, my main requirement is that the job has to be involved in some way with China. As I mentioned earlier, what I liked least about my last job was that it didn’t have anything to do with China. I am striving for interesting work that will grow my expertise on China on a global scale and will allow me to continue learning Chinese.
Any advice for prospective Hopkins-Nanjing Center students?
My biggest advice for students coming to the Hopkins-Nanjing Center is to get out and step off the beaten path. My best memories, experiences, and lessons are from those times that I stepped out beyond the classroom and immersed myself in the outside world. One of the unique things about the Hopkins-Nanjing Center is that although we spend a lot of time studying for class, students still have plenty of time to go exploring. Many language programs in China that most students have done before do not give you much free time. When you are in one of those programs, that is all you are doing. Students at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center have freedom and time to get involved in other things. It’s such a great thing because it really allows you to flourish outside of the classroom. So, while in Nanjing, my advice is to go out, start or join an interest group, work on a random personal project that has to with China, and simply take advantage of where you are.
Sum up your Hopkins-Nanjing Center experience in two words:
“Enlightening” and “Involved.” “Enlightening” in that we take classes in Chinese dealing with international politics and international economics, among others. So, you are not only improving your language skills, but you are also really learning a lot in various subject matters. “Involved,” in that you can get involved in so many extracurricular activities. I co-led the yoga student interest group and helped organize the Halloween party this year, which gave me a well-rounded experience.
Interviewed by Emily Rivera, Certificate '18