Hopkins-Nanjing Center Blog

 Susan Wang is a graduate of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center Certificate in Chinese and American Studies '16. She currently resides in both Oakland, California and Boulder, Colorado, working as a Solutions Architect for LanguageLine Solutions.  How did you become interested in China and what drew you to the Hopkins-Nanjing Center? My parents, especially my Dad, were always extremely supportive with my studies, and suggested I declare linguistics at the University of Colorado-Boulder. My undergraduate majors were Chinese & Linguistics, and I studied abroad in 2009 at Peking University for a year during a post-Olympics Beijing. A year later, I interned with 100+ American college students at the US Pavilion in the 2010 World Expo: Shanghai. A few months after undergrad, I ended up teaching Mandarin at Fairview High, which also happens to be where I attended high school. Over the next three years I worked to bring stability and structure back into the Chinese program there, but as ...

Lauren Barney is a graduate of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center '16 and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies '17. During her time in Nanjing, Lauren was one of the international student representatives for the HNC's class committee ( 班委) . She is currently a Foreign Affairs Officer with the U.S. Department of State.   This interview is conducted with Lauren Barney in her personal capacity. The views, opinions, and statements expressed in this interview are those of the individual and do not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. government, or any of its affiliated agencies. This conversation is intended solely for informational and educational purposes. How did you find yourself at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center? I was studying Chinese and political science at the University of Pittsburgh, and I was searching for a strong graduate program where students could spend time in the PRC. HNC was the perfect opportunity for r...

Ceramics classes have always been a way for me to unwind and get lost in the process of creating something with my own two hands. Upon coming to Nanjing, I wanted to find a new studio and use the experience to branch out into the city. I was lucky enough to experience two sides of ceramics in Nanjing: DIY activities made for a one-time experience, and professional studios of students majoring in ceramics. This blog delves into my personal experiences with ceramics and the community in Nanjing as well as my plans to continue my involvement in the future. Taking a DIY Ceramics Class  To kickstart the studio-finding process, I spent several days searching on 小红书 x iǎo hóng shū (a C hinese equivalent of Instagram) as well as on 百度地图 b ǎidù dìtú (a Chinese equivalent of Google) trying to find a convenient and accessible studio. I quickly learned that experiencing ceramics here is a bit different. Unlike the weekly class packs and set studio hours I’m used to in the United States, many ...

The Sumerians of Ancient Mesopotamia established the first well documented government in human history, as they systematically ruled over their city-states with kings and religious leaders. Over 4500 years later we see a world organized by government entities from top to bottom, and educational institutions are no exception. So, what does this look like at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center? This blog introduces how student governance works at the HNC and the current student leaders in office. Orientation is a whirlwind of new information, but an exciting time as you get to know your classmates, professors, and staff. Halfway through orientation elections are held for the positions of 班委 (Bān wěi). This position roughly translates to class committee, which is made up of four members who act as student representatives that meet with the administration. Their main roles are the planning of student events, tackling of any student issues which may arise, and relaying crucial information from the ...

When I first became interested in studying abroad in China, I was not thinking about the practical side of my daily life. In the United States nut allergies are very common and restaurants typically do not use peanut oil or are specific about allergens on their menus. In China; however, this is not always the case. I have a peanut allergy, which impacts how I can go out and consume food in China. However, though my allergy is something I now have to think about in my daily life here, it is manageable with a few tricks. This week's blog explores some useful considerations to staying safe with allergies.  1.                     Know how to say your allergen correctly!  The Mandarin characters for peanut are 花生 [huā shēng] and to express my allergy I say “ 我对花生过敏 .[w ǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn] ” You can say “ 我对 [insert allergen] 过敏 .” Make sure you are pronouncing this correctly and get t...

Let the fall 2024 semester begin! Hopkins-Nanjing Center students recently arrived on campus for orientation, and are already exploring all of the sights (and food) that Nanjing has to offer. There's nothing like the annual hike up Purple Mountain to start the semester off right! Students pose for photos in front of the new welcome banner. The hike up Purple Mountain begins! Posing for a group shot after making it to the top.  Discovering the culinary delights of Nanjing.  The opening ceremony officially kicks off the start of the academic year. 

Some HNC programs require prior Chinese language proficiency, while others do not. Applicants to the Master of Arts in International Studies, Certificate, Certificate + MAIR or Certificate + MAIA programs must demonstrate intermediate to advanced Chinese language proficiency at the time of application. Prior language proficiency is not required for the Master of Arts in International Relations or Master of Arts in International Affairs programs.  To apply for any HNC program where Chinese is the language of instruction, you must provide Chinese reading and listening proficiency test results from one of the following language assessments: STAMP, HSK, ACTFL, CEFR, or ILR. Test results must be from within the last 12 months, and available for review before the application deadline. If you have not yet taken any of these tests, you can request to take the STAMP test via the  online application .    Should I even bother taking a language assessment? How could I possibly b...