Back to School!

MAIS student Natalie Sammarco sent us an update from HNC now that she is back in Nanjing:

"So, we’ve been here a week and so much has gone on. The new students are really excited to be here and, from those I’ve met, they’re really enthusiastic about the classes and general atmosphere. As usual, we had orientation week, a basic necessity for those who are new because you need to learn about how to use HNC’s specific computer system, library system, where to go and who to go to for help. It’s a lot to absorb but the new students seem to been taking it in stride and I’m so excited to see them buzzing.

After orientation is ‘shopping week’, which means you can go to every and any class you wish to help you decide what to choose when you officially register. Even though I’m in my final semester (i.e. just writing my thesis, no classes), I wanted to check out a couple classes. Our professors are very cool and it’s nice to see them back in action after the break. They seem very hopeful about the term as well.

We had our kick-off talent show last Wednesday where our students, new and old, got to show off some of their skills. We had group games, skits (how did everyone get to know one another so well? We’ve only been here a week!-- that’s HNC), taekwon-do, a Chinese classmate rapping the Black Eyed Peas, and performances by a student band. It was really impressive and the entire school turned out for it.

Needless to say, the atmosphere hasn’t settled down into classes yet, but it will soon, in the coming weeks. Adding to the awesome-ness of ‘back to school’ is the weather in Nanjing. Above is a photo of the blue skies Nanjing has graced us with for more than a week now :-) So pretty."

Alumnus Profile: Chris Liu

Christopher C Liu
HNC Certificate '09/ SAIS MA '11 Five-Semester Option

Hometown: 
Matawan-Aberdeen, New Jersey

Undergraduate Institution and Major:
Peking University - International Politics

Favorite course at the Center:
Social Issues of China's Modernization with Professor Hua Tao

Center extra-curricular activities:
Basketball, Karaoke contest

Why did you choose the Hopkins-Nanjing Center?
To meet people with similar backgrounds - interested in understanding China and Asia from both a Chinese and Western perspective

What are you doing now?
I'm the Director of Business Development at ZeniMax Asia Pacific.  We bring Western games such as Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Doom, & Quake to China, Korea, and Southeast Asia.  We also seek out co-development/licensing opportunities and find investment opportunities in the Asian IT sector.

How did the HNC and SAIS prepare you for your job?
Game operations rely heavily on statistics which the economics classes I took at HNC and SAIS greatly assisted with.  On the business side, the experience at SAIS helped me understand the financial aspect of running a company. It goes without saying the linguistic abilities (Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese) and cultural understanding gained at HNC and SAIS gave me a huge leg up in the job vetting process.

2014 Application Now Open!

Our application for admission for fall of 2014 is now open!  For deadlines and requirements, please click on the tab above concerning the application process.  

Please note: The first step in the application process is the STAMP Chinese Proficiency Test.  For more information on how to sign up for this online test, click here.

In addition, you can get a head start on the application process by joining the online admissions chat taking place this Thursday, September 19th from 12:00 to 1:00 PM (EST).  Chatting with us will be admissions representatives Katie Brooks (HNC '09) and Lauren Szymanski (HNC '12).  Join us to hear alumni and admissions staff share firsthand experiences and valuable advice, and be sure to bring any questions you may have about the application, academics, or student life.  To participate, click on this link as early as ten minutes prior to the beginning of the chat and login as a guest.

 

HNC in the SAIS Student Government Association

HNC students in Nanjing are getting settled and participating in a week of orientation activities leading up to the first day of classes on Monday the 16th.  Five-Semester Option students now in DC, however, are well into their second week of classes.  HNC certificate alumna and SAIS MA student Margaux Fimbres is now the Nanjing representative for the SAIS Student Government Association.  Check out some of the activities that Five-Semester Option students have to look forward to during their three semesters in DC:




SGA Activities Fair

"Over the last three years, I have had the opportunity to learn about the many facets of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center, first as a Certificate student and then subsequently as an admissions coordinator in the Washington Support Office. This year, I will be transitioning to a new role as a master’s student at Johns Hopkins SAIS and I will also be representing the Hopkins-Nanjing Center community at SAIS on the Student Government Association (SGA).

This is the second year that the SAIS Student Government Association has had a Hopkins-Nanjing Center Representative and I’m excited to continue the progress that was made last year. As a representative, I am responsible for helping the Five-Semester Option students integrate into the SAIS community and will liaise with the HNC Washington Support Office to best represent the HNCers at SAIS.





SAIS Italian Dinner

The SAIS Student Government Association has already coordinated several events for the SAIS student body, including Orientation, a Student Activities Fair, and a Back to School party. We are also held an Italian Dinner for second-year students on Wednesday and several other events are planned for throughout the academic year, including a Halloween party, an International Dinner, a Mr. and Mrs. SAIS contest, SAISapalooza (student talent show), SAIS Olympics, and a Holiday party!"

Next Stop: Nanjing!

New students have just arrived in Nanjing for orientation and the returning students will be joining them soon.  In preparation, MAIS student Natalie Sammarco has provided some packing tips for China:

"It’s the end of the summer and time to head back to the Center for orientation (it’s this week!!) I am excited to see everyone who will be coming back and to meet our new slew of classmates! Going back to China for any considerable amount of time always gets me thinking about packing. You can only bring a couple suitcases and need to make sure those suitcases weigh 50lbs or under... How does one fit their life into boxes that size? We all do it, though. That’s what being Sinophiles is all about. :-)

Since I’m going to be over there for a bit of time without much access to American amenities, I always try to think of things I’ll miss while I’m over there and try to pack accordingly. I’ve put together a list of some items that I and some other expats have deemed 'pack-worthy' for an extended trip to China. The first three are my personal 'must haves':

1. Toothpaste: American-made
2. Q-tip brand cotton swabs: Other types and kinds are flimsy
3. Deodorant: It’s really expensive to buy over there
4. Pepto-Bismal, Anti-diarrheals, and a couple regimens of Cipro
5. Sleeping medicine: for the flight and subsequent jet lag
6. Multi-vitamins
7. Get a haircut before you go

The last item on the list was offered by a female expat and I have to agree with her. Many Chinese hairstylists aren’t skilled in the nature of cutting Western hair (yes, there is a difference :-) 

Next stop, Nanjing!!"

Meet Zach Valenta, American Program Coordinator at HNC

The Hopkins-Nanjing Center is pleased to welcome Zach Valenta as the American Program Coordinator.  Zach is not new to the Center community, however, having graduated from the HNC certificate program this past June.  Before attending HNC, Zach graduated from Penn State in 2010 with a degree in English, but it was an interest in comparative literature and a scholarship from the Confucius Institute that brought him to China.  In 2010 he moved to Dalian, where he studied Chinese until attending the Center for the 2012-2013 academic year. 

As American Program Coordinator, Zach provides administrative, clerical and program support to the American Co-Director and to the joint staff of the HNC.  This includes but is not limited to preparing student orientation activities, assigning rooms, managing Federal Work Study assignments, and coordinating arrangements for the use of HNC facilities.

HNC on the Road

HNC admissions representative Lauren Szymanski is in North Carolina today for the start of her first recruiting trip of the fall.  For prospective students in the south, see her schedule below and contact nanjing@jhu.edu for more information on specific times and locations.

September 3: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

September 4: Duke University

September 5: Wake Forest University

September 6: University of South Carolina
                  
September 9: Emory University
                            
September 10: Georgia Tech
                         
September 11: Morehouse College and Spelman College
                                                           
September 12: University of Tennessee
                             
September 13: Vanderbilt University
                              
September 16: Tulane University

For our travel schedule in other regions, check out the fall 2013 recruiting calendar here.  Be sure to check back often as it will be updated regularly over the fall as information sessions are confirmed.  We look forward to meeting you!