Hopkins-Nanjing Center Blog

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 hop...

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 ...

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 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 A...

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-wor...

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 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...