From my childhood, I always wanted to become a war correspondent- to be able to report the war and write about the stories behind the scenes to the public. That was the time I first got interested in communication and journalism. As I grew up, I no longer wanted to become a war correspondent because of the cruelness and ruthlessness of the warfare. In the meantime, I found out that I am good at establishing relationships, conduct conversation, thinking about others and making decisions. I also pay close attention to social media, interpersonal communication, cross-culture communication, etc. These characteristics have set the foundation for my leadership philosophy and also made me take several COMM classes. These classes turned out to be my favorite classes so I decided to major in Communication during my Junior year.
Why International Studies major, particularly concentrate in Asia?
The main reason I want to study Asian Studies is because I want to know more about myself, the deep root of my identity, and also the Chinese relationship and strategies in the larger Asian community or in the global community. To be able to think back and look forward to future are the big themes I learned in the Jackson school of International Studies. To study history is simply not about memorizing what has happened- it requires a lot of thinking and processing and you will need to share your opinion- it might be different than what the professor or mainstream opinions are, but that is yours and your opinion is always appreciated. There is no right or wrong answer. This is the most attractive part of this major and I really love the Jackson School of International Studies!
What I am passionate about?
In the winter quarter of senior year, I grew interested in Environmental issues, partly because I took a very interesting Environmental class, but the main reason is that the environmental issues raised by the Chinese media have generated attention by the public but not one is able to come up with a solution, particularly under the Chinese political system. I understand that the problems of environmental issues in China are like a chain- each part is interlocked with the other and each part needs fixing. However, I hope I can at least contribute one part to this issue, either from advocating personal sustainability or getting involved with policy change. You can read more about the projects I'm doing in the environmental field in the Academic- Projects- Environmental Projects section.
Future plans
After graduate, I want to work for INGO for at least a year, and then I will move on to the graduate school for international studies or public administration/affairs either in United States, China, England, or Australia.