Where are you from?
I was born in Fuzhou, China, but then was adopted and raised in Bend, Oregon.
What drew you to history as your field of study?
As someone who’s familial history is not obtainable, I find that history can connect us to ourselves in ways that are hard to describe and understand. Hearing about past events and putting yourself in that situation is enticing to me and to think about how it affected things afterward is fascinating. I see history as a never ending story and I love a good story.
What has been your experience as a student of both the College of Liberal Arts and the Honors College?
Through the College of Liberal Arts, I get to meet so many other students in different fields that may seem kind of random but they all can collectively come together and work together to enrich the learning experience.
Especially when I talk to other liberal arts students in the Honors College. When conversing with them, there’s a mutual understanding that we may be in a field that is not seen as “worth it,” but we still feel that we have something to add. The Honors College also allows me to talk to individuals who have an intense interest in their field of study and I find those conversations to be exciting because you really see that these people truly want to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
Have you started your honors thesis? If yes, what’s the topic and/or focus of your research? If not, are you considering any ideas so far?
I have not started my honors thesis yet, but I do have many ideas of what I might want to do. I think the main one that has stuck with me the most is to look at Asian interracial adoption and how their stories fit into the Asian-American narrative. As a Chinese adoptee myself, this topic hits close to home for me. I have always felt that my circumstance is what sets me apart from other Asian-Americans and has prevented me from feeling connected to my culture. Leaving me stuck between two cultures that I don’t fully fit into; a feeling I know many other Asian adoptees share.
This topic is especially relevant right now as China’s government has recently announced that they are ending international adoptions. While this announcement causes a lot of mixed emotions and thoughts, this chapter of China’s history has come to a close and it’s time to do what historians do best; analyze the heck out of it. I want to try to share my story while also uplifting other Asian adoptees’ stories so that this event is not pushed to the side and dismissed as a bad memory. I am not sure exactly how I am going to do that, but I am hoping to find a mentor who will work with me and help guide me towards my goal.
What have been some of your favorite classes taken?
I have two classes that come to mind; both of which were in the honors section. Last fall I took Writing 121HZ and what I really liked about this class was the amount of open discussion we had about writing. I was amazed at how comfortable I was with a seminar format because I am naturally a shy person. Yet as the term progressed, I became more comfortable adding to discussions which then led me to become more comfortable with writing. This class was very helpful in terms of helping me build confidence in both writing and discussion. Plus, this class had a variety of majors and perspectives that enriched the discussions.
The second class was from last winter term, which was Botany 101H. I struggle with science classes a lot but this class was the most stress free class I have ever taken. The professor was relaxed and provided great instruction. The labs were also simple and stress free. Because of the relaxed environment, I felt more interested in the content and felt like I retained more of the material. I could go on about the fun honors colloquia classes are, but I found that these Bacc Core classes that were in the honors section were surprising in that they enriched my learning experience without causing massive amounts of stress and anxiety (and we all know the honors colloquia classes are super fun).
What are you hoping to do after you graduate?
I hope to go onto graduate school and continue my historical studies so that I can go on to pursue a doctoral degree. This is a path that no one in my family has ever tried, so I am anxious about the uncertainty of how to get there. But I am determined because I believe that I have something to say and add to academia.
How do you feel that your experience in CLA and HC is setting you up for success?
My experience in both of these colleges have brought me more confidence in what I am studying as well as my ability to do it. Confidence to me is part of what helps you through challenges and helps you succeed because if you lack the confidence you’re either not going to persevere at all or it’s done halfway, and that is not who I am. I have also gained valuable interactions with people in these colleges that have added to my knowledge while simultaneously making connections within the colleges. Having connections makes me feel included and connected to the university better, which makes the overall college experience better. Another big help to my success are my advisors. I feel that my advisors in both the College of Liberal Arts and the Honors College listen to me and my goals and are just as determined to get me there. They have answered my stupid questions as well as some hard ones. I don’t feel afraid to ask them about anything. Overall, I feel that these two colleges have set me up for success both academically and socially.