Testimonials & Success Stories

Since its opening in 1986, world events have made the mission of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center more vital every year. In a world of increasing globalism and explosive growth in technology and communication, the relationship between the United States and China will remain a key determinant of world stability, development and prosperity. The Hopkins-Nanjing Center equips Chinese and Americans to better understand each other, an imperative for cooperation into the future.

1. "When I graduated from college, I knew I wanted to use my academic background in China studies and apply it in a professional world. However, I was not sure how to best acquire a more practical understanding of China's current economic, political, and social situation. The Center bridged the gap between academia and the professional world."

Margaret K. Lewis, 97-98 Legal Assistant Coudert Brothers Beijing

2. "The first couple of months, I thought I was going to die, spending hours getting through readings for classes, but it really gets a lot easier. If you are serious about studying about China and going beyond simply the language aspect, this is the place for you. Certainly your language improves, I think that every person has had marked language improvement. But if that's only what you're looking for, this may not be the place for you because we go a lot further than that here."

Todd McKean, 92-93 Director of Labor Practices, NIKE Guangzhou, China

3. "For everyone who has found Chinese study-abroad programs lacking in breadth and depth, the Hopkins-Nanjing Center is different; not a language program, it is a place to solidify Chinese language gains. The unique combination of a demanding curriculum as well as intensive interaction with Chinese students enabled me to feel comfortable addressing issues ranging from industry to Mao in Chinese in any forum, whether it be classroom discussion or an oral business presentation."

Niclas Ericsson, 96-97 J.D. Student Harvard Law School

4. "My experience at the Center has been an important part of my growth as a scholar in Chinese studies. Learning how the Chinese package and replicate their knowledge of history, economics, philosophy and politics has been an invaluable lesson for me."

George Brown, 86-87, 88-89 Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science Slippery Rock University

5. "I wanted a program that would help improve my Mandarin in a short period of time. Nanjing Immersion provided exactly that and more. HNC and CET's superb Chinese instructors, modern facilities and a carefully structured curriculum emphasizing practical usage created the ideal environment for me to make dramatic improvements in my fluency. I could not have chosen a better program."

Thomas Chan Summer 1999 CITICORP, Hong Kong

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6. "Even at the best institutions in each country, I can feel the strong biases people have about each other. The strength of the Center lies in this very point. It provides a unique opportunity for people from diverse backgrounds to live together, communicate with each other, to try to put their feet into the other's shoes. In retrospect, the Center has helped so much in enabling me to become intellectually mature. I am certain that it is the very best institution I have ever attended."

Tian Qunjian, 87-88 Ph.D. Student Department of Government, Cornell University

7. "The Center's good name helped me get interviews with some tough prospects. I managed to arrange an interview with every agency I called up, and they were the big ones. I obtained an internship at TIME magazine over winter break. Colleagues knew of the Center or had met people in the field who'd graduated from the Center. It's a pool for China hands, regardless of how much we all detested that moniker."

Karen Richardson, 97-98 Journalist REUTERS Singapore

8. " In my view, a year at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center is an indispensable part of building a successful career in China-be it in business, journalism, diplomacy, or other fields. A year at the Center can help you make the contacts and hone the skills that give you a collective edge over your competitors. Many of the key players and rising stars in companies and embassies throughout the Mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan have a common tie: they are Hopkins-Nanjing graduates."

James Heller, 91-92 Vice-Consul U.S. Embassy Beijing, China

9. "From what I observed, the Center encouraged American students to work very hard on their Chinese, to negotiate a Chinese-style educational system and to create close relationships with Chinese peers. I have lived in other foreign students settings - Beida for example - and the Center is clearly superior on all of these fronts."

Sam Crane Faculty 88-89 Department of Asian Studies Williams College

10. "The year at the Center has greatly enriched my life, both academically and personally. On an academic level, the work I did in the field of finance - in particular on the securitization of mortgage loans in China and the impact of China's entry into the WTO on the banking sector - made me keener than ever to develop a sound understanding of the Chinese financial sector. At the same time, the wok I did on the development of China's legal system gave me a better sense of the radical legal reforms that need to be made if China is to continue to develop its economy and its society."

Daniel M. Freeman, 99-00 Corporate Analyst China Investment Banking Lehman Brothers Hong Kong

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