I was born in Beijing, China. I was three years old when my family immigrated to the United States and we lived in Boston, Massachusetts for a few years before settling in New York City.

I remember receiving a brochure and pamphlet in the mail about The College of New Rochelle during my college-seeking process.

I attended Bronx High School of Science and worked part-time doing everything a student can to make ends meet.

Truthfully, at first the reason was the money. CNR offered me one of the best deals financially I could find. But I was hesitant about spending the next four years of my life at a college based on monetary grounds, so I decided to visit all the schools I could afford to attend and see what they had to offer. I have to say that when I stepped on this campus during a Campus Visit Day, that did it for me. It was spring and everything was in bloom. The New Rochelle campuswas beautiful. Then I walked into this crowded room filled with prospective students and faculty, and I remember being able to sit down and speak with faculty members from all the departments. Wow, it was wonderful! Every professor was genuinely happy to meet me, to answer my questions, to help me decide what to study. Coming from a huge co-ed high school, the feeling of this small but filled college was extremely welcoming. It felt right for me to be here. I remember that on the drive home, I turned to my father and said, “Dad, CNR is the place for me.”

I’m a double major in International Studies and Communication Arts. My minor is Religious Studies.

Each professor I have had taken a course with, or have just conversed with through extra-curricular activities, has played a role in helping me decide who I am and what I can do with my life. But I must say two professors stand out the most for me:  Dr. Anne McKernan, Associate Professor of History, and Dr. Dennis Ryan, Associate Professor of Religious Studies.

Dr. McKernan is my advisor for International Studies, and I have taken a number of courses with her. She is the professor that will not take “no” for an answer and expects nothing but the best from each student. When assignments get harder and time starts to get short, she is never afraid to ask for more because she knows we can do it. She is often the reason for many of my sleepless nights, but at the end I am so grateful that she has been my professor, that she has pushed me to be my best.

As for Dr. Ryan! What can I say? I am someone who has never studied, or was never exposed to anything considered “religious” in my life until I came to college. Dr. Ryan sparked a curiosity within me about religionn so I couldn’t help but add religion to my course of studies. Dr. Ryan made me realize that I didn’t need to be affiliated with a specific religion to experience it. Our beliefs and hopes are our religion, and in order to understand who we are, we must first understand others.