Young Achiever: Graduation!

By Steph Buckingham

With exams finally out of the way, Shanghai students are breathing a collective sigh of relief and starting to get psyched about the summer, making plans with their friends and family, returning to their home countries or going on long summer vacations. But for some students, there’s a whole new journey in store altogether…

It was a long time since I was a student at high school, but I remember the range of emotions I was going through then as vividly as if it were yesterday. The collective dread and anticipation of my exam results that would seal my fate as to which university I would go to, and what major I would be doing, laying out my path in the world as it were, towards adulthood.

And mingled with these emotions, yet another much rawer emotion of sadness, that seven years of my life with my closest peers was coming to an end, with many of us going off to pursue our various degree courses at opposite ends of the country. And so I can appreciate what an emotional time it was for students at Concordia International School last month, when on 19 May, 70 of its brightest students graduated, and celebrated the closing of one story - their youthful adventures at Concordia - and the opening of another, with all the excitement of the unknown just over the horizon.

And these school achievers are flying the nest even further, with many going on to pursue higher education opportunities at universities outside of China. Talk Magazine sat down with five of these brilliant students, who have excelled in different fields and asked them about looking backwards while moving forwards, reflecting on their school experiences and how this will help them in their aims for the future.

Name: Kevin Cheng

Accepted: Northwestern University, Illinois (USA)

Kevin played an active role in many of Concordia’s extracurricular activities, excelling in forensics (speech/debate competition) and taking part in the school’s model United Nations, as well as assisting in production at the school TV station.

It is therefore no surprise that he has keen interests in choosing a major which enables him to use his charisma and exert his extroversion.

“I am planning on majoring in Political Science and potentially [doing a duel honours] with another related subject. This is a field that I have been interested in and passionate about my entire life, and the courses that I loved and excelled in the most were Social Sciences/History and English. Many of the courses I took stimulated me to have increasingly deep interest in this path.

“I have also grown deeply attached to my extra-curricular activities at Concordia, and I will continue to pursue speech, debate, and related activities in university and beyond.”

Name: Edward Park

Accepted: University of Chicago, Illinois (USA)

Edward has opted to study a course that will enable him to have flexibility across his future job prospects. “Economics is an incredibly versatile major that is applicable to almost anything. I have fallen in love with and decided to major in it in college.”

When asked what influenced his decision, he replies, “It's hard to say one specific class or club has led me to choose this path. It's more about the holistic program that Concordia has provided for me to learn about myself and what path I want to take.”

Edward recognises that his attendance at Concordia has enabled him to gain a cultural awareness that will help him in his path. Despite the diverse background of his peers, he argues, “Concordia is such a tight knit community,” and adds that school excursions have also been influential in broadening his scope of thought.

 “The [school’s service] interim trips have opened my eyes to the lives of those less privileged and put a weight of responsibility on my shoulders to carry and alleviate for the rest of my life.”

Name: Angelle Ng

Accepted: Cornell University, New York (USA)

Angelle is very excited about her opportunity to study at prestigious Ivy League school Cornell. “My major will be hotel management. While my focus will be learning about business management in the hotel industry, I also look forward to taking classes at the other colleges.”

But she admits that her knowledge of hotel management was until only recently, pretty limited. “I discovered hotel management only a couple of years ago. Still, my love of travelling and of everyday interactions with classmates of different backgrounds [meant that] hotel management was a choice that came naturally.”

The diversity of her education meant that she was able to gain a broader scope into what she wanted to do with her life. “From the Student Ambassadors program to the foreign language program, I was given opportunities to develop leadership, effective communication, global awareness, etc., all of which are essential to the hotel industry.”

While she is excited about her next big step in the world, she is notably sad about moving on. “All students look forward to graduation, but it is only when graduation approaches, usually faster than we realise, that we recognise what we are leaving behind.”

Name: Louise Atadja

Attending: William and Mary, Virginia (USA)

Louise has decided that she would like to major in a medical field, either in kinesiology (the study of human movement) or in biological science. “I [was taking an] anatomy and physiology class which I enjoy[ed] because of the depth we go into about the human body.”

A keen athlete, Louise also adds that the time she spends with her physical trainer has helped mould her interest in this field. “Steph [my trainer] points and explains which muscle or area hurts; my interactions with her also attracted me to science.”

She sees this to have been influential in helping her to adapt as an expatriate kid to Shanghai as a whole. “The care that the teachers have [here] for the students, that doesn’t stop in the classroom. Most teachers when I'm injured will give me advice for running, and tell me about their own experiences. This has been very valuable because I feel that I have built personal relationships with many of them.

“I know that I'll miss the feeling that people give you here. The community at Concordia is very strong; we all support each other in our experiences whatever our backgrounds may be.”

Name: Alexx Lee

Attending: Johns Hopkins University, Maryland (USA)

Alexx has big aims for the future, and has chosen to pursue a degree in International Studies to broaden her understanding of the world, and its varying cultures, policies and social structures with a view towards working abroad. “Classes, especially writing and history, have helped me discover my passion for global studies and international relations,” she says.

“It’s my dream to someday run my own NGO. I’m also considering double majoring in entrepreneurial studies in order to further prepare me for my dreams.”

She recognises that this is no easy feat. “Academically, Concordia is very rigorous and has high expectations. There are definitely times where it seems like too much, but in the end it’s kept me focused and made me a better student.”

And this has been fully influential in her decision for what to do next. “My experience at Concordia has almost entirely shaped my future path but the one aspect that has shaped me the most is the focus on service here. It is because of these experiences that I now want to spend my life helping people.”