APSA provides a meaningful space for students to grow and develop as global citizens. As the 2017 APSA Summer Program Director, I observed the transformative power of the Summer APSA experience. I not only saw students bonding as a supportive family, but each student grew individually throughout the summer as they were challenged to take risks, use language, and present themselves professionally to numerous audiences. APSA brings together a full experience for students to truly challenge themselves in addressing not only their own futures, but their role as global citizens.
I am a supporter of APSA, assisting with a large survey of their alumni after hearing about the organization through friends and colleagues. I feel that APSA was one of the first organizations in the study abroad field to capitalize on the increasing public attention towards the future of US-China relations and use this attention to enable under-served students to gain intercultural understanding and language skills through study abroad. The passion and ambition of APSA's alumni testify to the fact that it provides transformative, educational, and fun learning experiences. As APSA diversifies and expands I am looking forward to seeing what's next!
As a 2018 APSA alumni I can wholeheartedly say that APSA has impacted me in so many ways. I was able to travel, and experience a different culture. APSA has helped me discover things I didn’t know about myself, and helped me see the good in my flaws. APSA is an amazing program.
Before APSA, I never really traveled outside of the East Coast. APSA gave me the opportunity to see what other parts of the world had to offer and encouraged me to study abroad and work overseas in the future. Along the way, I made so many professional and social connections with people from all different types of backgrounds and they really inspired me to be a more conscious global citizen.
I previously ran an arts non-profit in Beijing and worked with APSA while a group of students were participating in the China program. When I met the young women at the opening ceremonies of the dance program I was very impressed with their drive and maturity. When I saw their final showcase, I was blown away by how much they'd learned in just a few weeks. It was clear from hearing them talk about the program just how much of an impact it had had on them. I have great expectations for all of them. Unsurprisingly, when I met a few alumni who had returned to China at an event in Beijing, they were incredibly accomplished and doing great work in China, and it's so exciting to think APSA was their first China experience. APSA is a marvelous initiative that changes lives!
I was an APSA scholar in the summer of 2018. Not only was I able to further my language skills in manderin, but I was able to experience another culture and way of life. This program has given me the opportunity to expand my mindset and learn and practice global citizenship.
As an APSA 2017 scholar, the program was an amazing experience for me. It provided me with the great opportunity to improve my Chinese language skills and my knowledge of Chinese culture. Instead of a tourist or a traveler, the APSA program made me feel like a local, which gave me several chances to interact with Chinese people of various age groups and backgrounds. Along with the language immersion aspect of the APSA program, it expanded my horizon in regards to global citizenship and intersectionality. Despite being on the other side of the world, I learned that Chinese people were just like me and I were just like them. The lessons I learned and experiences I encountered made me a better, stronger person and made me more passionate about US-China relations.
Americans Promoting Study Abroad changed my life. I learned not only about the host country, culture, and language but also about myself and the person I want to be. The most impactful parts of this trip were, by far, the people that I met. I established lifelong friendships with the most inspiring and driven young people who supported me like family. My mentors and peers, both American and Chinese, taught me new things about China and the world every single day. The trip bit me with the travel and curiosity bug and drove me to continue my Chinese studies and apply to a different program to return to China the following summer. I was able to experience and see new things every day and fall in love with my surroundings. The organization was designed to create global citizens who want to make an impact on the world, with which it was wildly successful. Between classes, weekend excursions, and company visits I was never bored and constantly learning. However, there were some logistical and mechanical issues within the organization. I felt as though there wasn't enough support and information sharing prior to our departure, and correspondence was hard due to the time difference. Additionally, I felt as though things tended to fall through and everything was tentative. For example, my group never did any sort of community service even though we were promised it. I am aware that during the 2017 APSA China Scholars program, APSA was also running their first college scholars program and the administration was busy, but I still felt like some things should've been carried through. I'm proud that the organization continues to grow and expand and I'm so proud to have been, and still be, part of Americans Promoting Study Abroad. Despite difficulties with the program's mechanics, this experience was a once in a lifetime and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I'm grateful for it every day.
APSA helped me achieve my dream of studying abroad in 2012. I was only 16 years old and learned about the value of culture, language, and diversity. Language classes, volunteer work, and team building were the focus of my trip. Upon returning from the 6-week program in Beijing, I knew I wanted to focus the remaining of my high school years on international relations, leading me to a political science and international relations track in college. With the support of APSA, I returned to Beijing as a 21-year-old and learned valuable lessons about professionalism and business. I am a recent college graduate who has found employment in the realm of travel and I have been using my knowledge of the importance of diversity, journeys, and team building to help me every step of the way.
Through APSA I have learned to grow out of my comfort zone and get a better view of the bigger picture that is the world starting with my first trip to China. The organization continues to inspire me to internalize and continue practicing beinn a global citizen. Maintaining an advisory role has allowed me to mentor and help other fellow American young scholars pursue their passions and overcome common challenges that we all face in today’s globalized society.