On International Women’s Day, March 8th, 2016, Jenny (Wang Xiaoyan) who graduated from Hwa Nan in 2009, came back to our college for a visit. We were very proud to learn that she is now at Harvard University as a Research Fellow. During her visit, she received a warm welcome and gave a speech to a large group of students. Her return raised a great deal of discussion among students, especially those in the Applied English Department. What amazing success she has experienced! While people were saying congratulations to her, they were curious about how she did it.
Wang Xiaoyan gave a speech to students
Wang Xiaoyan in Hwa Nan’s new campus
Wang Xiaoyan entered Hwa Nan in 2006 as a student of the Applied English Department. After graduation she had the opportunity to go to Morningside College to finish undergraduate courses and graduated in 2010 with a BA Degree. Wang didn’t stay in America. Actually she chose to be a teacher in a training institute in Fuzhou as her first job. Even though Wang did well as a teacher, there was a dream in her heart to become a modern business woman. In order to make that dream blossom, she resigned and found a job as a salesperson in a company in Xiamen. It was not long before she was promoted to supervisor of all sales personnel. But she still wanted her own company so because of her diligence and intelligence and completing the complex paper work procedure, three years later Wang became a business woman. Her company mainly provides three aspects of service: 1) to help overseas buyers to optimize the supply chain, 2) to provide a third party inspection for overseas buyers, and 3) to provide professional solutions for product design. In order to pursue overseas customers, Wang often travels by plane. In 2015, when she was in America, she heard that Harvard University needed a researcher and she worked around the clock to apply. One month later, a miracle unfolded when she received a call from a professor who needed her China business expertise. Now Wang has her own Harvard business card, Harvard ID card and works as a researcher and at the same time runs her own company by phone and email.
Wang Xiaoyan’s success is not just by chance. Even students attending Tsinghua University cannot finish the application to become a Harvard researcher within one month. Besides good luck, we can see that Wang’s unfailing diligence plus her personal insistence to work hard has translated into success. Actually she showed these same determination qualities as a student at Hwa Nan.
No complain and no excuses! Wang made a goal while at Hwa Nan to learn English well. She left her dormitory at 6 a.m. to begin her morning with her ‘English practice routine’, attend classes then practice more English and would get back to the dorm by 10 p.m. to sleep. Wang’s basis of English learning was to spend time everyday reading and listening to English on tape. She often talked to foreign teachers to observe and imitate ways of pronunciation. Besides, she always went to English corner and also took part in all kinds of English skills competitions.
Wang took part in English skills competitions
Practice is as important as knowledge. Different from most students, Wang didn’t go back to her hometown during the summer holidays. Instead, she worked for an English training institute; first as an assistant, then an English teacher, and then as a director of teachers. She improved her skills and made progress step by step. While her English became better and better, she earned tuition for the next year as well as gaining teaching experience. In 2009, Wang had the good fortune to be able to study at Morningside College. During her life at Morningside College, Betts, a Hwa Nan foreign teacher, helped her a lot. Actually, when Wang was studying at Hwa Nan, Betts had been her best friend and teacher. Before Wang took part in a speech contest, she would ask Betts to help her correct pronunciation, intonation and work on the content of her speech. It was Betts who told Wang that she should apply to study in Morningside College never dreaming she would end up at Harvard University years later.
Wang Xiaoyan and Betts
“Betts is as a mother to me”, Wang said. “It is Betts who taught me to be brave, be active and to pursue my dream. It is Betts who keeps me passionate, principled and determined in everything I do.” The Harvard professor could see these characteristics and decided to take her as his research assistant. Wang feels very grateful and continues to work hard and learn as much as she can in the process. She does some charity work to help others by donating books to those who need them and helping struggling students with food and meals. She feels this is one way to repay for the good fortune she is experiencing.
Wang’s deeds and ever growing success have inspired lots of people especially the students of Hwa Nan. May she meet even more success in the future!
