Student Profiles

Kaylen Duarte

Professional Fields:  Journalism & Chinese

Hometown: Warwick, Rhode Island

Activities/Affiliations:  I am a news reporter for URI's student newspaper, "The Good 5 Cent Cigar." Writing for the "Cigar" provides career experience and an opportunity to meet new people in my field.

Why Chinese?  Why not Chinese?  Due to its economic advantages and the challenge inherent in mastering it, Chinese is one of the fastest proliferating and most in-demand languages in the modern world.  Besides this, I feel that learning a language utterly different from the Western languages I am accustomed to has taught me many valuable lessons about diverse cultures and traditions.

Career Goals:  I hope either to work independently as a freelance document translator, or to find a career as a professional interpreter in the field of international journalism. In addition to Chinese, I plan to become fluent in French and Spanish.

Melissa Holdgate

Professional Fields:  Globall Business & Chinese

Hometown: Nantucket, Massachusetts

Activities/Affiliations:  Member of Sigma Delta Tau

Experience in China:  I have been to China twice, the first time I went to Hangzhou, the second time I went to Shanghai. Two summers ago I studied Chinese in Hangzhou at Zhejiang University for a month. This experience was wonderful. I really enjoyed the friendly and relaxed environment in Hangzhou. Hangzhou is a city built around a lake, it is very beautiful and green for a city. The cuisine often includes fresh seafood and is always light and delicious. This past summer I studied abroad for two months in Shanghai at East China Normal University. While I was studying in Shanghai I lived with a host family. This was an amazing experience. Through living with a Chinese family I greatly improved my Chinese language skills as well as learning a lot about the chinese culture. Shanghai is a much larger international city but I loved the atmosphere. Not only did I get the opportunity to improve my Chinese I got the chance to meet people from all around the world. 

 

Most Helpful: The most helpful resource Flagship has provided me at URI is my personal tutor. I meet with a Chinese student twice a week to work on my Chinese. Together we do everything from watch chinese movies to study for my exams. This resource has been extremely helpful in my goal to become proficient in Mandarin. 

Why URI and Flagship?: I decided to come to URI because it is a great university. The student body is very diverse. I also like the fact that it is very close to the beach. I choose to be a part of the Flagship program because it offered me a great opportunity to learn a new language while studying abroad and getting to see the world. 

Clubs & Activities: I am part of a sorority named Sigma Delta Tau. I joined my sorority to meet new friends at URI as well as participate in many philanthropy events to help the less fortunate. I am also a member of The National Society of Collegiate Scholars. This is a academic honor society that offers many scholarships and other academic opportunities.  

 

Top 3 Favorite Things About the URI Area:

1. Near the beach

2. The campus is very beautiful

3. Relatively close to Providence and Newport

Advice for Prospective Students:

        Prospective students should know that URI is an wonderful school with many opportunities for students. It is a very diverse school so everyone will find a place where they belong. The Flagship program is an amazing opportunity for students who want to become global professionals and want to learn a new language which will be extremely valuable once you graduate. 

Andrew Champagne

Professional Fields :  Biology & Chinese

Hometown:  North Smithfield, Rhode Island

Favorite Class at URI: Chinese

Most Helpful: Honestly, the entire staff has been great. Dr. Wen Xiong and Hu Laoshi are both fantastic teachers that are willing to push the students that have potential. Though not my teacher, Erin Papa was willing to work with me behind the scenes to allow for my experience in China to be a little extraordinary. As far as I am concerned, everyone involved in this program at URI deserves an award.

Why URI & Flagship?  It should be obvious. I did my research before coming here; I picked this school over other schools in the area because of the well organized and intensive Chinese program offerings. Other members of my family, my three siblings included, have gone abroad for studies, but none of them have had programs as streamlined and structured as this one. They all had visa and funding difficulties and various hoops to jump through. This program handles all of that for you.

Top 3 Favorite Things About the URI Area: 

1. It is a thirty minute drive from downtown providence and a twenty minute
   bike ride from the beach.
2. The air is fresh and the surroundings are green.
3. Close to my family. Close to home. I need that at times. I'm a family person.
   

Ai Chang Guo

Professional Fields:  Fashion Merchandising & Chinese

Hometown:  Middletown, Rhode Island

Activities/Affiliations:  I am part of the Asian Students Association on campus. Being part of this club it allows me to interact with other Asian students that are on campus and I can meet many other people that are interested in Asian cultures as well.

Why Chinese?  I have always had a deep interest towards Asian cultures, especially Chinese, since I am Chinese myself.  I was born in China, but I grew up in America in a town where I am limited to interact with my culture.  Taking Chinese allows me to learn more about my culture and to learn the language that is being spoken by millions of people.

Career Goals:  In my future career, I would like to build upon the friendship between the United States and China. I would like citizens from these two powerful countries to understand more about one another so we can help one another whenever one is needed. As for my personal career goals, I am hoping that I will gain more knowledge about China’s culture and bring my speaking level to the highest level.

Andy Rithiphong

Professional Fields:  Accounting & Chinese

Hometown: Woonsocket, Rhode Island

Activities/Affiliations:   I am a proud member of the URI Outing Club. We do all sorts of outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, kayaking, climbing, and experiencing the natural environment. During my last year at URI, I am planning to take courses in animal studies to be more familiar with wildlife issues.

Why Chinese?  I enjoy learning languages and plan on learning more in the future. Chinese represents a strong challenge in acquiring such a difficult oral dialect, with a writing system completely different from my own. I enjoy a challenging language and ever since I began studying, my interest in the language continues to grow. Learning a language in general is very beneficial in one’s life, as it can lead to career opportunities, as well as provide personal benefits.

Career Goals:  I plan to work as an accountant in a global firm where I can continue to use my Chinese. I would also like to study French and German, enabling me to travel to different countries, hopefully working for a period of time as an accountant/auditor in Europe, Australia and South America. There is also a possibility that I might rear towards nature and wildlife studies in my long-term future, ideally finding a way to integrate business, language and the environment.

Patrick Slavin

Professional Fields:  Marketing & Chinese

Hometown: East Greenwich, Rhode Island

Activities/Affiliations: URI Honors Program, Resident Advisor, VP of URI American Marketing Association, Member Business Student Advisory Council

Why Chinese?
China holds a prominent position in the global economy and is poised to improve its position in the years to come.  This being the case, I feel that fluency in Chinese will give an advantage to those seeking to do business on an international level.

Career Goals: I hope to be able to use my Chinese and marketing skills in a job that will allow me to travel and have in-person contact with clients.

Sarah Wood

Professional Fields:  Ocean Engineering & Chinese

Hometown: Springfield, Illinois

Activities/Affiliations: International Engineering Program, IEP Staff Assistant

Why Chinese?
When I first came to college I didn't start taking Chinese right off the bat. I knew it would be great to learn a new language and even to one day become fluent in a new language, but I couldn't decide which would be best for me. When I was younger, I thought speaking Chinese would be fun because it was such a happy language, so I told myself I would take Chinese. After my first week or so in college I went to see Erin Papa, and she convinced me to take Chinese. So I borrowed her books and went to class the very next day. Now here I am writing Chinese, speaking Chinese. Even when it gets tough, you know that one day you will be rewarded. I didn't really pick Chinese for a special reason, but now that I have started there is no turning back.

Career Goals: I know that I want to somehow help people and the environment through my two fields of study, ocean engineering and the Chinese language. I hope to be able to travel around the world, being useful in whatever seems to come my way.

Joanna Ying

Professional Fields:  Biology & Chinese

Hometown: Sturbridge, Massachusetts

Activities/Affiliations: Asian Student Association

Why Chinese?
I wanted to reconnected with my roots and culture.  And I thought that by learning Chinese, not only would I learn the culture, I would also know another language and another point of view on world issues.

Career Goals:  I hope to major in both biology and chinese so that I may be able to conduct research in both countries, that way my choices are endless.