Our Students

		OUR STUDENTS

What our Chinese alumni are doing

Julia Smith ’15
3½ years at Trinity, one semester in Beijing.
Majors: Chinese Studies and English
Currently: Applying for University of Texas at Austin graduate journalism program
“Learning Chinese language and culture has made me a better person overall. In a globalizing world, I hope to share the knowledge I've accumulated in order to improve people's understanding of China.“

Sarah Kaminski ’15
4 years in high school, 4 years at Trinity, 1 summer in Shanghai (Trinity's 2014 Shanghai Summer Program)
Major: Chinese; Business Administration-Finance; Minor: Economics
Post-grad: Ernst & Young-Risk Advisory, Houston Office
Comments: “Part of the reason why I chose to attend Trinity was because of the Chinese program. Studying Chinese at Trinity was one of my best academic experiences in college! I loved the small class sizes, how approachable and helpful all of my professors were, and I really enjoyed the Shanghai Summer Program. I really would not change anything about my experience taking Chinese at Trinity!“

Katy Kaestner '16
Chinese study: 3½ years at Trinity, one semester in Shanghai, one summer at Middlebury
Major: Chinese Studies and International Studies, EAST
Currently: Grant-writing intern, LiftFund, San Antonio
Comments: "Chinese and Asian Studies were pivotal in the formation of my studies at Trinity as well as the person I am today. Inherent in the study of a language is the need for a strong work ethic, a curious personality, and a growth mindset, all of which are exponentially affected when studying Chinese. I know that China will continue to effect my future for years to come."

Emerson Kokol ’14
3 years at Trinity, one semester in Beijing, 2 months post-study travel in China.
Major: Chinese Studies. Minor: Business
Currently: Marks, Paneth and Shron LLC, New York City, NY.
"Chinese played a distinct role in getting interviews and making me a valuable assest for businesses today. They know it takes a certain personality to study Chinese and be able to learn a new language and culture as different as China's. So, Chinese was invaluable in getting me to a path that leads to the International Business realm."

Olivia Steiger ‘14
Middlebury-Monterey Language Academy High School Summer Program, 4 years at Trinity, 1 summer in Shanghai.
Majors: Chinese and Music
Currently: University of Hawaii, Masters program in Asian Studies
“Chinese has positively impacted my global perspective. Not only has the study of Chinese at Trinity enabled me to appreciate my own culture, but it has also inspired me to continue to study Chinese.”

Rachel Maceross '15
3 1/2 years at Trinity, one semester in Shanghai, one semester in Harbin
Major: Chinese Studies and Business Administration
Post-Grad: Mentor at Tung Hai University in Tai Chung, Taiwan
"Studying Chinese has given me many opportunities to travel, learn about new cultures, and expand my world view. It's a unique skill I plan to maintain and am excited about where it takes me in the future."

Justin Campbell ’13
4 years at Trinity, one semester in Beijing, one semester in Shanghai.
Major: Chinese, International Business, and International Studies
Currently: Live and work in Yunnan, China.
"Chinese is not an easy language to study, but nothing worthwhile ever is easy. Studying Chinese will test your patience and dedication at times but if you weather the doubts, you will find that Chinese is one of the most worthwhile investments you will ever make if you want to live and work in China."

Katie Baier ‘13
2 ½ years at Trinity, 10 months in China (Beijing and Harbin)
Major: International Studies (East Asia) and Chinese Language; Minor: Political Science and Math
Currently: 2nd Lt. in the Air Force
“My study of Chinese resulted in a complete alteration of how I view the worldas an Air Force officer. I strongly believe my study of the Chinese people and language prepared me to be a more well-rounded and experienced member of the military.”

Caitlyn Davis '13
4 years at Trinity, 1 summer in Harbin
Major: Chinese Studies
Currently: Academy of Art University
“My Chinese studies really opened my eyes to world politics.”

Troy McKinnon ’10
4 years at Trinity, one summer in Beijing
Major: Chinese, Computer Science
Currently: Software Engineer, GlobalsSCAPE San Antonio Texas.
"My Chinese study has increased my understanding and appreciation of the world and openness to all cultures as a whole as well as allowed me to befriend some of the nicest people I've ever met."

Claire Parnell ‘10
3 ½ years at Trinity, one semester in Beijing, one summer in Taiwan
Major: Chinese, Business Administration
Currently: Taiwan MOE scholarship to study at National Taiwan Normal University
“The study of Chinese language and culture has given me a deeper appreciation for both China and my own culture. Trinity did a great job preparing me for going abroad, and my study abroad experience taught me so many things I could never have learned in a classroom. I believe that Chinese will continue to serve a large role in my future endeavors, and I look forward to seeing where it will lead me next.”

Adan Gonzalez ’12
3 ½ years at Trinity, one semester in Shanghai, one summer in Hong Kong.
Major: Chinese Studies. Post-grad: Trinity University, Master of Arts in Teaching (Class of 2014)
Currently: Chinese teaching practicum at Lee High School International School of America, San Antonio, TX
"By learning Mandarin, I realized that foreign language education is a wonderful foundation for any endeavor. As a foreign language instructor, I hope to inspire students to change their perspectives of the world through language learning."

Edward Cartee '09
4 years at Trinity
Majors: History, Spanish; Minor: Chinese
Post-grad: National Taiwan University
"I expect that learning Chinese will open many doors for me in several potential fields."

James McLellan ‘10
3 ½ years at Trinity, one semester in Dalian
Major: Business Administration (Finance), Chinese
Currently: Employee, Omega International Group, San Antonio, Texas
“Learning Chinese truly opened a new world to me, and I’m grateful to the department for giving me the opportunity to study. China is the new land of opportunity, and a Chinese major is a key to a prosperous future.”

Marisa Calder, ‘10
3½ years at Trinity, one semester in Beijing
Major: International Political Science, Chinese
Post-grad: One year of work experience, then will be attending Washington University in St. Louis School of Law in 2011.
Currently: Studying Mandarin with the Critical Language Scholarship at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics; Internship at the U.S. Pavilion at the Shanghai 2010 World Expo.
"Happy that I decided to study Chinese, grateful that Trinity helped me all the way through! I think Chinese and my experience with another culture will undoubtedly benefit me in my future career."

Stephanie Buck '09
3 years at Trinity, one semester in Shanghai
Majors: Accounting and Chinese
Post-grad: University of Houston '10 - Masters in Public Accounting
To Follow: Audit Associate at Grant Thornton, Houston, Texas
"Studying Chinese was the best decision I made at Trinity."

John Folmnsbee ‘08
3½ years at Trinity, one semester in Beijing, one summer in Shanghai
Majors: BA in Chinese; BS in Finance
Currently: Consultant, Cerner Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri
“The Chinese program at Trinity has played a major role in shaping my academic experience and, undoubtedly, my life and career as well. Chinese will always serve as a distinguishing ability in today’s global economy, whether in the US or abroad.”

Bryan Degnan '08
3½ years at Trinity, one semester in Shanghai
Majors: Chinese, International Economics Minor: Philosophy
Post-grad: NYU's Draper Interdisciplinary Program in Humanities and Social Thought
"The issues that I learned about from Chinese and Economics at Trinity, as well as my time examining those issues first-hand in China, convinced me to pursue a graduate degree with which to help eliminate the vast and unnecessary misunderstandings between China and the US ."

Emily Carney ’08
2½ years at Trinity, one semester in Taipei, Taiwan
Major: Social Studies (Education), International Studies Minor: Chinese
Currently: pursuing a Masters in the Art of Teaching from Trinity
"Studying abroad in a foreign location really opened my eyes and will forever impact the way I teach Social Studies. Hopefully by the end of my class, all students will come away knowing how to say "你好!"

Danessa Litam ‘07
4 years at Trinity, 1 summer at Columbia University's Business Chinese and Language Program in Shanghai.
Majors: B.S. in International Business, B.A. in Chinese

Post-grad: 1 year at Fu Jen University in Taiwan on MOE scholarship.
“Learning Chinese has opened up a whole new culture that I never knew before and it has given me many opportunities that include studying and living in Asia. It has been a great experience and Ive enjoyed every bit.“

Sarah Hutt '06

4 years of Chinese, 1 semester at Beijing's Capital University of Economics and Business through Associated Colleges in China, 1 summer in Shaanxi researching water management through National Science Foundation

Majors: Political Science and Chinese

Post-grad: Attending Middlebury Language School then graduate school in International Relations.

"I cannot fully explain what amazing doors are opened to you as a Chinese speaker. Friends I've made, places I've traveled, and experiences I'll cherish could never have materialized without this skill to enhance and deepen my life goals. Seek the greatest challenge in language study and your efforts will repay you in countless ways."

Christine Grant '06
4 years Chinese, 1 summer at Columbia University’s Language program at Peking University
Majors: B.A. in Chinese and B.S. in Accounting
Post-grad: Pursuing a Masters in Accounting at University of Texas, Austin.
"The Chinese Program at Trinity has provided me with many job and educational opportunities, including the opportunity to visit China in the summer of 2005. Trinity’s Chinese program was a wonderful experience and I hope to continue my Chinese education in the future."

Jennifer Chun '06

3 years Chinese, 1 summer Associated Colleges in China

Majors: B.A. in Chinese and B.S. in Biology

Post-grad: Attending medical school at Pennsylvania State College of Medicine.

"I loved my Chinese classes and time abroad. It was great to have my Chinese classes to balance out my pre-med science classes. I would recommend Chinese classes to anyone."

Cristeta Smith '06
3 years Chinese, 1 summer Southwest University for Nationalities (Chengdu, Sichuan Province)
Majors: B.S. in International Business, Finance; B.A. in Chinese
Post-grad: Short term MBA graduate school summer program at Copenhagen School of Business.
"Learning Chinese was the wisest decision I've made. After traveling to China I discovered the endless possibilities that I can pursue--I'm currently interviewing with government agencies that specifically have interest in me because of my Chinese language capabilities."

Katherine Moose '05

4 years Chinese, 1 semester at Harbin Institute of Technology

Major: Chinese

Post-grad: National Taiwan Normal University

"My Chinese studies will enable me to participate in the contemporary, globalizing world through endless possibilities. The Trinity Chinese Program empowered me to pursue my dreams abroad and here!"

Libby Hugetz '05 4 years Chinese, 1 semester at Beijing Foreign Language University, Freeman ASIANetwork Faculty-Student Fellowship 2003, 1 year at National Taiwan University in Taipei. Majors: Chinese and International Studies Post-grad: Boston University School of Law.
"I discovered the Chinese program at Trinity as a freshman, and it has led me to places I never dreamed of seeing. The opportunity to observe China's fascinating transformations--politically, economically, and culturally--has been invaluable. I'm unsure as to where these experiences will lead me, but I'm sure that it will be an adventure."

Sam Michael ‘05

3 years Chinese, 1 year at Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan

Majors: Business Administration and Chinese

Post-grad: One year internship with industrial real-estate company ProLogis at their Chinese headquarters in Shanghai.

Currently: Senior Marketing Manager, Global Logistic Properties, Suzhou, PRC

"Thanks to my ability to speak Chinese, I am now able to communicate with 1.3 billion more people than before. Better still, half of those are female, 8 million of which are living in my immediate vicinity here in Shanghai. Learning Chinese has made possible an enormous array of experiences I would otherwise never have had."

Bianca Abate '05

4 years Chinese, 6 weeks at the Lee Shui Summer Institute of Lingnan University in Hong Kong with a scholarship, 1 month traveling China funded by the AsiaNetwork Freeman Foundation

Majors: Chinese, Spanish and Finance

Post-grad: Attending a year long Chinese language program at National Taiwan University, fully funded by the Taiwan Ministry of Education.

"I would have never predicted that I would one day study Chinese, but now I cannot imagine my life without it! If you want to be equipped with the right tools for an exciting international life full of promise and success, the best advice I can give is to take Chinese at Trinity University. The program and faculty are outstanding."

Kyle Brillante '05
3.5 years Chinese, 1 semester at Nanjing University, 1 summer in China courtesy of the Freeman Foundation
Post-grad: Received a Pre-emptive Fellowship to pursue a Master's Degree at the University of Texas at Austin in Women's & Gender Studies.
"Learning Chinese was by far the best decision I made at Trinity because it not only allowed me the opportunity to study abroad and conduct and publish research, but it also prepared me for graduate school."

Artie Merschat '05
4 years Chinese, 6 months at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan, 1 summer in China courtesy of the Freeman Foundation
Major: Chinese
Post-grad: received a fellowship to attend University of Notre Dame Law School "Chinese and the Trinity Chinese Dept. have opened up amazing opportunities for me I would not have had with another degree. They have enabled me to travel and study in China for free twice, and without Chinese I would not have had as much ease getting into law school. Trade with China is expanding exponentially and Asian international law is a field the Chinese dept. provides a solid foundation to study."

Caroline Healy '04
4 years Chinese, 1 semester in Beijing
Major: Business. Minor: Chinese
Currently: Several job prospects with companies doing business in China.
"Having studied Chinese makes you attractive to employers. China's economy is growing unbelievably quickly, and many businesses are seeking to establish operations in China or partner with Chinese companies. Studying Chinese will thus give you an edge over your competition and allow you to take an active role in international business ventures."

Jonathan Krause '04
4 years Chinese, 1 semester in Hong Kong, 1 year in Taiwan
Majors: Chinese and Business.
Post-grad: One year at National Taiwan Normal University, Mandarin Training Center. Currently pursuing the MA in Chinese at Harvard University.
"At Trinity you can concentrate in modern Chinese with business applications or pursue classical Chinese literature. When there are three Chinese professors to study with the sky is the limit. "

Erin Blankenship '04
3 years Chinese, 1 semester in Chengdu, Sichuan, PRC
Major: East Asian Studies
Post-grad: For one year Erin worked as an English tutor at Lingnan University in Hong Kong. The following year she received the Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship, a program that provides college graduates the opportunity to work in Washington, DC, with a public-interest organization focusing on arms control and international security issues.
"Chinese is challenging but one of the best choices I ever made, one that I continually benefit from. It is worth every ounce of effort one puts into it."

Adam Doyle '04
4 years Chinese, 1 semester in Beijing
Majors: Chinese and History.
Post-grad: National Taiwan Normal University, Mandarin Training Center.
"Studying Chinese should be a decision that does not require much effort to make. Whether you are planning to pursue a career in business or a career in the arts, Chinese lends itself perfectly to each course. Chinese history and literature are both challenging and fascinating to study, and the ability to speak Chinese is an obvious advantage in the field of business."

Kelly Pantuso '03
3 years Chinese, 1 semester in Beijing
Majors: Chinese and Business Administration
Currently: Kelly worked for two years for World Factory as International Product Purchasing Analyst where she traveled to China 3-4 times a year. She now works for Sears Holding Company as Sourcing Specialist for their Home Decor Line.
"I think having Chinese language skills can create many career opportunities, especially if combined with another major. Although Chinese is sometimes a challenging and demanding language, it is both exciting and rewarding."

Amy Jenkins '03
4 years Chinese, 1 summer at Monterey Institute of Int'l Studies
Majors: Chinese and Political Science
Post-grad: MA in Asian Studies at Harvard University
"Deciding to take Chinese was probably the best decision I made at Trinity. Chinese is a fun language to learn--I speak it every day now, and I hope I'll never lose it."

Benjamin Wells '03
4 years Chinese, 1 semester in Beijing
Majors: Chinese and Business Administration
Post-grad: Ben received a scholarship from the Taiwan Ministry of Education to attend National Taiwan University in Taipei. He is now pursuing a law degree at the University of Michigan.
"Studying Chinese has been a great way to feed my desire for the exotic. I have learned so much about a culture so different from what I am familiar with and in doing so better understood my own culture and myself."

Peter Shaffer '03

3.5 years Chinese, semester and summer in Beijing

Majors: B.A. in Chinese, B.S. in Computer Science

Currently: Working for Photonic Bridges in Shanghai.

"Taking Chinese is really rewarding. Not only is it interesting and different, but your class becomes a close knit group of friends."

Katie Karam ‘02
4 years Chinese, 1 semester in Beijing
Major: Chinese
Post-grad: 1 year of graduate study in Nanjing at the Johns Hopkins-Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies. Two years working for Cal Safety Compliance Corporation (CSCC) as a labor and safety consultant. Currently enrolled in law school at the University of Texas at Austin.
"Thanks to the Trinity University Chinese program, I can enter a factory and tell a manager I’m Chinese and he might believe me. I can also tell him off if he doesn’t want to listen to what I have to say.”

Laura Pierce '02
4 years of Chinese; Lee Shiu Summer Institute, 2000; Beijing Foreign Studies University (IES), spring 2000.
Major: Chinese and Political Science (International/Comparative Politics); Minor: Economics
Post-grad: English tutor at Lingnan University in Hong Kong, in 2002-03; afterwards, graduate school in International Relations.
"I have really enjoyed learning this language and all the opportunities that have come with it. The department is wonderful and all the professors are always willing to help in anyway they can. This major will provide you with the opportunity to learn a great deal about not only the language but the also the history and culture of China."

Matthew Keidan ’02
4 years of Chinese, 1 summer in Beijing
Major: Chinese, Economics, Finance
Currently: graduate school
"Try out Chinese, it is a great language and culture. The best part is that the Chinese department at Trinity is very tight and is almost like a little family."

Elizabeth Bolduc '02

4 years of Chinese; 1 month in Beijing, 1 semester in Harbin

Major: Chinese, French, International Studies

Post-grad: Tunghai Univ. in Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China. Currently teaching Chinese and French in high school.

"I knew before entering Trinity that I wanted to study Chinese, and the professors and classes there only made me more sure of my decision. Chinese has been a challenge and a joy to study, and it definitely has set me apart as both a student and on the job market. I would highly suggest this major to anyone not only for the great professors and interesting classes, but also because China, its language and culture, are among the most interesting and current topics a student can choose to study."

James Allbright '02
2 years of Chinese at Trinity; one semester at Beijing Foreign Studies University (IES) .
Major: International Studies (East Asian Concentration) and Economics
Currently: Entering the Army to attend the Defense Language Institute.
"If interested, take Chinese as soon as possible. Also, you should study abroad, no matter what your major."

Brian McCreary '02
4 years of Chinese at Trinity.
Major: Chinese
Currently: Lt. in the Air Force; will attend Intelligence Officer School summer of '02 at Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo, TX; planning to obtain masters in either Chinese or International Security Affairs in next 5 years.
"Chinese is the best language to study in college. Not only is Chinese language a practical skill to have when on the job market, but it also has the most interesting history and culture behind it, as well as some great professors teaching it. "

Rita Gonzales '02
4 years of Chinese @ Trinity University
Major: Chinese and Spanish
Post-grad: Pursuing a degree in Nursing at UTSA.
"I loved learning about Chinese language and culture. I love the way the Trinity Chinese department forms a close knit family. I feel that whatever career path I may take, my language background will be a plus."

Kevin Hughes '01
3 years of Chinese at Trinity
Major: History
Minor: Philosophy, Chinese
Post-grad: Columbia University School of Law, New York, NY.
"There is no question that one of the luckiest events in college for me was taking Chinese on a whim as a sophomore. The faculty is amazing, the classes are more than stimulating, and the people in the program are just the icing on the cake. If you are intellectually curious, have diverse interests, and want to understand more of the world than the view from the American lens, Chinese at Trinity is the most worthwhile investment of your time you can make. And if you want to start being all those things, there is certainly no better place to start."

Patricia Sharp ’01
3 years of Chinese, 1 year in Beijing
Major: Chinese and Bio-Chemistry
Post-grad: Baylor University School of Dentistry
Currently: Practicing dentistry in the Houston area
"Chinese opened the world beyond Trinity to me, and being abroad was the most influential, profound experience I had in college. I would recommend Chinese to anyone with a sense of adventure, and who is brave enough to cross the Chinese-American cultural gap."

Lynn Lyons ’00
2 years of Chinese, one semester in Australia, one summer internship in China
Major: International Business
Minor: Chinese
Formerly: Omega International Corporation, San Antonio, Texas
"My advice to you is to take Chinese in your first year. I did not start until my junior year. The company I work for is run by Chinese. They sent me to China for an internship program in 1999."

Vijay Iyer ’00
3½ years of Chinese, 1 semester in Beijing, 1 semester in Shanghai
Major: Chinese and Business Administration
Currently: Ernst & Young Consulting, Dallas, Texas
"The program at Trinity is excellent. In light of the sheer potential of markets in China, one should actually ask themselves why they are not learning this language? "

John Yates ’00
4 years of Chinese, one summer in Beijing, graduate of Hopkins-Nanjing Center in Nanjing, China, 2000-2001; Inter-University Program in Chinese Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 2003-2004
Major: Chinese and Business Administration
Currently: pursuing job opportunities with U.S. and Asian consulting and financial companies.
"One of the reasons I came to Trinity is because I know the Chinese program here is excellent."

Vivian Lee ’99
3 years of Chinese, one semester in Taiwan
Major: Chinese, French, and International Business
Currently: Ernst & Young Consulting, Houston, Texas
"Before going to Trinity, I never dreamed that I would learn to speak Chinese. Trinity offered a unique experience, and I seized that opportunity."

Melody Jill Eakins ’99
4 years of Chinese, a year in Taiwan, a summer internship at Swiss Park Hotel in Jining, China
Major: Chinese and International Business
Currently: 1 year as International Marketing Specialist, Compeq International, Salt Lake City
"Studying Chinese at Trinity has opened up worlds of opportunity that I never before imagined; studying Chinese has not solely enabled me to speak a beautiful language, but greatly enhanced my International business skills as well."

Brendan Maloney ’98
3½ years of Chinese, one semester in Taipei
Major: Chinese and English
Post-grad: Masters in journalism, University of Texas-Austin
"Don’t pass up Chinese because it SEEMS difficult. The grammar is simple and flexible; memorizing characters is time consuming, but that’s something that every foreign language requires."

Joshua Connally ’97
4 years of Chinese
Major: Chinese, Spanish, Anthropology
Currently: 1 year in the Beijing office of Los Angeles Times
"My goal is to pursue a career in international consulting, which allows me to work in an intercultural environment and use my Chinese and Spanish."

Gene Kuo ’96
3½ years of Chinese, one semester in Beijing
Major: Chinese and Economics
Currently: Anderson Consulting Co., Houston, Texas
"China IS the future. I’m studying Chinese primarily just out of pure interest in the language and culture, but in the back of my mind, I also believe that doing so will open up many opportunities for me later on."

Jason Sheets ’96
4 years of Chinese.
Major: Political Science & Chinese
Post-grad: Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College ’00
Currently: Imax Corp., Director of Business & Legal Affairs, Asia region, Shanghai
"To pursue a foreign language is to pursue an understanding of a culture and a way of life. Before long, you will find yourself fully emerged in a different culture and fully entrenched in a different way of life; your way of thinking totally revolutionized."

Stephen De Ment ’96
3½ years of Chinese
Major: Chinese and International Studies
Currently: Capital Acquisition, First International Computer, Austin, Texas
"I use my Chinese everyday, constantly communicating with people in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. My Chinese and International Studies experiences have made me an important asset to my company. My company is planning to send me to an MBA program. I just want to say that I could not have enjoyed this success without the skills I learned from you."

Elizabeth Pace ’95
3½ years of Chinese, one semester in Beijing, one semester in Taipei, one summer at Middlebury College
Major: Chinese and International Studies
Post-grad: Pursuing the MBA at Thunderbird American Graduate School of International Management.
"Chinese is such a versatile major. Whether you combine it with business, political science, or whatever, it’ll make you stand out among your peers."

Jennifer Richmond ’94
3 years of Chinese, one semester in Nanjing
Major: International Studies (East Asia concentration), Religion
Post-grad: Master's degree in Political Science at Johns Hopkins University; Ph.D. candidate in government at the University of Texas at Austin.Currently: China Analyst, STRATFOR, Global Intelligence, Austin TX."The Chinese program at Trinity is very respected by graduate programs across the U.S. I just received a National Security Education Program (NSEP) grant to study at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center in China, 2000-1."

Brendan Kelly ’94
3½ years of Chinese, one semester in Beijing
Major: Economics Minor: Chinese
Post-grad: University of Pennsylvania School of Law ’96
Currently: Partner, Baker and McKenzie LLP, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
"Chinese played a major role in my specific decision to go into law. The one thing that truly separates me from my classmates and colleagues is my Chinese ability."

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