Presenter Information

Yifan Wen, Colby CollegeFollow

Location

Diamond 223

Start Date

30-4-2015 10:30 AM

End Date

30-4-2015 11:55 AM

Project Type

Presentation

Description

There have been a rapidly increasing number of Chinese students applying and getting admitted into Colby in the past 14 years. According to 2014 Colby College Factbook, there are total 75 Chinese international students enrolling at Colby, which makes China the top 1 foreign country with the source of the largest proportion of international students for the continuous four years since 2011. Chinese group, as a unique and essential representative from the Asian country, has constituted a plural community to carry forward the diversity and inclusiveness of Colbys culture. However, the differences of cultural background as well as the weakness of language skills result in the difficulty of interaction and integration. My goal is to find out how Chinese students overcome hardship and identify themselves through the process of integrating and interacting. Unfolding Chinese students real life at Colby and their consideration of Colby community encourages domestic students and faculties to know more about this group. The research gives participants an opportunity to discuss their experiences, giving voice to a group that has been largely unheard. The result will benefit Chinese students as a group by providing current and future students with a framework for understanding their common social identities and experiences, and offering suggestions for how to better navigate their college education. It will also benefit Colby as an institution by providing references to improve international admission process, solve the problems that other minorities of international students meet, and significantly advance Colby to become an international-friendly institution.

Faculty Sponsor

Elizabeth LaCouture, Adam Howard (disc.)

CLAS Field of Study

Interdisciplinary Studies

Event Website

http://www.colby.edu/clas

ID

951

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Apr 30th, 10:30 AM Apr 30th, 11:55 AM

Outsider or Insider? Exploring the symbolic boundaries between Chinese community and domestic community at Colby College

Diamond 223

There have been a rapidly increasing number of Chinese students applying and getting admitted into Colby in the past 14 years. According to 2014 Colby College Factbook, there are total 75 Chinese international students enrolling at Colby, which makes China the top 1 foreign country with the source of the largest proportion of international students for the continuous four years since 2011. Chinese group, as a unique and essential representative from the Asian country, has constituted a plural community to carry forward the diversity and inclusiveness of Colbys culture. However, the differences of cultural background as well as the weakness of language skills result in the difficulty of interaction and integration. My goal is to find out how Chinese students overcome hardship and identify themselves through the process of integrating and interacting. Unfolding Chinese students real life at Colby and their consideration of Colby community encourages domestic students and faculties to know more about this group. The research gives participants an opportunity to discuss their experiences, giving voice to a group that has been largely unheard. The result will benefit Chinese students as a group by providing current and future students with a framework for understanding their common social identities and experiences, and offering suggestions for how to better navigate their college education. It will also benefit Colby as an institution by providing references to improve international admission process, solve the problems that other minorities of international students meet, and significantly advance Colby to become an international-friendly institution.

https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2015/program/269