Enjoying the Constant Opportunity to Learn
Name: Abigail Copeland
Home Country: United States
Current Degree: Master of Arts in International Studies (MAIS)
Degree: Undergraduate: University of California, Berkeley
Not only do I learn through my classes and peers, but the ability to live in China and proximity to other Asian countries is an invaluable opportunity...I am continually stimulated and inspired to learn. It’s a really special environment like I’ve never experienced before.
How did you start learning Chinese and become interested in China?
I have been learning Mandarin for about 10 years. I started learning it in middle school as part of my school’s foreign language requirement and quickly fell in love with it. The language made sense to me; I found it interesting, logical and stimulating, like a series of little puzzles. Even though I was quite young at the time, I had a strong feeling that I wanted to continue pursuing Chinese for many years, and I became increasingly curious about China as my language studies progressed.A major turning point came during my sophomore year of high school, when I started at a new high school that did not offer Chinese. I was disheartened at the prospect of losing my language skills and decided I needed to find a way to continue my studies. I discovered a special program that enabled select high school students to attend Indiana University concurrently. I took two –to three college courses a semester in Chinese language, philosophy, and history. It was such a unique experience to interact with people daily who had a shared passion for China studies at such a formative time, and it really accelerated my fascination with China.
I was also fortunate to be selected for the U.S. Department of State’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth program. This program is a competitive, fully funded opportunity for American high school students to increase their proficiency in languages critical to national security. As a result, I spent the summer of 2019 in Xi’an, which was a fantastic experience; I couldn’t wait to return to China after that.
The cultural exchange at the HNC is, in my opinion, unlike any comparable program. Everyone here is united by a shared passion for improving U.S.-China (and global-China) relations.
Tell us about your pursuit of China studies at UC Berkeley and your college experience.
I chose UC Berkeley for many reasons, but a huge factor was their top-tier Chinese program and proximity to Asia. Because I had spent three years at Indiana University, I had exhausted many traditional Chinese course offerings at most universities. Continuing to study Chinese at college was a non-negotiable factor for me and I knew I needed to find a program that was suitable for my unique needs. Berkeley’s Chinese program was wonderful because once I exhausted their traditional language sequence, I was able to take classes in Classical Chinese, read ancient Chinese literature, and even pick up a little Cantonese. While Berkeley’s Chinese program was great, I always looked forward to an opportunity to engage with more contemporary China studies focusing on economics and finance, which led me to the Hopkins-Nanjing Center.Can you share more on what led you to the Hopkins-Nanjing Center?
I found out about the Hopkins-Nanjing Center through former colleagues at the U.S. Department of Commerce affiliated with SAIS and the HNC. When Lauren Szymanski, the HNC Washington office director visited Berkeley, I had the opportunity to sit down with her and learn more about the program. I quickly realized the program was a great fit. I had reached somewhat of a plateau in my language learning journey and finished most of Berkeley’s Chinese language coursework. The next progression in my journey was to drill advanced professional and academic vocabulary relevant to my interests. I really liked the Hopkins-Nanjing Center’s emphasis on vocabulary related to contemporary economic and financial issues. Of course, the HNC is so much more than a place to improve language skills. Chinese is merely a vehicle to pursue graduate-level coursework in your domain of interest.How have you found the social scene at HNC thus far? How do you feel about the community?
The HNC community is lovely. I hail from a very large undergraduate population; I am used to being a self-starter and operating independently. It’s a nice change to be in such a close-knit program. That said, there’s a lot of freedom here to carve your own path and tailor your experience to your personal goals. It’s a great fit for me. The cultural exchange at the HNC is, in my opinion, unlike any comparable program. Everyone here is united by a shared passion for improving U.S.-China (and global-China) relations. I have learned so much from my peers.What is your favorite aspect of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center?
My favorite aspect of the program is the constant opportunity to learn. Not only do I learn through my classes and peers, but the ability to live in China and proximity to other Asian countries is an invaluable opportunity. Even on my daily coffee runs, I find myself conversing about inflation or global affairs in Chinese. Or during winter break when I was traveling around Southeast Asia, I was able to see China’s influence in countries such as Cambodia and Laos. I feel continually stimulated and inspired. It’s a really special environment like I’ve never experienced before.How was your experience adjusting to the Chinese coursework? Do you have any tips for future students?
The Chinese coursework is intimidating at first but manageable. In my experience, it just requires more active listening. When I take classes in English, I can often turn my brain off and passively listen, but you can’t really do that in a second language. I will never understand every word in a lecture, but as long as I have the major points, I consider it a success. I keep a dictionary out in class and will look up and write down words I don’t know. It’s always really helpful to compare talking points with classmates after class and fill in pieces of information I didn’t get.Ultimately, I’ve found a way of studying that works for me and decided what my language goals are. Everyone’s language background and goals are vastly different—so it’s important that you don’t compare yourself to others. My personal goal is to build upon my professional Chinese, so I enjoy doing a lot of self-studying and reading. In turn, that vocabulary eventually pops up in a finance or economics-related class. So, the language learning process is very holistic.
What are your professional aspirations? How has the HNC prepared you?
I have a background in finance and have previously worked on the trading floor at Standard Chartered Bank and Morgan Stanley in New York. I’ve worked with a lot of different asset classes, but I specifically recall my time working with Asian Foreign Exchange at Standard Chartered Bank as being quite formative. This was my first exposure to nuances of Asian financial markets, and I found it fascinating.My ultimate aspiration is to work in finance, preferably in a more fast-paced, somewhat market-facing role. My goal is to work with Chinese and other Asian financial markets. I will likely pursue roles in Hong Kong, where I can use Mandarin to serve clients. So, I’m currently working on making that happen, but I remain flexible and open-minded to opportunities that may arise.
The HNC has helped me to understand the intricacies of Chinese capital markets. I’ve had the opportunity to take several classes on China’s economy and financial system. Most of my coursework is in Mandarin and as a result, you quickly pick up technical and finance vocabulary. I never would have believed you if you told me I could talk about financial derivatives or fixed income in Mandarin a couple years ago.
If you could give one piece of advice to future HNC students, what would that be?
Take every experience you have, both positive and negative, as a cherished learning experience. You’re going to be challenged on a daily basis and will naturally feel occasionally frustrated, whether it’s with a communication issue, cultural difference, or difficult assignment. I try to take every hard moment as an opportunity to not only learn, but better myself. When I struggle, I know it’s ultimately a growth experience. It makes me happier in my daily life and my experience here all the more meaningful.If you are looking to learn more about what it's like to be a current student at Johns Hopkins SAIS, we encourage you to schedule a virtual appointment with one of our Admissions Fellows.
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