Fall 2014 Project Pengyou Leadership Fellow, Tammy Tian, shares her experiences from the Leadership Training Summit and how it helped her build her capacity as a cross-cultural leader. Tammy helped co-found the Project Pengyou UW-Madison Chapter, which is now two years running and has had many successful events and programs, including their own for-credit cross-cultural dialogue seminar.

“I walked into the Harvard lecture hall alongside 39 other Project Pengyou Leadership Fellows with no expectations. It was only the second time this Leadership Training Summit was running, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.

We started off with a discussion about our understanding about the U.S. – China relationship, listing the stereotypical views we thought Americans might have toward China and Chinese towards the US: Communists vs. War-mongers. Dog eaters vs. racists. But as we got deeper into the session, pauses grew longer and our thoughts ran deeper. We began to chip away at the surface and we quickly discovered more similarities between the two countries in the common struggle for humanity. 

We realized that China is somebody’s home, just as the US is our home. 

For me, a critical part of this summit is becoming aware of my own experiences, the people around me, and how it all fits into the bigger picture of US-China relations. It is reassuring knowing that you’re not alone; there are people that have been through the challenge of facilitating cultural exchange before you and with you.

Having a positive view of China is not mainstream; often it feels we’re working against the current. Having this community of Pengyou leaders across the globe went far beyond my expectations. When I need support or advice, there is always a friend or mentor willing to reach out a hand.

The Leadership Training Summit gave me the tools to build a network which focused on both dialogue and action to improve the way we facilitate cultural exchange at UW-Madison.

But most of all, the Summit gave me the opportunity to keep dreaming about a better world, and to make those dreams a reality.”

Want to gain the confidence and leadership skills to make a difference for US-China in your community? Read more about the Leadership Fellows Program and apply to join us at the Leadership Training Summit this Fall at Harvard! You can also see the recap and photos from our last Summit in Fall 2015 here: Fall 2015 Recap, Fall 2015 Photos.

There are still 4 days left before the August 26th application deadline: APPLY NOW!