A group of New Mind students got to experience that technology first-hand and it was amazing! The clarity of the HD video, the eye-contact that the person in the video had with you, the crispness of the voices, and the experience of being in the same room with them was all beyond what any Skype or Face Time video was able to offer. Learn more about Cisco’s telepresence experience here.

The goal that Mr. Qian had for us that day was to give the New Mind students first-hand experience of the latest technology that Cisco is building. But we also learned about the empowering work environment that Cisco values; there is no time card to check in and out, there is no micro-management, you control what you do and you choose where you can be the most productive. 

This behind-the-scene experience at Cisco was one to remember. For some of the students, it was their first time walking behind closed doors and they were inspired to see that as bilingual students with cross-cultural experience, they can be an invaluable asset for a global company like Cisco. 

Here we go to Durham, the Bull City!

AMERICAN UNDERGROUND also known as “The Underground” is the dream place for emerging businesses. It is located in the American Tobacco Historic district, in Durham, NC.

During our recent participation in the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA) national conference in Washington, DC, New Mind’s Michael Chen learned that many organizations are trying to find out how to educate the next generation of global citizens. One of the influential leaders in this field is Dr. Tony Wagner, Innovation and Education Fellow at Harvard University. At the conference, Dr. Wagner said that the key in driving future job creation and economic development here in the US is by having a generation of innovators.  In a globalized world where knowledge has become a commodity, the primary purpose of education is no longer about knowledge itself, but rather about how we make use of that knowledge. Furthermore, in order to create innovators, three key aspects of education need to be revised: expertise, critical thinking skills, and motivation.  Among these aspects, motivation is the most debated among universities and educators.

These findings have been extremely enlightening to New Mind, as we strive to cultivate and inspire the next generation of global talent. In the past few semesters we have also realized that the most difficult part of our process is in instilling motivation in our students’ minds. However, we have done a good job by focusing on the real results of inter-cultural competence, campus engagement, and future leadership skills. Even though we don’t have the traditional sense of a classroom, and we don’t have precedents to fall back on, the level of feedback and engagement from our students has indicated the aspects that we’ve done right.  As mentioned often by Michael Chen, the founder of New Mind, “We have authentic, and trustworthy relationships with our students.” It is because of these foundations that we are able to have New Mind students realize their full potential, have a fulfilling life, and make a contribution to society.

Bridging cultural barriers can be a challenge, but through participation and celebration, New Mind students were able to understand what it means to have school spirit at NC State. As it was their first time witnessing such an event, the students were awed by the procession and preparation that was put into the floats. The music, which they identified with, the mascots asking for high-fives along the way, and the Wolfpack hands which were high in the air, all led up to the revelation that we love celebrating our school, our football, and our alumni.

As part of the New Mind’s focus on experiential learning, giving New Mind students the chance to experience mainstream culture first-hand has helped them understand and bridge cultural divides. And the best part of it all is that New Mind students want to create a float next year, and become one of the leaders at the NC State Homecoming parade!

This experience for New Mind students was not only important in developing necessary public speaking skills; it was also inspiring. One of the New Mind students, Vincent Jiang, said that it was “wonderful to see American people learning about my language and my culture just as much as I am learning about their language and their culture.” 

As excited as he and his peers were about seeing the Chinese classrooms in Cary Academy, the Cary Academy students were eager to have native Chinese speakers in their own classrooms. During Vincent’s presentation on the Chinese Zodiac, the Cary Academy students showed off their Chinese and impressed Vincent and his group with their knowledge of the Chinese language. After their presentation, the students were able to talk amongst each other and practice their Chinese and English language and even crack a few jokes along the way!

The success in this experience for New Mind isn’t in this one exchange alone, but rather in the development of a long-term relationship in which we, New Mind, can give back to our local community. We’ve invited the teachers from the local high schools to come to NC State and judge the New Mind students’ final presentations on their language and public speaking skills. There are also plans to repeat the cross-cultural exchange next semester. We hope to continue to engage our local community and build those lasting and mutually beneficial partnerships. If you would like to propose a new opportunity where we can work together for our students and for your organization, please contact us.

Thomas Wollman, Michael Chen, Grace Ueng, Sec. Keith Crisco, and Allegra Jordan attended the Harvard Club Event on NC-China cooperation.

With China taking active steps to engage with and develop collaborative and profitable partnerships with the United States, New Mind Education invites Chinese students to learn here in North Carolina. At the Harvard Club dinner on October 4th, our very own Michael Chen along with two other panelists, NC Secretary of Commerce, Keith Crisco, and senior executive at Quintiles, Thomas Wollman, elaborated on engaging and building those collaborative partnerships in China.

China has the fastest-growing middle class in history and is moving from an export-driven economy to a consumption-based one. Given this state, China has a need for new products and services within the global economy. New Mind is taking the first step in that direction by enabling Chinese students to experience the unique value that higher-education in the United States has to offer. We are giving the students the necessary tools to build sustainable and successful businesses. 

The second step in growing business partnerships with China is in facing limited resource challenges together. As the most populated nation in the world, China has a need for innovative solutions and is actively adopting new technologies. Michael Chen pointed out that when it comes to developing for those solutions, we need “new minds that are culturally aware so that we all can communicate and come up with solutions for a globalized economy.” By inviting students to learn here in the United States, we not only provide that cross-cultural learning environment, but we also plant the seeds for future collaborative partnerships with China.

By starting with education, New Mind can build pathways for companies like Quintiles, Lenovo, Ashley Furniture and others to find new minds that can tackle challenges with innovative and cross-cultural finesse!