Chapter Introduction
Nina Cheng currently serves as the current President of Global China Connection at Drexel University, where she is pursuing a major in Biological Sciences and a minor in Science, Technology, and Society. In her free time, Nina enjoys running along the Schuykill River, browsing secondhand bookstores, and exploring Philadelphia’s vibrant classical music scene. Nina will be graduating from Drexel this March and plans to matriculate to Drexel University College of Medicine for medical school in August 2020.
Events
At GCC Drexel, we strive to provide a platform for learning, connection, and exchange for our members through a spectrum of professional, cultural, and social events. We at GCC Drexel especially pride ourselves on our diversity and inclusivity; we boast a substantial student body comprised of international Chinese students, American-born Chinese students, as well as many non-Chinese students, all brought together by a shared passion for China. We truly believe that the wide range of backgrounds and perspectives that our members offer serve to not only set us apart from other Asian organizations on campus, but also furthers GCC’s ideals of interconnectedness, exchange, and growth.
At GCC Drexel, we host a variety of professional, cultural, and social events for our members. Some of our signature events include our annual Language Exchange and Mandarin Speech Contest, as well as once-a-term events such as our popular Mahjong Nights and Dim Sum Discussions.
One of our most popular events every year is our annual Language Exchange, in which we bring in students and/or faculty teachers to teach languages from all around the world. General members and students can stop by each language “station” (each language teacher gets his/her round table) to learn about the various languages and cultures, while also getting to enjoy a delicious dinner. Last year we featured eight languages at our event: Arabic, French, Hindi, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. This year, our Language Exchange will feature eleven languages, namely: American Sign Language, Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, French, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, and Spanish. Each year, this event draws up to a hundred student attendees.
Another popular event: GCC Drexel’s Dim Sum Discussions are our year-long speaker series, held once a term. At each Dim Sum Discussion, we bring a guest speaker, serve dim sum, and have everyone sit together at a round table for a presentation or discussion. In the past, we have brought presenters to campus to speak on subjects ranging from China’s role in international business to contemporary Chinese movies. Our most recent Dim Sum Discussion featured Dr. Dali Ma, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Management at Drexel University’s Lebow College of Business and researcher specializing in sociological studies of entrepreneurship, science, politics, and society in contemporary China. For this event, Dr. Ma’s spoke on the detrimental effects of gangster and mafia groups on small businesses in rural China in a talk titled “Decaying State: Crumbling Society, Elicit Violence in Rural China.” The room was filled with attendees, munching on siu mai and soup dumplings, and raising hands to ask the occasional question. GCC Drexel’s Dim Sum Discussions are always a great success, not just for the free dinner, but for the opportunity we provide to members to explore different facets of China’s presence and influence in the real world.
Brief History
Drexel’s Global China Connection chapter was founded by Lynn Marks and Dan Tedesco. Our chapter became the first chapter in Philadelphia/Pennsylvania (waiting on fact-check from Kate). Kate Latona-VP of technology on GCC Central’s Board is one of our notable members who has contributed beyond our local chapter.
Future Plans
As a rapidly growing organization on our campus, our chapter will shift its focus to spreading GCC’s message via various collaborations with different organizations. This will allow us to stand out as a prominent organization at Drexel, and this will help to diversify our membership. Furthermore, due to our growing base, we are also devising several methods to more efficiently engage with our various GCC Drexel Alumni.
