Check out how New Mind Educates on our 10 Year Anniversary
Program Updates
New Mind values growth and adaptation. Thus, it is with no loss of irony that we celebrate our 10th year anniversary in the midst of a pandemic and rising tensions between China and the US. Our values of educating, connecting, and giving are being tested yet validated as we adjust to the new climate.
This month, we celebrate New Mind’s specific goal to educate. Our definition of educate is inward-analysis and outward expansion, for knowing yourself deeply prepares one to more accurately judge and make sense of the world’s diversity. We hope you can briefly join us on this quick journey as we reflect on our past and the places we intend to go with this theme in mind.
UPP’s 2-week intra-campus orientation this year broke records with our 72 Net Promoter Score, and exceeded staff expectations with students pleading to extend its length. It would seem that our orientation’s pillars of teamwork and student-ownership over projects held up surprisingly well on the Zoom platform.
The formula was simple, the student body was divided into 4 teams who would work together to complete 3 projects of increasing complexity. The first was an edible derby, and the next two were group presentations testing students’ research, reading and presentation skills as they explored controversial topics surrounding American universities. Students so enjoyed the teamwork and personal choice in the projects they hardly noticed they were learning to synthesize opposing ideas and gain confidence in their debate.
UPP's online orientation lets student teams forge their own way
During synchronous meetings, teams would meet with a teacher who provided feedback on each step of their project. Rather than having to remember a lecture, students could directly engage with the teacher to receive personalized feedback live. This active learning style served as a warm introduction to a new style of learning in the US.
“We’re still learning how much traditional teaching we would do in a synchronous manner,” said Sarah Munro, UNCG Director. “The students had a 12-hour time gap from the teachers, and lectures can sometimes be disengaging online. That’s why we went with a back and forth synchronous and asynchronous classes.”
The orientation’s objectives were to build a UPP community and raise awareness of university expectations. Orientation gave them time to test their VPN’s and learn websites like Canvas and Moodle, therefore students could slowly build their way to the technological proficiency expected from them on day 1 for their online classes. With feedback indicating students felt very prepared for university standards, we are confident they will be able to manage this school year despite its new challenges.
Wake Forest program launches expanding school choice for graduate students
In 2018, New Mind piloted its first graduate student program which catered to a more mature student population and promised increased career support, academic focus, and cultural engagement. Unlike undergraduates, many Chinese graduate students intend to work coveted job titles within the U.S., and thus require adequate preparation for the cultural nuance needed to climb high among the ranks of their respective industries.
New Mind’s graduate program has received excellent feedback and given staff members a more accurate assessment of student needs. Thus, when in 2019 Wake Forest expressed a need for grad student recruitment and transition support, we were able to confidently secure a strong partnership between the two institutions. As of today our China team is actively marketing the program to China’s most sterling students.
New Mind and Wake Forest’s Graduate Honors Program will meet the same needs of other graduate students in our programs. They will receive support in their networking protocol, decoding cultural incidents, hone interview skills, and most importantly get comfortable talking about themselves. As students delve deeper in their education, their drive and focus increases. Luckily, Wake Forest’s outstanding array of on-campus activities, internships, and local connections provide ample opportunity for New Mind to cater a very specialized Personal Development Plan for these ambitious students.
We look forward to this partnership and can’t wait to see how these Chinese grad students contribute to Wake Forest’s already outstanding pedigree.
Cal Zheng for Student Spotlight
Challenge counselors are responsible for leading team meetings and keeping students accountable for their work. They play an incredible role in getting everyone on the team equally motivated and contributing, something Cal found to be quite challenging yet rewarding.
Thor Duryea, his advisor said, “He’s not only just focusing on himself but how he can help others, and solve problems with students. He found it so fulfilling he is now even considering being a teacher as a career path.”
It’s exciting to hear students expanding their horizons and preconceptions of what a career can be from their New Mind experiences. Students like Cal are what we imagined when we designed our programs to employ leadership and experiential learning. For him, education transcends schools and into the fabric of our culture, “I think education is not just about teaching knowledge, it’s more about how to be a good person, and how to think logically. These are the things a society needs. Add stability and stifle the crime in the cradle.”