The Class of 2016

Chen Shihuan is a graduate of Sun Yat-sen University where she double majored in Chinese Language and Literature, and Sociology. She volunteered for the Feminist Spring Society, where she gathered oral histories and conducted interviews on the sexual and reproductive health of middle-aged women. Her observations led her, together with other volunteers, to write and put on a play to educate the public about domestic violence. She wants to use the arts to create conversations about gender equality and domestic violence, as well as to help marginalized groups in China. 

Dai Gaole is a recent graduate of Yali High School in Hunan, China and will be joining the Class of 2020 at Yale University this fall. He ranked among the top 10 in the China Think Big competition, an innovation challenge run by Harvard University. His team developed a portable sensor capable of measuring levels of PM2.5, particularly dangerous air pollutants. The device connects to smartphones, and he is currently using it to crowd-source information in Changsha in order to map pollution levels in different parts of the city. He is interested in finding ways to leverage technology to address environmental problems. 

Li Yingyu is a junior at the University of International Business and Economics. She has interned at Didi Chuxing, a Chinese ride-sharing app, Accenture, an international business management consultancy, as well as at the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation. She provided consulting services for a number of Chinese NGOs through A Better Community (ABC), an organization that brings skills from industry professionals to Mainland Chinese NGOs. She also contributed research and writing to several reports on the state of volunteerism and fundraising in China. She wants to strengthen philanthropy in China. 

Ma Xing is a recent graduate of the School of Journalism and Communication at Renmin University of China. He supervised volunteers for the “Youth Ambassador Program for Minorities” at the TECC Association (Technology & Education Connecting Cultures). He also co-founded a social enterprise called “Folk Art Speaks,” which aims to preserve the heritage and handicraft traditions of Chinese minority groups. Xing brings a keen interest in the issues faced by minority groups to the program. 

Zhuo Yaqin is a sophomore at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies where she studies at the School of Finance. She worked at an organization that offers educational services to rural Chinese youth. There, she managed volunteer teachers, designed curricula, and taught lessons on sexual and reproductive health, as well as general education classes. She also started her own program where she uses toys to foster an interest in physical education and the arts in children. She is inspired by the potential education holds for improving the livelihood of rural communities.