Works of St. Olaf’s Chinese Majors Accepted for Publication in Journals – St. Olaf College

St. Olaf College Chinese Majors Jodie Clay ’23 and Ling O’Donoghue ’21 will debut in undergraduate publications this year.

taking the class Chinese 320: Food and Language in Chinese SocietyClay wrote a review of his favorite restaurant in an article titled “数一数二的鼎泰丰 (Ding Tai Feng – The World Famous Restaurant).” In the piece, she highlights the vibe of Ding Tai Feng, noting that customers can watch their soup dumplings being made right in front of them, and shares what she orders there. His essay will be published in the 2022 issue of JUHE 居荷副刊 supplement, a well-known undergraduate writing magazine in Chinese as a foreign language to promote language learning.

“I thought to myself, ‘There are so many applications, how is my essay on my favorite restaurant going to be selected?’ says Clay, noting that she was extremely happy to learn that her essay had been selected. “I think they really felt my passion for my favorite restaurant.”

Growing up, Clay spoke Mandarin Chinese with his Taiwanese mother, but she never studied it in school and couldn’t write in the language until she went to St. Olaf’s.

Studying both Chinese and IT, Clay hopes to pursue a career in Taiwan Semiconductor manufacturing company (TSMC). She says the opportunity to explore a variety of interests at a liberal arts college allowed her to discover her passions.

“It’s very common to have a double major at St. Olaf, which made me believe it was possible to be a double major even though they’re in two very different fields,” says Clay. “Major in Computer Science and Chinese gives me a more balanced skill set and multiple areas of experience to tackle my future endeavours.“

O’Donoghue, currently a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in library science at the University of Maryland, wrote “论中国现代社会留守儿童现象之起因与影响 (The Causes and Effects of Children Left Behind in Chinese Society)” in Chinese 360: Professional Chinese during his final semester at St. Olaf in the spring of 2021. Throughout the course, students presented their research to the class and then wrote an essay in the style of their choice summarizing that information. After contacting the editor of the peer-reviewed journal Kennesaw Tower, an undergraduate foreign language research journal, O’Donoghue spent the last year editing her paper before it was accepted. His work is expected to be published in the fall of 2022.

O’Donoghue earned a double major in Chinese and Asian studies. She says St. Olaf has helped her explore her academic interests and successfully plan for college — and the pandemic has helped her hone her ability to plan for the unexpected.

“I think having a plan and making multiple plans for what I wanted to do in my senior year was really helpful,” O’Donoghue says. “As a double major in Chinese and Asian studies, I really wanted to be abroad, but it didn’t work out due to the pandemic. I think St. Olaf prepared me to make sure I have my own set of organizational skills and adaptability. I also learned from my Asian Studies and Chinese teachers at St. Olaf to always be prepared and have contingency plans.

Both Clay and O’Donoghue were encouraged by Associate Professor of Asian Studies and Head of the Chinese Section Ying Zhou to submit their work to undergraduate publications.

St. Olaf and liberal arts education not only prepares our students with language skills and cross-cultural skills, but also prepares them with critical thinking skills. After graduating, our students can typically apply their literacy skills to critically analyze diverse perspectives on topics related to Chinese and American society and culture.Associate Professor of Asian Studies Ying Zhou

“The writing process is a bit more difficult to migrate between English and Mandarin Chinese, but having a teacher like Professor Zhou (周老师) was really helpful in cleaning up and clarifying what I was trying to say” , says O’Donoghue.

Zhou says about 15 students graduate with the Chinese major each year, and about 20 students take Chinese classes to meet the university’s language requirements. In addition to the Chinese major, which emphasizes both language ability and cultural appreciation, St. Olaf offers the Asian conversation program for students to further immerse themselves in learning Asian languages ​​and cultures. About 20 to 30 freshmen who apply take classes that focus on Asian history, culture, and practices while studying Japanese or Chinese language.

“St. Olaf and liberal arts education not only prepares our students with language skills and cross-cultural skills, but also prepares them with critical thinking skills,” Zhou said. “After graduation, our students can typically apply their literacy skills to critically analyze diverse perspectives on topics related to Chinese and American society and culture.”