This Thanksgiving, we’re especially grateful for the entire NYU Shanghai family. This year, our community raised funds for COVID-19 relief, quickly found ways to keep learning and building community online, and hosted Go Local students from our sister campuses. The spirit of NYU Shanghai is stronger than ever. More than any other year, 2020 has truly shown that We Are Not Strangers!
We asked members of the NYU Shanghai community what they were most thankful for this year and here is what they said:
David Pe
NYU Shanghai Dean of Students
"I am grateful that my friends and family are healthy, safe, and staying positive, otherwise it would make being across the world much harder. I am thankful for having a wonderful team who are the backbone of every aspect of the student experience, they are my heroes. I cannot (I really cannot) wait for everyone in this community to get back together in-person eating, laughing, and learning from one another.”
Stephanie Anderson ’23
Interactive Media Arts, Social Science (International Relations)
“This year, I have much to be thankful for. First and foremost, I am thankful to be back in Shanghai after so many long and lonely months away. I am thankful for me and my traveling companion’s safety and COVID-free journey as we traveled from New York to Shanghai. I am thankful that none of my family or friends have contracted COVID or they have successfully recovered. As an American, Thanksgiving and Christmas are important celebrations for my family. To them, I am always grateful for their love and support of me following my dreams wherever around the world that may take me. Most of all, I am thankful for ALL of the faculty and staff (there are too many to be individually named here) who worked TIRELESSLY to give the students outside of China a chance to return once again. Against all odds, you did it. We are back and still returning, and, to all of you, I am so incredibly thankful. I have much to be thankful for this year.”
NYU Shanghai Registrar
“I’m thankful for the many challenges this year has brought about, which has made me a more resilient person. I’m thankful for the community, and the meaningful relationships, that I’ve been able to establish at NYU Shanghai. I’m thankful for good health, and life in general. Most of all, I’m thankful for my wonderful children; who serve as a constant reminder as to why I put my best foot forward every day.”
Yang Ziqi ’21
Business and Finance
"I would like to thank all the professors who have come to Shanghai to help students from NYU Shanghai and other campuses who are stranded in China continue their studies under the current circumstances. I know that many professors had to overcome many obstacles to get here, and those professors who are stuck in their home countries also teach remotely despite the time difference to try to keep their students on track. I especially want to thank Professor Rodrigo Zeidan. He not only came back to Shanghai to record courses for his students in quarantine, but also sacrificed his time to tutor everyone. He always tells everyone that he hopes to 'bring out the best in you', and tells everyone that you can come to his office anytime if you have any doubts. In his words: 'My door is always open.'"
Zhang Yaqi ’23
There are many people I want to thank, but the most impressive one this semester is Prof. Francoise Guillo of Contemporary Challenges in Global Health. I missed a class once because of an illness. After that, the professor kept asking me how I was doing. A week later, I had an office hour appointment with her. She re-taught me the lesson from beginning to end. It lasted two and a half hours, and I didn't leave anything behind. I think the professor is really responsible and warm!
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
"Despite isolation, I hope for joy and compassion to rise from inside. Despite helplessness, I wish for love and care to be all-encompassing." (excerpt translated from a Chinese poem). "Happy Thanksgiving! I love my ICM students!"
Chen Chen ’21
M.A. in TESOL
"Since TESOL is a part-time master’s program, all of us are in-service English teachers while taking classes. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 early this year, all the classes were migrated online. We were stressed out, both as students and teachers. I’m grateful for the great support from our program at that time. They invited faculty from the Center for Teaching and Learning at NYU Shanghai to instruct us on various online teaching tools and strategies which we could immediately use to enrich our own online classes. I would also like to express my gratefulness to my students, who actively explored this new class mode together with me. I remembered I once asked them to record their recitation. One student added a cute bunny filter to her video and left a message to me saying “I know you must be exhausted these days, so I send this bunny to cheer you up.” I was so relieved and touched."