Eight undergraduate engineering students from China arrived in Milwaukee in January, carrying suitcases, schedules \u2013 and a shared leap into the unknown. No one knew each other when they signed up for this study abroad program between North China Electric Power University and UWM. And nearly all were visiting the United States for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe courses are in English, so it was challenging,\u201d said Shangwen Yan, a second-year computer science major. \u201cBut the people here are so friendly. My roommate and classmates really helped me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yan, the only one in the group who isn’t an electrical engineering major, plans to transfer to UWM to finish her bachelor’s degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Between lectures, labs, and late-night study sessions, the group found themselves building friendships while adjusting to a new academic style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn China, you focus on the exams,\u201d said fourth-year student Muyang Zhou. \u201cHere [at UWM], you really have to listen to the lectures to understand.\u201d Zhou plans to attend graduate school in Singapore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The China Scholarship Council provides support for the students from NCEPU. It is currently the college\u2019s only semester-long study abroad program for engineering students from China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jiayun Jiang, a third-year student, said she has long considered this studying abroad program. \u201cI wanted to see what I could learn here and what the future might be like,\u201d she said. \u201cI got more than that. It was definitely worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just as valuable as learning in another language was the opportunity for cultural immersion, students said. And they didn\u2019t hold back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the weekends, they ventured to various sights across the country. In New York City, third-year student Kerui Zhu saw Hamilton<\/em> on Broadway, while Chengxi Ren, a third-year student, visited the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building. Zhengming Wen, a fourth-year student, made it to Los Angeles to see the Hollywood sign \u2013and picked up a memorable lesson in Las Vegas along the way: \u201cNo more gambling for me!\u201d he joked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOf all the countries, the U.S. has been the leader in the developed world,\u201d said Zhu, explaining why she chose to study in the U.S. rather than other options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dean Brett Peters told the group he hopes this program will flourish. \u201cWe\u2019re delighted you chose UWM \u2013 and Milwaukee \u2013 as your introduction to the U.S.,\u201d he told the group. \u201cI hope you tell your friends at home about your experiences here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back in Milwaukee, they cheered on the Milwaukee Bucks, admired the sweeping architecture of the Milwaukee Art Museum and majesty of Lake Michigan \u2013 not to mention indulging in shopping therapy at Gurnee Mills, a gigantic retail outlet between Milwaukee and Chicago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The students found common ground in unexpected ways. For Wen, it was realizing that American students enjoy exercising at the gym as much as he does. Several said they genuinely enjoyed the pace of life in Milwaukee. \u201cIt\u2019s slower than California or New York,\u201d said Qi Chen, a fourth-year student, said. \u201cI could live comfortably here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the semester comes to an end, the once-strangers are now bonded by positive memories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “It has been satisfying and uplifting to see how they have grown in their studies and in friendship,” said Dah-Chaun Gong, UWM teaching faculty and scientist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The next group of NCEPU students arrives in January 2027.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Eight undergraduate engineering students from China arrived in Milwaukee in January, carrying suitcases, schedules \u2013 and a shared leap into the unknown. No one knew each other when they signed up for this study abroad program between North China Electric …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":836,"featured_media":29152,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nMilwaukee’s charms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n