ThinkChina Speaker Series
 
ThinkChina hosts up to three seminar / panel discussion events each week to allow students an opportunity to engage in active discussion and learn about a variety of relevant topics. Students will have a chance to interact directly with speakers, ask questions, and have meaningful dialogue exchange. Below is a sampling of just a few of the seminar topics and our distinguished seminar speakers.
 
Selected Speakers / Panelists
Selected Seminar Topics for the High School Program
Selected Seminar Topics for the College Program
 
Selected Speakers / Panelists:
 *Note: Speakers subject to change.
 
Brian Ong is the founder of Taurus Education which is a leading educational services company in Shanghai. Prior to founding Taurus Education, Brian, a Yale and Stanford alumnus, worked at a management consulting firm and an Internet startup. At Yale, he co-founded the Yale Economic Review and the Yale Southeast Asia Conference and served on the Yale Dean's Advisory Committee. He was the co-founder of Captology.tv and associate chair of Persuasive 2007 at Stanford. He previously attended the Princeton in Beijing program and worked at the Columbia University office of Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz.
 
Eric Pang is the President and Chief Operating Officer of iTalki, a leading language learning social network based in Shanghai. Prior to joining italki, Eric was the GM of Marketing and Business Development at Beijing Sinopost. Eric has more than 18-years of experience in technology startups and consumer-oriented businesses. Eric graduated from Stanford University and did his MBA at the USC Marshall Business School.
 
Alison Wong has an undergraduate degree at MIT and recently finished up her masters degree at Stanford's Design School. Alison currently is a Senior Designer at IDEO, a world-renown industrial design consultancy firm based in Palo Alto. Alison is also a guest lecturer at Stanford University, an entrepreneur and a freelance illustrator.
 
Grace Chan is a Senior Manager at HSBC North America. A world traveler, Grace is fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. Having lived in four countries, Grace has developed a deep understanding of the different cultures and business practices that span from the West to Asia. In her position at HSBC, Grace focuses on corporate relations between local Chinese firms and foreign corporations. Grace is originally from Hong Kong and is a graduate from the University of Michigan.
 
James Bonsor is a Mathematics major from Cambridge University. James currently works as an Investment Manager at Jade Invest, a leading private equity fund-of-funds specializing in Chinese investments based in Shanghai. Prior to Jade Invest, James spent nearly 5 years with PwC in the corporate finance department assisting clients with transactional review and diligence. James is fluent in English and Mandarin Chinese.
 
High School Program Seminar Topics:
 *Note: Seminar topics are subject to change.
 
Insights to College Apps
Overview: Confused by the college admissions process? Curious about financial aid? ThinkChina's "Insights to College Apps" seminar will cover these topics and more to give students more clarity on the college applications process. Seminar will be followed by a question and answer session exclusively for ThinkChina interns.
 
Chinese Culture 101
Overview: Find out some of the most interesting Chinese cultures and traditions that shape the way Chinese think and work. We will discuss local concepts such as "guan xi", "mian zi" and how they apply to everyday life here in Asia. Learning the language is one thing, learning the culture is certainly another! (Offers to our College Program as well)
 
Revealing College Life
Overview: Find out what the real differences are between going to a large public school versus a smaller private institution. "Revealing College Life" is a panel discussion by local expat alumni to give ThinkChina students a closer look at college life.
 
Writing Well at the College Level
Overview: ThinkChina offers expository writing seminars to provide writing strategies and insights to writing successfully at the college level.
 
College Program Seminar Topics:
 *Note: Seminar topics are subject to change.
 
Resume Writing 101
Overview: Whether you're applying for a school, an internship or perhaps even a full time job, your resume is what will set you apart. Your resume is document that can have a significant and lasting impact on your immediate and long-term career success. In this seminar, students will have a chance to learn the basic guidelines to writing a strong resume.
 
Chinese Culture 101
Overview: Find out some of the most interesting Chinese cultures and traditions that shape the way Chinese think and work. We will discuss local concepts such as "guan xi", "mian zi" and how they apply to everyday life here in Asia. Learning the language is one thing, learning the culture is certainly another!
 
Life Plan 101
Overview: All projects, big or small have a project plan, it marks the milestones and time line to achieve a goal, why shouldn't the most important thing - your life - have one too? Learn about your ideal life and work style and how to plan for it.
 
Leading the Expat Life - Lessons from a Life Abroad
Overview: There's much more to life in Shanghai besides cheap eats and Mandarin classes. Learn more about life here in Asia, how to navigate the increasing connected world we all reside in.