Guilford College

Associate Professor of Political Science and East Asian Studies

Guilford College Associate Professor of Political Science and East Asian Studies George Guo has a great deal of international academic experience, including study and work in Japan, in Germany, in three areas of China (south, west and north), as well as in Florida, Virginia and North Carolina in America. He knows what it’s like for students to come here from China.

“In Chinese classrooms, students are expected to sit quietly, to listen and to learn. If those students then go on to a large American college or university, they can feel lost, adrift, academically as well as socially. Not at Guilford College.”

He explains further: “At larger schools, students in America are allowed to ask questions, but there is very little true interaction between them and their professors. There simply are too many students in each class to allow for it. At Guilford College, all students are engaged in all classes, right from the beginning.”

He adds that Chinese students will like the Guilford College system: “As they grow up in China, their culture has them sitting quietly and being taught — trained, really — through lectures, reading and memorizing. But at Guilford, they have many more opportunities to develop intellectually. They can question their professors and classmates, actually challenge any of the ideas presented in class, and blossom as scholars, using the strong foundation they received in China.”

Best of all, he says, the students at Guilford do that with a strong sense of support from everyone around them: “They are so supported here, they feel comfortable in the classroom and outside of it, as well.”

George adds that it’s a wonderful atmosphere for teaching, too: “At Guilford, I have many opportunities for scholarly growth. Faculty members have the freedom to teach different courses, so we can actually develop new courses, pursuing scholarly challenges that appeal to us.”

Should Chinese students consider coming to Guilford College, in his opinion? “Guilford College is an ideal place for international students,” he says, “because it truly offers a comprehensive education. Students here grow psychologically as well as intellectually, and — recognizing that Chinese students are far from home and will be learning in new ways — the college does provide better services in transition than most other schools.”