Zhihong Chen
Assistant Professor of East Asian History
Guilford College History Professor Zhihong Chen wants to send a message to young people in China who might be considering coming to America for an education: “In America, colleges and universities are basically synonymous — both provide higher education leading to bachelor’s degrees and above. In China, the word ‘college’ is often used to describe a private secondary school, like in the British system. Not here.”
She adds that for students from China, Guilford College is superior to many large American universities in the amount of individual attention it gives to each student, especially in the classrooms: “Students from China will be taken care of here. They’ll be known as individuals, nurtured, less lonely. A large university is like a big ocean, and they’ll have to swim alone there. But Guilford is a close-knit community, and you have many people here to help you in all ways.”
She says that non-Chinese students help, as well: “Guilford College has many students who are quite open-minded, who are receptive to diverse opinions. That might be due in some part to the Quaker context, respecting diversity.”
Zhihong earned the Ph.D. degree in history from the University of Oregon, and she also taught there before joining the faculty at Guilford College. What does she enjoy most about teaching at Guilford? “The students are nice here. They are more into the process of learning, they’re less aggressive about grades — they care about them, but it doesn’t seem to be the single purpose. Many of the students at Guilford have genuine interest in learning and in knowledge itself.”
She adds that the classes at Guilford are different from the classrooms that Chinese students are accustomed to. “I was educated in China myself,” she says, “and the normal way of learning there is to listen, not to participate. At Guilford, the small size of the classes and the emphasis on student-teacher interaction, this makes the Guilford College experience a lot more interesting. It offers truly interactive learning.”
She feels that the Chinese students at Guilford agree that it provides a more productive classroom experience: “It might take a little time for some Chinese students to adjust to this. Chinese students are generally well disciplined, serious and attentive, but it’s not always easy to get them to talk in class, especially the new ones who might not have confidence in their language yet. But they get there, and they’re glad to be involved. I have one Chinese student in my class now who is definitely the most active participant in the whole class!”
Zhihong herself enjoys the faculty-student relationships at Guilford: “I have found many dedicated and committed colleagues here who care very deeply about the students. The beautiful thing about teaching here is that sometimes we are able to establish friendships with students, and those friendships continue well beyond graduation. That kind of personal connection makes the teaching more interesting and more fruitful.”
