Madelyn Bergin

    When I first came to W&M I struggled with the rigor of my classes, but I was able to regain my confidence by studying Chinese and found a home in the department. I’m grateful to all of the Chinese program, but especially Professor Su for taking a genuine interest in students’ lives and pushing us to discuss both pop culture and serious issues. I will miss class and getting to do presentations on topics like online dating, the Chinese tourism industry, and looksmaxxing. ​

   The best experience of college was getting to study abroad in Taiwan, which was incredible as I was able to study Chinese and become closer with my classmates. Some of my favorite memories are eating 地瓜求, cramming into taxis, singing at karaoke, and being passed on a hike by elderly Taiwanese people. On campus, I played flute in orchestra, was president of Pink Tax Comedy, and worked at Sadler.​

   Learning Chinese has helped me connect with many people. I encourage everyone to learn a second language and to increase their empathy for those learning English. AI translation can never replace the genuine connection and warmth found in language departments. I am planning to take a year to work in bilingual education and then go to graduate school. I would like to thank my friends and family for listening to me drone on (and sometimes complain) about Chinese class and thank them for their encouragement to pursue my interests, even if they took me to the other side of the world. Without your love and support I couldn’t have done this. Mom and Dad, we did it!