While President Barack Obama met with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Washington last week Pepperdine senior David Marzban participated in a panel hosted by first lady Michelle Obama to advocate studying abroad in China.
The event hosted by Howard University on Jan. 19 was held in support of President Obama’s “100000 Strong” initiative. The initiative’s mission is to dramatically increase the number of American students studying in China.
Marzban was asked to be a part of a panel of students who shared their experiences abroad.
Marzban first developed an interest in China when he participated in Pepperdine’s Shanghai International Program. He studied abroad during the 2008-2009 academic year which was also the inaugural year of the program.
Although he had previously studied French for six years and at first wanted to participate in the Lausanne program Marzban chose Shanghai desiring to undergo “personal growth by going through something completely different.”
Marzban’s time in Shanghai was funded through the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program. Named after the New York Congressman the program is designed to offer financial aid to undergraduate students studying abroad.
From Shanghai he remembers being fascinated with “the people the language and the culture.” He was also impacted by the gradual breakdown of stereotypes.
After returning to the United States Marzban was invited by the Chinese government along with another Pepperdine student to return to China to participate in a summer 2010 study abroad program. Students from other top universities also attended.
While attending the program Marzban was chosen from the group to give a speech in front of the Chinese Ministry of Education. The purpose of the speech was to promote U.S.-Chinese student exchange. He opened the speech in Mandarin impressing many of the audience members.
Much like his invitation to return to China the request to attend the panel came as a surprise to him. He received a phone call from representatives of the Gilman Scholarship Program who informed him of Michelle Obama’s event at Howard University. He was chosen as one of two college students to participate in the panel.
The panel was composed of two Gilman scholars one high school student and one Howard University student. The panel was moderated by Ann Stock the assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs.
The event opened with speeches from Michelle Obama and Mary Kaye Cooper the wife of U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman.
Marzban’s role in the panel consisted of answering questions asked by the moderator. He hoped “to give clear illustrations about what study abroad really is.”
In regard to U.S.-China relations Marzban is “happy to see American and Chinese students in our generation interact with each other at such a close age because it will help deepen binds and promote deeper understanding of us so that when we do come to seat in leadership we’ll already have a deeper sense of mutual understanding.”