“The IUP program and this fellowship really made a dream of mine come true. My speaking, listening, and even thinking in Chinese have all improved to a level that I never imagined that I could achieve. I even find myself easily working between English and Chinese without much effort. IUP also humbled me a great deal. It taught me about the vast amount of knowledge I currently lack and how much I still need to improve. It taught me to be more confident in myself in and outside the classroom. IUP has also taught me far more about myself than I initially imagined a language program could. It not only improved my language ability, it also taught me how to approach language to maximize efficiency and to be a more confident individual. For that, I am forever grateful for the teachers and instruction that I received at IUP.”

“IUC has been one of the most profoundly challenging and exhausting things I have ever experienced, but I would do it over again in a heartbeat if I could. I feel confidence that most future challenges I might face will be measured by this one—and that few will measure up. Of everything I might have gained, and of all the progress I might have made, the most triumphant part is simply knowing what is possible in such a short period of time, what degree of change and development can be gained, how much work can be done, how much can be learned, and how much a single fellowship can change a life. ”

“My Blakemore Freeman Fellowship provided me with the tools I need to survive as a business leader in China. Currently, I’m working as the leader of a division marketing team for the Chinese subsidiary of a Fortune 500 company. As the only non-Chinese member of its China business team I am completely immersed in Chinese language and culture on a daily basis.”

“I studied Chinese as an undergrad with grand ambitions to master the language and work as a lawyer in China, but there had never been an opportunity after graduating to move from that basic linguistic foundation to a professional level.The Blakemore Freeman Fellowship was the essential ingredient in allowing me to take time off from my career and really focus on the language. Coming out of the program, I was able to function as a working lawyer in China, both in terms of working with documents and negotiating with counter-parties. But for the Blakemore Freeman Fellowship, none of it would have been possible.”

“The Blakemore Freeman Fellowship gave me the launching pad to pursue my entrepreneurial ambitions in Asia and launch my first company: an import/export business between Taiwan and Singapore. Without the grant, I would never have been able to work with Taiwanese suppliers and build such strong professional networks in China, Hong Kong and Singapore.”