Mrs. Obama Explains Value of Study Abroad at Stanford Center at Peking University
Speaking at the Stanford Center at Peking University in Beijing, Michelle Obama says study abroad allows students to realize that countries all have a stake in each other’s success. She spoke before an audience of 170 Stanford University students, scholars, and alumni in what was her only scheduled public appearance during a trip to China with her daughters.
In her remarks before the conversation with students, the first lady said that study abroad is a “vital part of our foreign policy” before encouraged Stanford and local high school students sitting in Palo Alto to be “citizen diplomats” during a high-tech videoconference.
“Study abroad is about shaping the future of your countries” and the world we all share, she said.
According to Obama, studying in a different country gives students the chance to immerse themselves in another culture.
“That’s how you realize that we all have a stake in each other’s success – that cures discovered here in Beijing could save lives in America,” she said. “That clean energy technologies from Silicon Valley in California could improve the environment here in China; that the architecture of an ancient temple in Xi’an could inspire the design of new buildings in Dallas or Detroit.”
“Two great universities, two great countries. The symbolism behind this event is truly remarkable,” said Xinkai Mao, MBA ’14. “My wife went to PKU and I go to Stanford. What a connection!”
Mao attended the event with Stanford Graduate School of Business classmate Paul Chen, MBA ’14. Both lead a China study trip for fellow students starting Sunday.
It has been thirty-five years after the normalization of relations with China, and the United States is supporting more American students in China than in any other country in the world.
“We’re sending high school, college and graduate students here to study Chinese,” Obama said. “We’re inviting teachers from China to teach Mandarin in American schools. We’re providing free online advising for students in China who want to study in the U.S. and the U.S. China Fulbright program is still going strong with more than 3,000 alumni.”
In fact, the largest group of foreign students enrolled at Stanford today are Chinese — 860 students, which is up from about 600 two years ago.
