We want to congratulate SAF Scholar Shi Qui, who was awarded the Exchange and Academic Excellence award from the University of Wisconsin-Madison for his exceptional grades during his time abroad. The award is only given to those visiting students who excel in their coursework during their time on UW’s campus, which is a big accomplishment in the school's rigorous economics department.
We asked Shi Qui about his academic experience, and he expressed the high academic quality of the courses and professionalism of the staff at UW-Madison. He also told us his impression of life in Madison:
“Life in Wisconsin is certainly exciting. The dorm building I lived in has one lounge on each level and a well-equipped gym on the ground level, which provides a great convenience for me to study and exercise. Also, I joined an a cappella singing group and actively participated in its weekly rehearsal, which I perceive as more of a friend meeting than a singing practice. The greatest difference between Wisconsin and Xiamen University, where I currently study at, is the climate. Xiamen is quite a warm city, so a switch to Wisconsin is a sudden drastic drop in temperature, a change in clothing from a short T-shirt to a down jacket. Despite the freezing weather, it was still exciting for me to see batches of snow, which is a mission-impossible in Xiamen.”
Thankfully, Shi Qui was able to travel to sunny San Francisco and Los Angeles, California during his spring break to get out of the cold and experience life in a big American city. He told us, “The trip was rather fantastic; I fully enjoyed myself at the Fisherman’s Wharf, Golden Gate Bridge, the Universal Studio of Hollywood, Griffith Observatory, Santa Monica Beach and so on. What’s more, before leaving for Madison, I watched my first live NBA game in the Staples Center. It was such a fulfillment for a Lakers fan like me. In brief, the trip was just perfect.”
Shi Qui, having experienced both Midwestern and West Coast culture, noted the diversity in race, ethnicity, thoughts, and beliefs, expressing how it “promotes mutual understanding and respect,” and that “you can meet friends from almost every corner of the world.”
Congrats again, Shi Qui! You are a great example for future SAF Scholars.
