BXAI

Yu Ruichuan

Bai Xian Alumnus, 2016 cohort, bachelor’s degree in global political economy, Waseda University.

Ruichuan’s AFLSP experience allowed him to develop a global mindset, opened his eyes to the value of mutual understanding, and emboldened him to pursue his career goals.

As a junior consultant at UNICEF’s Office of Research – Innocenti, Ruichuan helps manage the Children and COVID-19 Research Library, a comprehensive online database that collects global scientific research on the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on children.  “It is such a meaningful project, and combines my passion and my dream – working in the area of children’s rights, and being employed by an international organization,” he says.  He credits the AFLSP for shaping his early career path.  “My cross-cultural experiences as a Bai Xian Scholar really changed my attitude towards the world, sparked my interest to work in a multicultural environment, and reaffirmed my career aspirations,” he says, referring to his decision to move to Geneva after graduation for a brief stint as a research intern with the United Nations’ Joint Inspection Unit.  This soon led to his current role at UNICEF, where he is able to focus on his area of interest – children’s rights and education – while being a bridge within a global agency.  “To build bridges, we must expose ourselves to different cultures and stay curious about what’s happening in different parts of the world,” he says.  “It’s not about persuading others to agree with you, but rather listening to others.  This is especially important during this time, when we have fewer opportunities to meet in person.  In order to work together well, we need to be extra proactive in terms of reaching out and learning from others.”

Reflecting back on his time at Waseda University, Ruichuan is especially thankful for the chance to take part in advanced seminars.  “It was a great opportunity to connect with fellow scholars from my cohort, many of whom I am still in touch with today,” he says.  “What’s more, I have also stayed in contact with my professors, and still reach out to them when I encounter questions on certain topics.  I deeply appreciate their willingness to walk alongside young scholars like myself even after graduation, as we embark on our respective career journeys.”

Despite challenges brought about by the pandemic, Ruichuan, who is currently based in Yunnan and working remotely, remains open to all kinds of opportunities around him.  In addition to working for UNICEF, he participates in a local volunteer teaching program and also stays engaged with the BX community, having recently joined the BXAI orientation where he met with new scholars.  As an alumnus, he encourages scholars to “take advantage of the Bai Xian platform to interact with others, especially since it is becoming increasingly difficult in our world today to have meaningful dialogue with those from different backgrounds.  To promote peace and collaboration in the region, we, as Asia’s future leaders, must equip ourselves to become bridges across cultures.”

Risa Sone

Bai Xian Alumna, 2018 cohort; master’s degree in politics and international relations, Yenching Academy of Peking University (YCA).

Risa reflects back on her time as a Bai Xian Scholar and how an environment of mutual understanding and respect empowered her to flourish in her studies and accept a challenging job in a foreign country.

“It’s all about inclusion,” says Risa when asked to summarize her AFLSP experience in one word.  “I was very comfortable being a part of the Bai Xian community, which embraces diversity and encourages sharing of different opinions.  I didn’t feel pressured to conform to others’ expectations of me, and enjoyed the freedom to just be myself.  Experiencing that level of respect and support enabled me to discover many new perspectives, and motivated me to continue pushing myself in my career after graduation.”

Having grown up in different cities across East Asia, Risa, who is of Chinese and Japanese heritage, was always curious about the strained relationship between China and Japan.  This prompted her to pursue studies in Sino-Japanese relations, and ultimately led her to YCA for her master’s degree, where she had the chance to further explore her area of interest, this time from the Chinese perspective.  “My two years with the AFLSP at YCA showed me that it’s not necessary to have a common answer to every topic,” says Risa.  “We just need to understand that everyone thinks in different ways because of our different backgrounds.  I believe a lot of conflict can be avoided just by having this kind of mindset.”  In terms of the future of Sino-Japanese relations, Risa remains hopeful.  “My thesis research revealed that the view of Japan amongst Chinese youths is changing beyond the national narrative.  I was surprised to discover that some of my Chinese friends knew the Japanese culture even better than me!  My hope is that the conflicts that exist between the two nations will be resolved over time as people have more opportunities to learn about and interact with each other.”

After graduation, Risa worked for eight months at a Japanese consulting firm based in India, and credits fellow BX Alumni for her decision to work abroad.  “Seeing other alumni work for local companies abroad inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and continue exploring new cultures,” she explains.  “While challenging at times, it was definitely a very stimulating and interesting experience overall.  I learned a lot about how to work and communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds.”

As an alumna, Risa remains engaged with the Bai Xian community, and hosted a BXAIJ virtual event aimed at fostering connections amongst scholars of different cohorts.  Looking ahead, she hopes to find new ways to give back to society and is excited about continuing to encourage future scholars in their AFLSP journey.