spotlight

On May 17, 2025, three students from Columbia University’s Chinese Language Program achieved outstanding success at the Chinese Bridge Competition (Eastern U.S. Region), hosted by China Institute in America, in New York City. The Chinese Bridge competition is a premier international event celebrating Chinese language and culture. Competing against students from across the region, all three students advanced to the final round and brought home top honors.

The First Prize winner, Will Owen, is from Columbia College and has a double major in Math and Economics. Second Prize winner Shilpa Kesavan is a Columbia College student majoring in Math. Both Will and Shilpa were taught and coached by Jia Xu, a senior lecturer from EALAC. The Third Prize winner, Parini Rao, is a Barnard College student majoring in Political Science and Statistics.

The three students thanked their previous and current Chinese language instructors, Yike Li, Shaoyan Qi, and Jia Xu, as well as their calligraphy instructor, Hailong Wang, and program director Zhirong Wang. Before the final round of the contest, Will and Shilpa secured first and second place in their respective categories at Columbia’s Chinese speech contest in April.

The competition showcased students’ language proficiency and talents, highlighted their confidence in public speaking, enhanced cross-cultural communication, deepened cultural understanding, and developed multitasking and problem-solving skills. The experience also opened doors to global opportunities. All three were invited to compete or attend the Global Chinese Bridge Competition in China. Due to others’ internship commitments, only Parini was able to attend, earning a scholarship while making friends with fellow competitors from all over the world. Parini shared, “The opportunity to attend the global finals in China this summer was one of the most formative experiences of my life. More broadly, learning Chinese has taught me so much about myself and the world around me. Through learning Chinese, I’ve become more understanding, resilient, and curious.” Shilpa added, “I greatly enjoyed participating in the Chinese Bridge Competition and Columbia’s speech contest. I’m always surprised by the way Chinese rewards curiosity and patience; it is a language that continues to give back. Above all, I want to express my gratitude to my teachers, Yike Li and Jia Xu, for their mentorship and support.” Later in the year, Will Owen was invited to co-host the United Nations events, including the 80th anniversary of the UN, bilingually in both Chinese and English, where he interacted with global leaders and further expanded his cross-cultural communication skills. He reflected, “Working on these competitions and events has been an exceptional learning experience for me. I have loved deepening my journey with China and its culture, and I look forward to carrying that forward in Shanghai next semester. Jia Xu was absolutely incredible to have alongside as a teacher, mentor, and friend.”

All three students have proudly highlighted their honors on their résumés and LinkedIn profiles, inspiring peers and other language learners across campus while demonstrating the transformative power of language learning. Their journey to explore the beautiful world has just begun.