Meg Young’s interest in international study began when she took a job teaching English in Keelung, Taiwan, after completing her undergraduate degree – even though she couldn’t speak Chinese.

Meg, who is pursuing a master’s degree in public diplomacy, developed her language skills during a summer internship in the Taiwan Government Information Office in Taipei, and with Chinese classes here at home.

Now she’s using her experiences as a foreign youth exchange coordinator for Rotary International.

“I’ve seen firsthand the power of people from different countries getting together face to face,” she says. “It bridges the conflicts that come with international differences. The power of people to overcome all of their governments’ problemsis amazing.”

After graduation she hopes to focus on public diplomacy in Asia, perhaps as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer. With the tools at her disposal through the public diplomacy program – including opportunities to work closely with Diplomats in Residence Stephen Seche (now ambassador to Yemen) and Anne Chermak (former minister counselor for public affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin) – Young is on the fast track to realizing her dream.

Of course, knowing Chinese would help – so how’s it going?

“Last night I was at a movie opening with a friend and a woman sitting next to me was speaking Chinese,” Young says. “She was shocked when I struck up a conversation with her in the language. She said I was the first American-born person she ever met who had learned Chinese.”

More about USC’s public diplomacy program