Summer — 2009

Long Wan

ICC Secretary/International Business

“If I want to go somewhere like UCLA first, I can’t deal with them because English is my first barrier. But SMC makes me okay with the American environment.”

We admire Long Wan for having a lot of guts. He leaves China for California, hoping for the best education he can possibly get. Knowing that the English language will be his first—and maybe toughest—hurdle, he evaluated our system of education from afar. He quickly determined that SMC was the best way to: a. learn better English; b. study without going broke; and c. fearlessly begin to integrate with American culture. Surprise! He’s been successful at all three. Let’s just look at option c:…

“I’m the Inter-Club Council Secretary here because I thought that if I could practice my English and also meet a lot of people, I could get my ideas accomplished,” says Long. “I want to make the ICC bigger and better. For example, when I got here we only had, maybe, 50 clubs, and this year we have 80! So there is no reason for someone with almost any kind of interest not to get involved.” Just think about it. Here’s a guy with less-than-perfect English skills who just charges up to the Student Life Office and says, ‘I want to be a part of this! And be successful.’ That takes, oh, what’s the word? Guts. And it takes, oh, what’s that other word? Smarts!

“When I came to the ICC, I learned a lot about student government. But it’s also a place where I met a lot of awesome friends to connect with in the future, study my English, and contribute something of myself. My plan is,” Long continues, “to start my own international business. And I already have three longterm plans!” he says with a laugh. “And I think that maybe SMC is the best place to make these plans and dreams of mine come true.”

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