FUSIA/Cross-Cultural Internship Program (FUSIA/CCIP) students participated in "A Dialogue with Newsroom Experts and Media Training" on Friday evening, June 6. Jointly organized by The Pan Asian American Leadership Caucus (PAALC) and the NYU School of Law, the event saw the attendance of approximately 60 media industry experts and media practitioners from a wide swath of Asian American newspapers.

It was apparent from the start that the event would present FUSIA/CCIP students a multifaceted learning opportunity—the event's opening gamut included a media panel discussion with respectable speakers the likes of Mae Cheng, Executive Editor at amNew York; Fred Katayama, an award-winning anchor for Reuters Television; Jeff Yang, columnist for the digital edition of the San Francisco Chronicle; and Kyung B. Yoon, another award-winning journalist from the electronic media industry. On the one hand students took in the richness of the event's discussions as guests, and on the other, they gained valuable experience supporting it as volunteers. A short reception came next, followed by a tribute to the late Irwin K. Liu, a PAALC leader and true visionary.

FUSIA/CCIP students took an active role in the pre-event preparation, ushering and escorting distinguished guests and handling administrative duties. Students were also given a platform to partake in the media panel discussion. Their poise and professionalism earned them the praise of the event organizer.

"Along with gaining experience and learning about the amazing mix of cultures here [in the US], I was exceptionally pleased being granted the opportunity to give back to American society as a volunteer in roundtable sessions with renowned US companies. I was glad I could be an active learner and contributor. Definitely this experience was exhilarating and unforgettable,” said Fang Yuan, a Year 2 student of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

The event provided students a venue to mingle and network with the elites of the media industry. "The experience I gained interacting with guests all distinguished in their own right was tremendous. My portfolio will definitely be that much better as a result," said Nicholas Chan, a Year 3 student majoring in Marketing at the National University of Singapore.

"The students come all the way from across the world to intern in the US. This is their gateway to learning about the American way of professional practice as well as the intricacies of situational management. These interactions are real and meaningful experiences—they give students the chance to really appreciate the fusion of cultures and the synergy that evolves when they mingle and cross," said Elizabeth Kay, President of FUSIA Communications and founder of the Cross Cultural Internship Program.

The students were also invited to speak about and share their thoughts on the late Irwin K. Liu. "The tribute session dedicated to the late Irwin K. Liu inspired me. We left the room knowing how important it is to build networking relationships and the zest one should have in any aspect of life," said Qiwei Liu, a Year 2 student majoring in Marketing at the University of Hong Kong.

FUSIA/Cross-Cultural Internship Program (FUSIA/CCIP): Organized by FUSIA Communications, an agency specializing in cross-cultural communications, FUSIA/CCIP internship program takes place every summer. The program promotes and encourages Eastern and Western cultural exchange through practical experience, preparing both sides to better address the challenges of the increasingly globalizing workplace. It gathers students who want to step across the cultural divide, and provides students a new glimpse of another culture's approaches to business challenges, and it helps students build an internationalized portfolio.