CPC success talk

The New York City Chinese-American Planning Council Internship and Volunteer Program (CPC) and the FUSIA Cross-Cultural Internship Program (CCIP), jointly organized a roundtable session for CPC and CCIP interns. The event took place on June 18 at CPC headquarters in Manhattan's Chinatown.

Hosted by Melinda Faust, Internship Coordinator of CPC, the roundtable reflected on young adults' place in a globalized and ever-shrinking world. Faust challenged students to think about success – what it means and how to achieve it.

Brief introductions revealed perspectives from a wide variety of areas – United States, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and more – and set the tone for a session that would see viewpoints from every angle crossing paths and blending.

Melinda opened the floor with her first question: "What are the ten factors you consider crucial to success?"

A good education, networking skills, creativity, luck, tenacity and passion were the factors most students agreed upon. Financial backing, however, saw much contention.

"I know many entrepreneurs in Singapore who started their businesses from scratch. Yes, the government provides a bit of financial support, but it's still self-motivation, determination and business instinct that made them succeed," said He Yun, a Real Estate undergraduate from the National University of Singapore.

Jason Wu a year 3 student from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University begged to differ, "As cynical as it sounds, financial backing plays a very important role. Not only does it provide monetary support in your business, it allows you a fiscal status that opens up doors to significant business connections and opportunities."

Finally, Jeevaraj Suppiah, a Business student from the National University of Singapore steered the group to an overall agreement: "It's passion. I believe passion is aligned with tenacity and determination. The more you feel about something, the more motivated you are to do well. And following your passion inevitably makes you happy. That's a success in itself,"

Faust then asked the group what steps their parents thought would guarantee success. Mixing with the right crowd, following the rules, and respecting superiors were common notions across the board. Differing cultural backgrounds crept into the discussion as well. Students from second-generation immigrant families felt that hard work and respecting superiors were stronger parts of their upbringing than in other Americans.

"My parents came to America with next to nothing and had to work hard to get to where they are now. Their experience and their values, as in their respect for elders, convinced them that hard work and respect are crucial to success," said Aretha, a third year Korean-American Columbia University student.

The session came to a close with students breaking off into small groups to further reflect on their perspectives. FUSIA/CCIP students and CPC interns alike came away from the experience with their thinking changed and strengthened because they were exposed to perspectives that challenged them to expand their horizons. Both groups rose to the challenge.

About CPC: The Chinese-American Planning Council began as a grassroots community-based organization assisting the tremendous influx of Chinese immigrants in New York. Filling a void in the community as the first social service agency to serve Chinese-Americans in New York, CPC provides services based on the needs expressed by those in the community.

About CCIP: Administered by FUSIA Communications, Inc., CCIP is an internship program bringing together university participants and host companies from different cultures and preparing them for the new challenges of a globalizing workplace. Emphasizing East-West cultural exchange, it provides students with a hands-on and cross-cultural experience.