Student Profile
Shengyu Chen
I took modern dance last year, even though conventionally only girls dance in China. I thought it would be nice to try something out of the ordinary. That first class was intimidating and awkward, since I’d never been in a dance class before. In the end, though, I enjoyed expressing myself through different dance moves. So then I signed up for a jazz tap class. I even joined the NMH Dance Company. Dancing has made me more coordinated and flexible; it’s helped me be better at football, basketball, and crew.
I’m a member of the campus hearing board, which makes disciplinary decisions about students. The whole experience reminds me of court cases that I’ve seen: the discussion is highly rational, and every argument we make needs to be backed up by evidence. I feel like the faculty on the board are my coworkers, and we are solving a case together. They treat student board members with a lot of trust and respect.
Vicky Jenkins is my advisor, but she feels like my mother here at NMH. One Sunday night she picked me up at the train station in Springfield after I came back from visiting a college. Springfield is an hour away from campus. Not to be corny or anything, but I am very, very appreciative of the fact that Vicky volunteered to help me with her own precious two hours on a Sunday night. It made me feel cared for. The ride was nice: it was cold outside and Vicky’s little car felt like a warm, safe alcove.
Honestly, I think taking economics with Peter Snedecor made me a smarter person. The course opened my eyes to the general rules of the market economy. We studied microeconomics, macroeconomics, and the ten economic principles. Now, when I read articles concerning economic issues in the Economist, the Times, and the New York Times, I really understand. Mr. Snedecor often used examples that related to our own life experiences, and he always entertained the class with witty comments. He was like a fountain, endlessly pouring out the knowledge of economics.
Shengyu is attending the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University.
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