Cultural Activities

August 15, 2011 – Last weekend (Aug 13 & 14), CCIP students participated in the annual Dragon Boat Festival held at the Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Flushing, Queens in New York City.

The weather on Saturday at the event was wonderful. Students were able to fully enjoy everything the festival had to offer. Sunday's weather was much less pleasant. However, when Sunday's teams were asked if they wanted to stay home, they insisted on attending, regardless of the rain.

CCIP students fielded teams of paddlers and pitted themselves against professional racers each day of the festival. While they raced competitively, the students did not pull out a victory. However, the weekend was still a resounding success for all of the student-racers and student-volunteers, as well as the CCIP program as a whole. The entire weekend was a great experience for them and offered many team-building opportunities.

"We really are all in the same boat and have done a great job! We overcame the challenges of the bad weather and the experienced competitors and successfully showed the passion and the team spirit of a bunch of Asian students. I was deeply touched by their courage and determination. We are really proud of our 17 dragon boat team members," said Terence Chen (Team manager) of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Ronald Lai (Team Captain) of the University of Hong Kong.

Other CCIP participants volunteered at the event, working at the VIP tents. Some of the students attracted quite a crowd, teaching and painting with children at the festival. The most popular design was Dragon Boats painted on to fans handed out to attendees.

The festival brought out some important people, such as Assemblywoman Grace Meng, who is also a host company in CCIP, Councilman Daniel J. Halloran Ⅲ, Councilman James Gennaro, New York State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, etc.

Councilman Gennaro enjoyed the custom t-shirts CCIP students were wearing and was lucky enough to go home with one of his own. Councilman Gennaro and Assemblywoman Meng were kind enough to pose for a photo with the students, as did State Senator Toby Stavisky, who sent also congratulated CCIP students on another successful year with a formal letter to CCIP students.

CCIP would like to thank all of the students who participated throughout the weekend for their dedication. Your hard work and time were very much appreciated and the day could not have been as fun or successful without you:

Volunteers: Ryan Cheuk Ming Cheung, Sam Lou Kuok, Hoi Ying Mak, Yiou Zhu

Manager: Ke Chen

Captain and Co-Captains: Chuk Man Lai, Yun Shi, Kai Yan

Paddlers: Pindan Hao, Jingyuan Liu, Siu Wang Chong, Dan Hu, Hanzhang Yin, Fengjun Zhang, Kai Song, Amy Li, King Wai Shing, Chiu Chun Li, Ho Yan Chu, To Cheong Mok, Ruiyang Tang, Mingzhe Li

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The Cross-Cultural Internship Program (www.theccip.com) takes place in New York every summer from May to August in two separate seven-week sessions. CCIP is now accepting applications for its 2012 summer program. 2012.

Interested students register a user account with www.theccip.org and complete the online application between December 26 and January 1, 2012, when the first registration window closes.

Who qualifies: CCIP accepts full-time undergraduate or graduate students, aged 18 or older, from the program's partner universities, who possess a GPA of 2.5+, have a satisfactory level of English proficiency, etc. Visit www.theccip.org/apply for details.

What are the fees: CCIP, ranked among the most economical internship programs of its type in New York City, charges USD 3473, covering administration, visa sponsorship, health insurance, and accommodation (at the Flushing YMCA). Visit www.theccip.org/fees or details.

Where to intern: The internship will take place in and around the New York City. In 2012, the program plans to offer up to 140 placements over two sessions: May 26 to Jul 14 (Session A) or July 14 to Sep 1 (Session B). CCIP works with hosts, primarily small-and-medium-sized enterprises in areas such as advertising, consulting, law, engineering, nonprofit, publishing, government, etc.

Friendly Reminder: - Don't wait to apply because admission occurs on a rolling basis. - Registration will close once maximum number is reached. - CCIP accepts students from HKU, CUHK, CITYU, HKLN, HKUST, NTU, NUS, SCUT and MUST - Email info@theccip.org or contact your school's career/international relations office.

First established in 2008 and now entering its fifth year, CCIP is a community-oriented internship program which promotes East-West cultural exchange. CCIP is designed for individuals and organizations that share a global vision and are committed to mutually beneficial cultural exchange.

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Over 500 students from nine partner universities in Asia got the chance to learn more about what the 2012 Cross Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) has to offer. With official registration for the program still more than a month away, students jumped at the opportunity to participate in the info sessions and pre-admission interviews.

At the information sessions, Program Founder Elizabeth Kay outlined the aims and scope of the 2012 program. Students were provided with a sneak peek of the 2012 host companies, as well as other cultural exchange options.

The students learned that the program unique in its focus on goodwill and designed to promote cultural exchange between Asia and the United States. Students also learned how important exchange experiences are in today's competitive global market.

"Students looking to compete can't be lazy," said Kay. "Many of our past participants have a full portfolio of at least to six international experiences including volunteering, working locally and regionally, participating in academic exchange and overseas internships, and attending international conferences."

Students were given the opportunity to attend a pre-admission interview face-to-face with the program director after the info session. Approximately 250 students participated. Interview sessions were in two parts. First, students introduced themselves and discussed strengths and weaknesses under a strict time limit. They were then given the chance to interact with their peers in timed group discussion on various topics.

Since CCIP relies on university partners and alumni to help spread the word, the exceptionally high turnout can be credited to those who shared their experiences with others and showed such overwhelming support for the program.

"My friend joined the program last year and she said the experience was really great. I knew this year would be competitive but I didn’t want to miss my chance," said one of the candidates from The University of Hong Kong.

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Yesterday (Aug 21, 2011), the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Vice-Chancellor Joseph Sung, along with his delegation, visited the CUHK Alumni Association of Greater New York and the CUHK students interning in New York via the CCIP program.

The CUHK Alumni Association of Greater New York hosted a reception welcoming the vice-chancellor and his delegation. The reception took place at Sung Dynasty Restaurant, Radisson Hotel, New York City midtown area. Professor Sung and CUHK delegation met with alumni representatives and the press, answering questions concerning the University's recent major initiatives and its latest developments. Antonia Yeung, Director of the Alumni Affairs Office, through a brief thank you speech, updated alumni and participants on the recent and future developments of alumni affair-related programs. Antonia's speech was followed by a PowerPoint presentation given by Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Hui. Professor Hui introduced the Shenzhen campus project and several highlights of the University's major developments. To wrap up the presentation, Vice Chancellor Professor Sung gave an uplifting presentation on a master plan underway for the University's 50th anniversary celebrations & major programs. Professor Sung warmly invited and urged all alumni to plan for this east-bound trip now to join celebrate the University's 50th anniversary in 2013 in its beautiful campus.

After the dinner, the CCIP students shared with Professor Sung about their exciting cross-cultural internship experience and insight in New York.

"The internship benefits me a lot. Everything here is new for me and I have changed a lot after a 6-week unforgettable life in New York," said Terence Chen, an Integrated BBA program second year student.

"It's my great honor and excitement to hear about programs planned for the anniversary celebration of my university with alumni here in a foreign country. It gave me a strong sense of belonging. I'm so glad that it could be part of my New York memory," said Dillon Yan, Quantity Finance first year student.

At the closing of the reception party, Professor Sung presented each student a copy of the "CUHK Alumni in the East Coast of USA," a book written by the CUHK Alumni Association of Greater New York.

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Wed, Aug 17, 2011 - Yesterday (Aug 16), the Cross-Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) held its 2011 Appreciation and Closing Ceremony at New York City Surrogate's Court. The ceremony began at 5pm with all of the student-interns looking sharp, and giving guests a big dose of international goodwill with welcoming smiles.

The guests in attendance included Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, a representative from NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office, representatives from NYS Assemblywoman Meng's office, NYS Assemblyman Lancman's office, Senator Gillibrand's office, Comptroller Liu's office, NYC Councilman Mark Weprin's office, as well as representatives from host companies, past and present, community leaders, business people, and members of the press.

With great honor, Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer declared August 16, 2011 "Cross-Cultural Internship Day" in Manhattan. He spoke highly of CCIP and stated that the program has provided an excellent platform for cultural exchange and brings an undeniably positive energy to the whole City of New York.

Other guest speakers included Herman Chan, Director of Careers and Placement from the University of Hong Kong; Fred Teng, Chairman of the Hong Kong Association of New York; Andrew Leung, Executive Vice President of YU & Associates, Inc.; and Marc Haken, CCIP advisor and Chair of the Youth, Education and Library Committee of Community Board 8. Each credited CCIP with having a meaningful effect on the cultural exchange between Asia and America.

The event was about showing appreciation to all of those who support CCIP. The following individuals and community organizations were honored at the event:

- NYPD Community Affairs Bureau that gave two special sessions on safety in NYC
- Mr. William Nelson for his assistance and the Flushing YMCA for accommodating CCIP's students
- Mr. Fred Fu for helping CCIP connect with the community and for suggesting the baseball game at Citi Field
- The Charles B. Wang Community Center, which went above and beyond the call of duty in caring for CCIP students
- Morgan Jones, Queens Director, NYC Mayor's Cultural Affairs Office for supporting the program since the beginning
- Meghan McCormick Snell for her assistance and Congressman Gary Ackerman for allowing CCIP to visit his office and for introducing the students to American government structure
- Joanna Foo, Agency Marketing Director of MetLife, Metropolis Financial Group, for sharing her experience with students
- The hospitality and goodwill of the members of The CUHK Alumni Association of Greater New York, as well as members of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Eastern USA) Association
- Hilary J. Nemchik, Director of Special Events, Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer's Office, as well as Rebecca Seale, Activities Coordinator, Department of Citywide Administrative Services and her colleagues for their assistance in acquiring event the venue
- The Flushing Main Street branch of TD Bank for helping CCIP students open checking accounts

The MCs of the ceremony were Ronald Lai and Yan Li Mak from the University of Hong Kong (HKU). Melody Ho, another HKU student, gave a thank you speech to summarize the program and express students' appreciation to all of their host companies. The event included a performance led by Mike Yiou and Anson Suen, along with Amy, Vassillissa, Raymond and Rosa. The group performed the song, "Da Hood Takes Me Under." The performance was put together by Mike and Anson in just two weeks to show their love of New York City and appreciation for obtaining global professional experience.

Some guests were not able to attend, but sent congratulatory letters, citations, and proclamations to CCIP. This included New York City Council Member Toby Ann Stavisky, New York City Council Member Margaret S. Chin and New York City Council Member Peter Koo.

The closing ceremony attracted the attention of the media. Many members of the press attended the event.

"CCIP was very helpful. My internship experience with FUSIA has changed me a lot. I will never forget these seven weeks living in New York," said Terence Chen from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, who was interviewed by a reporter from Sing Tao Newspaper last night.

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August 15, 2011 – Last weekend (Aug 13 & 14), CCIP students participated in the annual Dragon Boat Festival held at the Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Flushing, Queens in New York City.

The weather on Saturday at the event was wonderful. Students were able to fully enjoy everything the festival had to offer. Sunday's weather was much less pleasant. However, when Sunday's teams were asked if they wanted to stay home, they insisted on attending, regardless of the rain.

CCIP students fielded teams of paddlers and pitted themselves against professional racers each day of the festival. While they raced competitively, the students did not pull out a victory. However, the weekend was still a resounding success for all of the student-racers and student-volunteers, as well as the CCIP program as a whole. The entire weekend was a great experience for them and offered many team-building opportunities.

"We really are all in the same boat and have done a great job! We overcame the challenges of the bad weather and the experienced competitors and successfully showed the passion and the team spirit of a bunch of Asian students. I was deeply touched by their courage and determination. We are really proud of our 17 dragon boat team members," said Terence Chen (Team manager) of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Ronald Lai (Team Captain) of the University of Hong Kong.

Other CCIP participants volunteered at the event, working at the VIP tents. Some of the students attracted quite a crowd, teaching and painting with children at the festival. The most popular design was Dragon Boats painted on to fans handed out to attendees.

The festival brought out some important people, such as Assemblywoman Grace Meng, who is also a host company in CCIP, Councilman Daniel J. Halloran Ⅲ, Councilman James Gennaro, New York State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, etc.

Councilman Gennaro enjoyed the custom t-shirts CCIP students were wearing and was lucky enough to go home with one of his own. Councilman Gennaro and Assemblywoman Meng were kind enough to pose for a photo with the students, as did State Senator Toby Stavisky, who sent also congratulated CCIP students on another successful year with a formal letter to CCIP students.

CCIP would like to thank all of the students who participated throughout the weekend for their dedication. Your hard work and time were very much appreciated and the day could not have been as fun or successful without you:

Volunteers: Ryan Cheuk Ming Cheung, Sam Lou Kuok, Hoi Ying Mak, Yiou Zhu

Manager: Ke Chen

Captain and Co-Captains: Chuk Man Lai, Yun Shi, Kai Yan

Paddlers: Pindan Hao, Jingyuan Liu, Siu Wang Chong, Dan Hu, Hanzhang Yin, Fengjun Zhang, Kai Song, Amy Li, King Wai Shing, Chiu Chun Li, Ho Yan Chu, To Cheong Mok, Ruiyang Tang, Mingzhe Li

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Friday, August 12, 2011 - Herman Chan, Director of Careers and Placement for the University of Hong Kong enjoyed dinner with the University of Hong Kong (HKU) students last Friday at the Old Shanghai Restaurant in the Manhattan's Chinatown.

Most HKU students participating in CCIP this summer attended the event. The group sat at two tables, where Mr. Chan spoke with the students, listened to their comments as well as their experiences as interns in New York City, and shared his experiences and gave suggestions to the students.

Everyone enjoyed the meal and pleasant experience at Old Shanghai, and the students were especially appreciative that Mr. Chan took the time to dine with them during his stay in New York.

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FUSIA announced the two signature events taking place in August: FUSIA at the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival on August 13, taking place at Flushing Meadows Corona Park (www.hkdbf-ny.org), and the 2011 Cross Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) Closing and Appreciation Ceremony at the Surrogate's Court in Manhattan on August 16 (www.theccip.org).

This will be the eighth year that FUSIA will take part in the Honk Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York as a sponsor. FUSIA will also enter a team of 14+ CCIP students into the Dragon Boat race. Each student will wear unique t-shirt featuring the slogan "we're all in the same boat," symbolizing the cultural diversity and cooperation to achieve great things that the program inspires.

Aside from the races, CCIP students will host a cultural workshop for kids to garner support and raise awareness of the Chinese University of Hong Kong's AIumni Association's program "Little Bamboo," a charity working to assist children in poor areas of Mainland China.

This year's 2011 Cross Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) Closing and Appreciation Ceremony will be held at Surrogate's Court on 31 Chambers Street. The purpose of the event is to show support for the CCIP host companies and organizations as well as individuals and organizations throughout the city.

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer will be the keynote speaker addressing the guests. Other speakers include NYS Assemblywoman Grace Meng; NYS Assemblyman Rory Lancman; Herman Chan, Director of Careers and Placement, University of Hong Kong; Fred Teng, Chairperson of the Hong Kong Association of New York; Andrew Leung, Executive Vice President, Yu & Associates, etc.

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Yesterday, Fred Teng, CEO of China Newsweek Corp. and chairperson of the Hong Kong Association of New York, spoke about "The Power of Soft Skills." The session took place at the China Newsweek Corp. office, located on 15 E. 40th Street. Twenty Cross-Cultural Internship Program students attended the event.

To have a long and fruitful career, it is not enough to simply have the requisite qualifications and intelligence. It is equally, if not more important, to build a positive reputation from the outset of your career and to network among peers and superiors in your industry. Teng's presentation stressed the importance of the benefits of developing strong soft skills such as these. He shared his insights on how to improve these qualities and build strong networks. Teng also suggested some publications for students to read. The session concluded with Q&A and photo-up sessions.

"You need to be confident in yourself, have a good heart and be ready. For example, I always check my passport and make sure it is up-to-date. Because the visa allows you to travel throughout the US and major countries at any time," Teng said.

"How can I improve my ability to memorize people's names?" a student asked Teng. "Memory can be based on associations," Teng responded.

Students who are interested in obtaining a copy of the presentation may contact Crystal or Richard, both of whom interned for Teng.

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Twenty Cross Cultural Internship program (CCIP) students visited Princeton University -- one of the eight Ivy League universities in the US, on Sunday, July 17, 2011. The event was aimed to provide students an opportunity to experience university life in the US as well as broaden their cultural understanding.

Students started the day off early, already prepared and gathered in front of the Flushing YMCA at around 9am in order to catch the 1:00 pm Orange Key Tour.

Betty, a Princeton undergraduate student, guided the CCIP students on their tour, showing them points of interest such as the Chapel, the Firestones Library and the Art Museum.

After the Orange Key Tour, the students were broken up into 4 groups and allowed to roam around the beautiful campus on their own

"It’s so big and quiet. I can’t believe that the Princeton students could study in such a beautiful campus, I really envy them," said Kai (Carl) Song, a third year student of Macau University of Science and Technology.

"I got a lot of useful information from the guide about Princeton University and the students’ life here. I’m now considering applying to Princeton university for my postgraduate study, I hope I can have that chance," said Kai (Dillon) Yan, a first year student of Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Responses and comments from students who attended the visit were overwhelmingly positive. Some found the experience so enriching, they did not want to leave. Others are already looking forward to the other activities scheduled during the second session.

Joseph Smith of CCIP commented, "It's always rewarding to have the students respond so positively to the events in the program. The goal of CCIP is to broaden their horizons and expand their cultural knowledge. What good is it, though, if the students aren't having a good time as well? To have them respond so well, and to see the excitement for future events like the Dragon Boat Festival, means we're doing our job."

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On Friday, (July 15, 2011), students in the Cross-Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) visited Congressman Gary Ackerman's Office to observe and learn about the inner workings of the United States Government. Following the visit, students attended the Mets-Phillies baseball game at Citi Field, as well as the annual post-game fireworks show.

The visit to Congressman Ackerman's office was scheduled to begin at 3:30pm. The office is located on Northern Blvd. in Queens. The student met at the Flushing YMCA housing facility and travelled together by bus. Over 20 students participated in the visit.

Marc Haken, Community Liaison for Assemblyman Lancman's office, began by giving a thorough breakdown of the structure of American government, including an explanation of the election process in the US. Haken also discussed the background of Congressman Ackerman and went through the awards and plaques hanging on the walls in the office.

"There is an important difference between the American government and others. The American government works for the people, who have the right to choose who to elect in to office," said Haken.

After Haken's speech, Meghan McCormick Snell, Casework Manager and Office Manager, offered an overview of the day-to-day work in the office and explained how everything operates. After the presentation, she gave a tour of the office, providing an exclusive insight into how the government office functions.

Following the visit to Congressman Ackerman's office, the students headed out to Citi Field to take in a match-up between the Mets and Phillies. Before and during the game, the Mets and Citi Field honored the history and heritage of China, designated the evening "China Night." The night was capped off with a once-a-year post-game fireworks show.

Before the game, which began at 7:10pm, traditional Chinese songs were performed. The Flushing YMCA was also honored prior to the game. In between innings and in the middle of the game, Citi Field showed a presentation celebrated the history and culture of China. The game itself turned out to be an exciting affair, with the Phillies ultimately winning 4-2.

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Yesterday, (July 14, 2011), the Cross-Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) organized a discussion about safety with representatives from the New York Police Department's Community Affairs Bureau. Sergeat Ray Morales and Officers Keith O'Donnell and Edward Soto gave a presentation focusing on safety tips for foreigners visiting New York City. For students interning abroad, safety is always among one of the primary concerns.

Before the presentation, student representative Ke Chen (Terence), from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, welcomed the NYPD representative. Each student received a brochure from the NYPD. Officer O'Donnell reminded the students to pay attention to their surroundings at all times, especially when taking the subway. He cautioned students to always be careful of their personal belongings, such as an iPhone, laptop, wallet, etc.

Sergeant Morales added that students should always travel in groups, avoid dangerous areas and avoid speaking to strangers. He reminded students to call 911 in case of an emergency and to always trust their instincts. If they are attacked, he said to yell "fire" in order to draw people's attention.

"We, as visitors, are always curious about our surroundings and tend to underestimate our safety. We must remain vigilant," Kate, a student, said.

Officer O'Donnell added, with a smile, "The crime rate in the United States has decreased year after year. Still, students should always stay alert. Safety should always be the primary concern. We wish you all a safe and happy summer."

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The Cross Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) hosted two orientations over the past weekend (Sat, July 9 and Sun, July 10), welcoming the arrival of the program's Session B students. The orientations took place at the Flushing YMCA's conference room.

Session B is hosting 68 students from a wide variety of backgrounds and universities in Asia, including National University of Singapore, The University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Macau University of Science and Technology, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, City University of Hong Kong, Lingnan University and South China University of Technology.

The program's representatives, Elizabeth Kay and Joseph Smith, welcomed the students by giving a warm introduction and briefing on what the students should expect in the upcoming weeks. They stressed the importance of safety, professional etiquette, activities, etc. in a fun and upbeat atmosphere.

During the orientation, Muhammad Umar Yaqub, a student from the University of Hong Kong, stopped by to share his experience. "The first thing I have learned was problem-solving skills," he said. "The key is, "Don't give up." Umar was a Session A student. His internship was delayed by four weeks because of VISA issues, which caused his internship to span into the second session.

"Before I came to New York, I was nervous. Now, I feel more relaxed. I'm ready for the battle," said Fan (Hawk) Fan, a student from the Macau University of Science and Technology.

After the orientation, students stayed after to share thoughts and ask questions. They were all eager to begin their 7-week journey.

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The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Eastern USA) Association hosted a dinner welcoming the arrival of the school's President on Saturday (July 9) at a restaurant located in Brooklyn.

The Cross Cultural Internship Program (CCIP)'s organizer Elizabeth Kay (EK), with three participants from that university attended the event.

The dinner took place under a fun and pleasant atmosphere. The association's members were enthusiastic about listening to the CCIP students' experiences and offering encouragement and support. After the dinner, the students shared what they have learned with the President.

Julie Ma, who postponed her returning flight in order to attend the dinner, shared her seven-week experiences with the President. "It was definitely an eye-opening opportunity to intern at a company related to my academic discipline, Environment and Sustainable Development. I am grateful for the opportunity," she said.

Amy Li, who belong to the second session, commented, "I have spent a lot of time preparing for this challenge. I am ready to begin now."
The President shared valuable advice with the students, encouraging them to stay positive and open-minded in their pursuits. He also invited the students to attend the school's monthly meeting with him to share additional experiences.

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On Wednesday, 6th of July, 67 CCIP Session A students gathered at the basketball courts in the Flushing YMCA for the Session A Closing Ceremony cum Basketball Tournament. There were 3 segments to the event: Firstly the tournament semi-finals, followed by the Certificate Presentation Ceremony, and finally the grand finals of the tournament.

The purpose of the Certificate Presentation Ceremony was to recognize students for their commendable achievements in the 7-week internship and to encourage students to continue working hard in their future endeavors. The Closing Ceremony was also completed with the inaugural CCIP Basketball Tournament, which brought joy to the occasion and fostered team spirit among the students.

The semi-final of the tournament kicked off at 9.45pm, with 4 teams competing, namely Tropic Thunder, Basketball Team, Hong Kong Team, and Prince of Basketball.

Tropic Thunder consisted of students from Singapore while the other 3 teams were made up of students from Hong Kong, and each team had a mix of guys and girls. In the semi-finals, Tropic Thunder was matched up against Hong Kong team, while Basketball Team played against Prince of Basketball. During the exciting and absorbing matches, students were cheering wildly at the sidelines and spurring their team on. After an intense semi-final round, Hong Kong Team and Basketball Team emerged victorious in their respective matches.

The Certificate Presentation Ceremony began shortly after the semi finals. In her opening address, Elizabeth Kay, founder of CCIP, said, “Thank you everyone for your hard work and effort, I am truly proud and happy for each and every one of you. I hope everyone will continue to work hard and strive for a brilliant future ahead you.”

Ms. Kay, together with co-founder Joseph Smith, then proceeded to present the certificates and letters of recommendation to the students, followed by the presentation of the Star Award to students who have performed exceptionally during the program. The STAR Program is designed to recognize students who have, through every step of the program, made extraordinary efforts to contribute to the growth of CCIP
program's vision and values, as well as made tremendous gains throughout their internship experiences, and they serve as role models to their peers.

Muyun Jia from University of Hong Kong commented, “I am very happy and surprised to receive the Star Award. I have always lived my life responsibly and have always treated every task and everyone I meet sincerely and seriously. Thank you CCIP for your faith in me, I will continue to work hard and be serious in everything I do.”

At the end of the Certification Presentation Ceremony, students gathered for a group photo before quickly commencing with the intense Grand Final match between Hong Kong Team and Basketball Team. It was a nail-biting affair indeed as players played with their hearts out on court and supporters cheered at the top of their lungs. In the end, Hong Kong team emerged victorious as the champions of the tournament, beating Basketball Team with a score of 40:25.

Shun Yau Siu from Basketball Team said, “My teammates have been practicing tirelessly after work every day for tonight’s tournament. My teammate Jeremy even insisted on playing tonight despite injuring his ankle during practice. I feel that our team spirit won the match for us tonight and I am very proud of my team. This tournament is very meaningful as it helped us build stronger bonds between teammates and also allowed us to interact with other CCIP students.”

The ending of the tournament marked the conclusion of the 2011 Session A CCIP Closing Ceremony. However many students remained behind to chat with Ms. Kay and thank her and CCIP for the valuable internship opportunity, to share their experiences during the internship, as well as to discuss their plans for the future with her.

On the following day, Ms. Kay treated the Star Award recipients as well as the champions of the
basketball tournament to a sumptuous meal at Applebee’s. In total, 30 students attended Ms. Kay’s dinner party, which took place with an exuberant and merry mood. The students had a great time chatting, taking pictures and exchanging contacts, and when dinner ended, they waved goodbye to each other with a reluctant heart.

Author’s Remarks:

At this point I would like to give special thanks to the Program Founder for CCIP, Ms Elizabeth Kay, for providing such an excellent platform for all CCIP students to express themselves, improve themselves and strive for greater excellence.

Students often mention that these 7 weeks were tough and grueling, but the one with the toughest job was our Program Founder Elizabeth Kay, for she has been constantly working overtime and concerning herself with the students since the start of the program.

Throughout the course of the internship, I often notice Kay skipping dinner to rush down to the Flushing YMCA to interact with students and help solve their problems. She also puts in her best effort to get to know each and every student, and even at home, she would be thinking of ways to improve the program instead of resting.

Hence on behalf of all CCIP students, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Kay and hope that she would stop overworking herself and take care of her body. Thank you EK!

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Yesterday (June 29, 2011), ten CCIP students attended an impressive presentation given by Mr. Fred Teng, the Chairman of Hong Kong Association of New York, and Chief Executive Officer of China Newsweek Corporation. The session was about professional communication development and improving soft skills. It took place at the headquarters of the China Newsweek Corporation located on East 40th Street, New York City.

The session began at 7pm with a warm welcome and a brief self-introduction from Fred Teng. Originally from Shanghai, China, Teng moved to Hong Kong at age 5 and US at age 15. Teng said, "In today's times, it is very easy to obtain information and communicate with others. When I was young and didn't have such luxury, I found the right key after lots of trial and error."

The introduction was followed by the presentation, along with basic business etiquette, useful tips and interesting stores. Teng also recommended some books for students to read and encouraged students to learn to practice which makes perfect.

"Appreciating others who are better than you rather than focusing your own interest is the important. Most importantly, you need to be true to yourself," commented Fred.

The presentation was followed by a Q&A session.

"Fred shared with us about building and maintaining relationships, speaking in public and working in teams. He also mentioned that those are opinions, not solutions. We have to find out solutions by ourselves. There is no shortcut to success and practice makes perfect!" said Pei Xiaoying (Irene), a student from City University of Hong Kong.

"Sometimes it's not about what you know, but who you know, Fred's sharing reminds us the importance of creating our own opportunities through networking." said Lai Hei Tung (Wendy), a student from The University of Hong Kong.

Special thanks to Mr. Fred Teng for taking time off from his busy schedule and giving CCIP students this wonderful presentation. Mr. Teng will give another presentation to Session B's students in July. Session A students who want to obtain a copy of the PowerPoint presentation please contact Rosa or Cathy.

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Yesterday (June 23, 2011), 20 CCIP students visited Morgan Stanley located on Fifth Avenue, Manhattan. Founded in New York City in 1935, Morgan Stanley is one of the world's foremost financial institutions and a leader in the global integration of financial services.

The visit was scheduled to begin at 3:30pm, but the students were already eagerly waiting at the lobby much earlier than the scheduled time. They were then joined by Mr. Raymond Yeung, a Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Alumni Committee member, who has helped organize the visit.

The students were greeted by Mr. Jason Yeung, Managing Director of Morgan Stanley. Upon exchanging for the visitor’s passes, the students were then brought up to the 5th floor, where they gathered in the meeting room. After thanking everyone for visiting Morgan Stanley and giving a brief introduction to the company, Mr. Jason Yeung then divided the students into two groups, with one group proceeding to visit the trading floor first.

The first group of students was exceptionally excited as they made their way to the trading floor. This was the highlight of the visit as most financial institutions are off-limits to the public and it would be the first time that the students visit a Trading Floor, where the traders will complete the buying and selling of assets. The students observed several investment traders as they faced multiple computer screens and worked swiftly on their keyboards. One of the traders then brought the students through the interfaces, explaining that each of the screens are crucial to their work as they give different types of information, such as market prices, overall market outlook etc.

The groups then changed over, and the students who have visited the trading floor took the opportunity to speak to Mr. Jason Yeung and his colleagues, who have arrived at the meeting room. Asking pertinent questions such as those regarding the financial climate in New York, the students were able to hear firsthand from the experts on how the US economy is faring as well as the potential changes ahead.

The tour was followed by a panel, where Mr. Jason Yeung and his colleagues shared their insights on working in Morgan Stanley. The participants were transfixed as the speakers introduced themselves and the work they do, while also touching on issues such as career progression and the challenges faced while working in a high-stress environment such as Morgan Stanley's. Urging the participants to stay competitive as it is an important trait for an individual to succeed in the financial world, Mr. Jason Yeung assured everyone that it is not compulsory for a person to hold a Business degree to be able to work in an investment bank. He stressed that as long as the individual possess strong character and the qualities required, it would be sufficient for him or her to carve a niche in the financial field.

After which, Mr. Jason Yeung opened the floor for questions. The students, who have been listening attentively, then took turns asking questions to quell their curiosity. While many questions were fielded, the more pertinent ones were regarding the selection criteria that companies have in place when screening job applicants as well as the way the team maintain work-life balance while having to work long hours due to the nature of their work.

"I have always been curious about how life will be like working in big financial firms. After the visit, I have seen for myself that they are just regular people who are working in a field that they are really passionate about. I hope that I will be able to find a job in the future that I can look forward to working in every morning I wake up, just like these gentlemen", said Tracy Miao Huiting, a student from Lingnan University.

"The Morgan Stanley visit provided me an in-depth understanding about the job duties for the different departments. I was particularly impressed by the speech from the legal department representative as it inspired me to develop a career as an in-house lawyer with a global corporation such as Morgan Stanley after I qualify as a solicitor back in Hong Kong", said Marvin Luk Ho Lun, a student from the University of Hong Kong.

Special thanks to Mr. Raymond Yeung for organizing the visit as well as Mr. Jason Yeung and his team for the wonderful sharing session.

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Eleven (11) CCIP students had a sumptuous dinner yesterday with Ms. Joanna Foo, an agency director of MetLife, a global financial service corporation in the US. Congregating at “Deung Chon Shabu & Noodle,” a highly-rated restaurant, the students had an engaging discussion with Joanna while tucking into Korean delicacies such as Shabu Shabu and spicy hot-pot.

Graduating from The National University of Singapore (NUS), Joanna was a lawyer in Singapore before joining the diplomatic service, where her tour-of-duty was in Malaysia. Joanna then came to the United States for her MBA after a short stint at the United Nations, where she subsequently took up a job in MetLife and built up very strong connections both in NY and Singapore over the years. Hence, FUSIA has invited her to meet its CCIP students so that she can share her wealth of experience on a personal level.

The event kicked off with a brief introduction to the speaker, where Joanna then thanked EK for organizing the dinner as well as the 11 students for making the trip down. She then shared that she was glad we made the decision to do our internship abroad in New York as exposure and experience is very crucial in a person's professional development. Hence, the CCIP was a good chance to expose oneself internationally and will encourage the students to adopt a global mindset before entering their future workplace.

Ms. Joanna then continued by saying that while it is beneficial for students to gain international work experience, students should not maintain the mindset that working in the U.S. is always better. She shared with the participants that US companies are starting to place more emphasis on the Asian markets due to their great potential and hence advised us to gain more working experience first by working in Asian corporations before deciding where you want to build a career on. She also stressed to us the importance of taking risks, which she describes as essential to achieve great results. Warning us that having the constant fear of making mistakes will eventually be counterproductive, she advised us that we should do everything that we feel like doing at this stage of our lives and that it’s only through taking risks that we can achieve exceptional results.

After which, dinner was served. Over a three-course hotpot meal comprising of a variety of meat and vegetables, noodles and finally hotpot rice, Joanna mingled with the CCIP students who were spread about 3 tables. The students were extremely engaged as she shared useful career tips, interesting insights on the working conditions in New York as well as good recommendations on where to visit after office hours. The session ended at about 8pm.

“I had the chance to speak briefly with Ms Joanna during the Kickoff BBQ 2 weeks ago, and I was already intrigued by our short discussion then! I am glad that I was able to attend the dinner as I have been looking forward to it ever since, and it was very beneficial as she gave us great recommendations and advice with regards to living and working in New York,” said Alston Wong Jun Ngai, a student from The National University of Singapore.

“It was great hearing from Joanna about her experience so far in New York. While we might have experienced for ourselves the difference between Asian and American cultures during the internship, it was refreshing to hear from the point of view of an Asian who has been working here for a long period of time. It sets my mind thinking on how I can improve myself into a professional with a global mindset,” said Ng Chun Yee, a student from the City University of Hong Kong.

Special thanks to Ms Joanna Foo for taking time off her busy schedule to converse with the CCIP students and share her valuable insights.

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Yesterday (Thursday, June 9, 2011), Mr. Morgan A. Jones, Queens Borough Director at the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit (CAU), gave an engaging and inspiring bilingual presentation to 18 of our Session A students in the Activity Room at the Flushing YMCA.

Titled "Welcome to New York City, Your City", the presentation began with a self introduction by Mr. Jones, Born and raised in Brooklyn, Mr. Jones majored in Chinese Language and Culture in College, and attended grad school at The Johns Hopkins - Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies, SAIS in China. In total, he had lived and worked in China for six years and only moved back to the US two years ago after getting married there.

Mr. Morgan Jones was very candid and humorous during his presentation, and this delighted the students at the session. They were also pleasantly surprised when Mr. Jones went on to do a presentation about New York City where he shared about its history, important facts, and even introduced Mayor Michael Bloomberg as well as Queens Borough President Helen Marshall. As our students are currently staying in Queens Borough, Mr. Jones also did a short presentation on the area for our benefit, explaining that Queens is the second most populated borough in New York City while having the largest land mass. He also highlighted that Queens has one of the most diverse populations with Asians making up 22% of it. Mr. Jones then shared useful tips and information with our students, ranging from recommended websites to visit for more information as well as a list of interesting activities to do in Queens. He then concluded by giving his contact information to the students present, stating that they are more than welcome to contact him if they need any advice with regards to living and working in New York City.

Meijiao Tang, who is from Lingnan University, was very impressed with Mr. Jones's colorful, multilingual background. Brimming with questions about NYC, she was also the most active during the Q&A section. "I really enjoyed Mr. Jones’s engaging presentation and I am very glad that I could speak to him in person. I now realize the importance of Mandarin as a means of communication when working with the communities in New York, especially in Queens where there are so many Mandarin-speaking residents. I hope there would more sessions like this for CCIP students in the future."

Yongchao Chen from The Chinese University of Hong Kong added "Through the presentation, I understand that effective communication is essential for solving problems, especially when it comes to doing community work. The presentation also made me realize that being able to express one’s position and opinions fully is what defines true democracy and freedom.”

Special thanks to Mr. Morgan Jones for his informative and eye-opening presentation as well as the students who took part in the session. Students may obtain a copy of the presentation slides by visiting http://www.facebook.com/theccip.

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FUSIA Communications hosted a Kickoff BBQ reception at the Flushing YMCA today (Friday, June 3) from 6pm to 9pm to celebrate the launch of the 2011 Cross Cultural Internship Program (CCIP). Entitled “Saying Hello to New York City”, the event’s primary aim was to introduce the group of interns, who will be the next global generation, to the New York City community.

This is the first time that a Kickoff BBQ Session has been organized since the establishment of CCIP in 2008. While the arrival of CCIP students in New York for the past few years had been unceremonious, this new initiative was pushed through for the 2011 batch to give current students an opportunity to interact with the community. As such, in addition to the interns and CCIP staff, representatives from the host companies where the students are interning at, the CUHK Alumni Association of Greater New York (CUHKAAGNY) as well as the New York Police Department (NYPD) were also present at the event.

The session provided a good forum where students had the opportunity to interact with members of the community and this enabled both parties to learn more about each other’s cultures while sharing their personal experiences. This greatly benefited the students as they were able to build up networks within the community while learning to strike a balance between hard and soft skills. Moreover, students had the rare chance to interact with executives from other host companies and this helped them have a better understanding of other industries in general as well.

In addition, representatives from CUHKAAGNY were also present at the event in a bid to collect donations for “Xiao Bian Dan”, which is dedicated to address educational needs for poverty-stricken areas in China. Having been active in New York for the past few years, the fund aims to amass more donations as $40 is already sufficient to help a rural student in China attend school for a year. All donations made to “Xiao Bian Dan” were then given in entirety to the beneficiaries.

“It was a pleasure meeting the students at the session. They provided great company as they were engaging and very enthusiastic to find out more about living and working in New York. The thing that delighted me the most was that several students talked to me to find out more about “Xiao Bian Dan”. It was really heartwarming to see these young adults showing so much compassion and willingness to help the less fortunate.” said Mr. Raymond Yeung, an Executive Committee Member of CUHKAAGNY.

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Safety is of utmost importance to any student in a foreign country. Hence FUSIA Communications organized a sharing session for CCIP Session A students with the Officers of the New York Police Department (NYPD), 109 precinct.

The session was held at the indoor basketball courts in the Flushing YMCA at around 8.00pm. Students were seated and listened attentively as Detective John Flaherty, Sergeant Ray Morales, Officer Keith O’ Donnell and Officer Suk Too shared tips on personal safety when carrying valuable items, when taking the subway, when coming back late in New York and when crossing the roads.

Detective Flaherty, who did most of the sharing, started off by explaining that New York City is a relatively safe city but that doesn’t mean that students would not encounter criminals. He explained that many foreign students are unfamiliar with the area and become easy targets for criminals, hence it is important that students be aware of their surroundings and not have “tunnel vision”.

The officers also gave students advice on protecting themselves, such as going out in groups, not carrying excessively valuable items on them, and being aware of strangers who approach them. Detective Flaherty used real life examples to demonstrate how pickpockets and conmen operate and also taught students how to react to such situations.

“I found the NYPD session to be very helpful as I now know how to handle strangers who approach us. I will definitely be more aware of my surroundings now and take better care of my personal belongings, “ said Alan Yeung Chun Hoi, a student from University of Hong Kong.

“ The Officers were really friendly and taught us a lot about how to keep ourselves safe such as discarding our drink if it has been left unattended in the clubs, and also to look out for oncoming cars as the traffic system is different from my country,” said Rachel Wong Wai Sze from Lingnan University.

To conclude the session, Sergeant Morales stressed that despite their stern appearance, the officers of the NYPD are very friendly and approachable people and would be more than willing to help anybody who approaches them. He also mentioned that students should not hesitate to report any incidents or missing items by calling 911 or talking to any officer.

“After the session, I realized that even though New York City is quite safe, we should not take safety for granted and we must always keep a lookout for our own safety. However I feel assured that the NYPD has professional officers whom we can always approach and they would always do their best to protect us”, said Sean Goh Shao Hern from National University of Singapore.

Special thanks to the officers from the NYPD for conducting the informative session and sharing valuable tips with our students.

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18 CCIP Session A students attended the celebratory reception for Hong Kong’s Wine Boom, which was organized by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office at the Asia Society.

The event kicked off at 5:30pm and ticketholders were invited to a reception at the building’s lobby where a wide assortment of cheese and crackers were offered to guests. To celebrate the wine boom in style, guests were also given free flow of red and white wine, featuring American wines from California, Oregon, and Washington.
CCIP students then took the opportunity to network with their peers, who were present at the event. Besides that, many students also took the initiative to engage in discussion with businessmen and wine experts to learn more about wine and the Hong Kong market.

"I had a great time mingling around with my peers from the program. I enjoyed talking to them and learnt more about their background as well as their preferences in wine. I hope there would be more networking sessions like this in the future for us to get to know each other better", said Kok Hong Bin, a student from the National University of Singapore.

"I took the opportunity to approach Sommelier Jeff Andrews, who gave me a detailed explanation on the different types of wine, including Riesling and Gewurztraminer. He also advised me to choose bubbled wine whenever I have no idea which wine to match with the food. As I have always been keen to learn more about wine, I am glad that I was able to attend this event and it has indeed been a great eye opener", said Henry Cheng Hiu Wai, a student from The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The main event kicked off at 6:30pm when Mr. Donald Tong Chi-Keung, the Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs U.S.A, gave his speech. As Commissioner, Mr. Tong directs the HKSAR Government's efforts in promoting US- Hong Kong economic and trade relations.

Mr. Tong began his speech by thanking everyone for coming to the event before highlighting the wine boom by sharing that Hong Kong is the third largest destination for US wine and that those exports grew nearly five-fold from 2008 to 2010 after Hong Kong abolished all duties on wine. The commissioner also stressed Hong Kong's commitment to wine by highlighting programs to certify wine storage facilities that meet certain standards and to cut down on counterfeit wines.

"Mr. Tong’s speech was very engaging and informative. I have to say that while I have stayed in Hong Kong all my life, I was not aware of the booming wine market in Hong Kong. This has given me a greater insight about Hong Kong’s wine market and made me more knowledgeable about Hong Kong’s import economy", said Ivy Ho Chui Shan, a student from The University of Hong Kong.

Towards the end of the event, Sommelier Jeff Andrews took to the podium, where he proceeded to suggest some wines that would pair well with Asian food (specifically stressing that Cabernet should be avoided), as well as share his insights on the wine preferences among Asians. The event then ended at 7:30pm.

Special thanks to Mr. Fred Teng, Chief Executive Officer of NewsChina and Chairman of Hong Kong Association of New York, for inviting the CCIP students to the event.

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FUSIA Communications officially started the 2011 Cross-Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) with the program's first Post-Arrival Orientations, which took place yesterday and today (May 21-22, 2011) at the Flushing YMCA. In the spirit of CCIP tradition, group photos were taken along with the Sunday session.

Marc Haken, an active member in New York City government and the community, a former teacher, President of Friends of Cunningham Park and Community Liaison of the Office of Assembly Member Rory Lancman, was present at the Saturday session as a guest speaker. Haken is a valued supporter and trusted advisor to CCIP.

Haken broke the ice with the students, to their surprise, by greeting them in French. Afterwards a quick self introduction and smiles all around, Haken shifted the topic to New York City, describing it as one of the greatest and the safest cities in the world.

But he immediately followed with important advice, "Being in the safest city in the world doesn't mean you can't be mugged. Make sure you keep safety at the top of your list. The rule of thumb is to hang out in groups."

Haken continued, "Pay attention to local laws. You may see other people breaking the laws. That doesn't mean that you should try to follow their lead. There is always a chance that policeman can give you a ticket or arrest you. It is not worth the risk to break the law, even a small one."

Kay went on to give a sneak preview of this year's activity agenda for Session A students. Highlights include "Saying Hello to New York City" BBQ on June 3, visiting Borough President Helen Marshall, visiting Morgan Stanley, etc.

At the end of the orientation, Kay handed the students some gifts left by last year's students. They left a hair dryer, a hot pot, and some medicine. Kay relayed the message that 2011 students left, "We want you to carry on the CCIP spirit."

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The New York City YMCA held its annual General Assembly and Volunteer Recognition ceremony last week. The network of YMCA branches uses this assembly to award volunteers from each individual branch for their efforts.

The NYC YMCA network is the largest in North America. Each year, the 17 branches of the YMCA in New York City nominate one adult and one youth volunteer for this prestigious award.

Elizabeth Kay, founder of FUSIA Communications and the Cross Cultural Internship Program (CCIP), was nominated by the Flushing YMCA for her responsiveness to the various needs of the branch. Elizabeth Kay, better known as EK, is also an active member in both the local and international communities supporting youth and young professionals. She has amassed over 18 years of experience in the non-profit, advertising and media sectors, and has served on the Board of Managers of the NYC Flushing/Bayside YMCA Branch for over two years.

"I am very thankful for this award," said Elizabeth Kay. "I enjoy doing what I can to help the YMCA achieve its goals

"I want to also take this opportunity to say thank you to the Flushing community and the Flushing YMCA for their generosity and understanding. I am greatly appreciative of especially Al, William and the board managers and staff members of the Flushing YMCA for their support and nomination," Kay added.

"As well, I'm also honored to be taking the lead on the membership and marketing committee at the Flushing YMCA. I hope to use this new position to develop creative ideas to help the organization expand membership and continue to improve the community," Kay continued.

In addition, Maclynn Kornreich was awarded the Youth Volunteer of the Year award by the Flushing YMCA at the 2011 General Assembly for her volunteer efforts in various youth program, as well her role as President of the Leaders Club and the Steering Committee for Youth and Government. She maintained a stellar academic record throughout her time volunteering at the YMCA.

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Chinese version pending for translation - Over 80 Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) alumni, friends and their families gathered for an annual gala to celebrate the Lunar New Year. The event took place in a Chatham Square restaurant in Manhattan's Chinatown on Friday, March 18, 2011.

Alumni and friends welcomed Professor Jack Cheng, Post-Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, who made a brief stop in New York to thank the alumni for their ongoing support of the university. Professor Cheng also shared an update on the university's latest developments, such as campus expansion, growth in the number of colleges and students, collaboration with other distinguished universities, academic honor bestowed, etc.

Elizabeth Kay, Founder of the Cross-Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) and President of FUSIA Communications, attended the event as a special guest. She gave a warm welcome to alumni and families and a brief introduction on CCIP.

"Although I am not a alumna of CUHK, I am proud to be here on this momentous occasion. I am equally proud to host CUHK students and give them the opportunity to obtain cultural and practical experiences in New York City, " said Kay.

Kay continued, "The association is a group of successful professionals with a plethora of life experiences who have come together purely out of goodwill. The members are dedicated to friendships, camaraderie, and giving back to society. They have been through a lot and have fought for their piece of the American dream just like other immigrants. I am really looking forward to their meeting with the CCIP interns to share their experiences this summer."

At the event, Raymond Yeung, an executive committee member of the association, and one of its core members announced the official launch of "CUHK Alumni in the East Coast of USA (中大人在美東)," a alumni publication containing 70 success stories written by the university's alumni (and current students) living on the US East Coast.

"With the combined effort and dedication from all of us over a period of more than one and half years," Yeung said, "our second alumni publication is finally coming to a successful completion! There is no better way to celebrate our achievement than with our special guests tonight!"

Yeung added, "Underneath this jubilant moment, we are fully aware that this is only the beginning of what we have set out to achieve. Our ultimate goal is to share our experience and to sell as many copies as possible so that more revenue will be generated to fund the "Little Bamboo" operations. Knowing more under-privileged children living in poor and remote villages in Mainland China benefited by our effort and having the opportunity to go to school and learn will be very gratifying to all of us! "

For more information about the association, please contact Raymond Yeung at 201-788-2145 or email him at choyeung@yahoo.com. Click to obtain for a brief introduction of the association.

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As The Cross-Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) Window 3 application came to an end on Feb 25, we received positive feedback from the students.

"I should say the process is really cumbersome and it is the most difficult application I have ever encountered" said Sam Lou Kuok, a student of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. "Nevertheless, I have learnt to be more discreet, circumspect and to know more peers who have been very helpful. It was a very unforgettable experience! "

Due to the large amount of applicants, the schedule was tightly arranged during Window 3 application. Skype sessions, where applicants could discuss their applications directly with Elizabeth Kay (EK), the founder and head of CCIP, therefore played an important role during the application process. Skype has also been used for interviews, facilitating the process within the short timeframe.

"This is my first time to have an interview online," said Ka Yee (Rosa) Lee, a student of the University of Hong Kong, "but it turned out my performance was much better than I thought."

Adeel Ahsan, another student of the University of Hong Kong added, "I seldom use Skype, but now I realize it's such a convenient tool. If I run a committee myself and need to recruit people from different places, Skype interview is definitely going to help me out!"

Newly introduced networking peer groups on Skype also made screening a whole new different experience to the applicants. Students helped each other with application materials and made instant feedback possible.

"I think this is a win-win strategy, the peer group helped me a lot in this application process. I have learned how to work hard and work smart, how to write a professional email, and how to communicate with others," commented Qiutao (Carol) Pan, a student of the Macau University of Science and Technology. "It is really a special experience for me to learn. I have changed the way I used to do things before. What is more, I would like to help the new students complete their application as much as I can."

More than 110 students have been accepted till now, while the rest are still waiting for their interview results.

The Extended Application started on Feb 28, 2011. Interested students are encouraged to visit the website www.theccip.org and read the instructions carefully before submitting the application materials by Mar 31, 2011.

Special thanks to Huiting (Tracy) Miao, Lingnan University; Ho Yan (Tiffany) Chu, Ka Yee (Rosa) Lee and Adeel Ahsan, The University of Hong Kong; Sam Lou Kuok, The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Qiutao
(Carol) Pan, Macau University of Science and Technology forcontributing to this press release.

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There is only one week left for students to apply for this year's Cross Culture Internship Program (CCIP).

Asian university students who seek to gain both practical and cultural experiences are encouraged to submit applications by Feb 25, 2011. The following is a brief guide to enrolling in the program.

1. Register a user account with www.theccip.org
2. Login and read through the instructions
3. Complete and submit the application and resume online (do not click Confirm)
4. Click PDF to generate your application and resume in PDF format
5. Send your application, resume and other required materials ccip@fusia.net

CCIP stresses teamwork. Before submitting the application, students are encouraged to join a peer group and/or Skype session by contacting the program's representative via Skype (ID: fusia_18). They are also encouraged to send their documents to the program for comments before they officially submit their applications.

According to CCIP, as well as the applicants, the program's application process is long, tedious and time consuming. So far only 50 applicants have passed the interview out of the 130 applicants.

Over 100 students are still working hard to fine-tune their applications to meet the program's high standards and criteria.

"I was surprised to see the sheer number of documents needed, as well as the strict protocol we were supposed to follow. Undaunted, I practiced extra caution before submitting my application and was extremely taken aback to find out that I still received a list of errors to correct despite my conscientious effort. This is definitely the hardest application process I have ever encountered but looking back, I found it to be an extremely rewarding experience," said Kwek Pak Ming, a student attending National University of Singapore.

Ke (Terence) Chen, a student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong added, "I initially applied with two other friends who quit in the middle of the application process. It was stressful, but once I heard I got in yesterday, it was such a relief to be done. It was totally worth it, and I did learn a lot from the process."

CCIP is an internship program that takes place in New York City every summer in two seven-week sessions. The program is designed to strengthen the practical skills and global mindset of Asian university students, the next global generation, and bring positive influences to American firms hosting the interns.

For more information about CCIP, visit www.theccip.org.

Special thanks to Huiting (Tracy) Miao from the Lingnan University; Kwek Pak Ming from the National University of Singapore; Ke (Terence) Chen from the Chinese University of Hong Kong for contributing to this press release.

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CCIP adopted a new screening method this year in which interactions play an important role throughout the process. Along with the new model, the program formed peer groups where applicants from different universities mingle with each other, ask questions, and share insights.

The idea was initiated after Ruochen Li (Rosa), a student of the Macau University of Science and Technology, shared her idea of how to help other applicants with Elizabeth Kay (EK), the head of the program, in a phone discussion.

"I was one of the lost sheep at the beginning stage of the process," said Rosa. "I sent EK my application and it was returned with over ten comments. I was nervous and didn't know what to do until EK put me on a peer group where I met other applicants who were so helpful. Everyone checked and commented on my resume and application. My application was finally accepted this week, and I am waiting to attend tomorrow morning's interview at six."

Another applicant, Fengjun Zhang (Ray), a student of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University said, "I especially liked the idea of the Skype sessions in which I learned when EK shared comments on others' applications. I learned a lot even before I got accepted by the program."

Ryan Cheuk Ming CHEUNG, a student of the Chinese University of Hong Kong added, "When EK asked if I was interested in helping out other applicants, I agreed right away without much thought to it. Later, I learned that this experience allowed me to not only better realize my own potential, but also to enhance my own limitations and enhance my leadership skills. Most importantly, I was reminded that helping others helps you."

As of now, there are 5 peer groups: We love NY, Synergy, Silver Surfers, Dalek Tribe and Team United. Each group has about 20 applicants.

The 2011 CCIP application will come to a close by the end of this month. Students who are interested in joining the program should register an account, login and submit their applications to ccip@fusia.net before the end of the third registration period on Feb 25 (Fri).

Special thanks to Huiting (Tracy) Miao from the Lingnan University; Ruochen (Rosa) Li from the Macau University of Science and Technology; Fengjun (Ray) Zhang from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Ryan Cheuk Ming Cheung from the Chinese University of Hong Kong for contributing to this press release.

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The Cross Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) announced the close of the first registration period and the beginning of the second period for the 2011 program.

"The response to the first registration was great," said Elizabeth Kay (EK), founder and head of the CCIP, "despite the fact that the new user account registration system only accepts registrations from students in the program's partner university network."

"To date, over 300 students have applied to the program. We expect most applications will be received during the second and third registration periods," said EK.

Students whose applications were accepted during the first registration period should have received a confirmation email. Because of the Lunar New Year celebrations, the program will start interviewing candidates and considering them for acceptance to CCIP beginning the week of Feb 7.

Students interested in joining CCIP can still submit their applications during the second or the third registration periods.

This year, the CCIP adopted a new selection method in which "interactions" play an important role in the screening process. The program uses "real world situations" in the application process to test the candidates' responses and reactions.

EK offered a few insider tips. "The new selection method blends real world situations into the preparation process. The goal is to provide students with a more realistic picture of interning in New York while giving us a better idea of the students' ability, attitude and potential before they join the program."

"It is okay for students feel lost or make mistakes in the beginning of the process," EK added. "What's more important is their ability to improve based on comments and their attitude toward criticisms. In addition, we also break up the students into groups to build their leadership skills and improve their ability to work as part of a team."

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The Cross Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) organized three alumni reunion gatherings in Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore. Over 50 CCIP alumni took part in the gatherings.

The reunions were organized by the students. Ling Shuet CHEUNG from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Chong Tat CHAN from Lingnan University were the point of contact. In addition to the gathering, they also took part in the 2011 information sessions and shared their experiences with newcomers.

“The gatherings had students from the 2010 program but also those who joined the program four years ago,” Ling said. “Participants enjoyed great food, chatted about their recent life, and took a lot of photos. The atmosphere was filled with warmth and harmony."

Elizabeth Kay (EK), Founder and Program Head, was part of the gathering. "Such moments are precious," she explained. During the gathering, EK suggested creating a CCIP alumni network to help students stay in touch and continue to promote East-West cultural exchange.

Although still in its infancy, many students showed support for the network and offered suggestions, such as letting alumni help out the screening process and mentor new CCIP participants.

The goal of the alumni network is to help CCIP students bond with each other. EK also hopes to reach people outside of the program and spread the global mindset through non-profit activities.

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The Cross-Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) announces the 2011 information sessions schedule. The information sessions will take place in Asia at the program's partner universities from January 11 to January 22, 2011

The information sessions will provide an overview of CCIP's 2011 internship program. Highlighted topics include application procedures, fees, host companies, curriculum features, and past student experiences.

The sessions will be hosted by CCIP representatives from New York who will meet with students face-to-face and answer questions.

Students interested in joining the 2011 CCIP program are strongly suggested to attend the following sessions before submitting their applications. The Lingnan University and Macau University of Science and Technology's sessions will only be available to selected students. The City University's session will be available to students of other universities.

Download	Universities	Date/Time	Location
	National University of Singapore (NUS)	Jan 12 (W), 2011 2:30PM to 4:30PM	University Hall Auditorium, Level 2, Lee Kong Chian Wing, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road
	The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)	Jan 14 (F) 4:30PM to ~	LT2, Lady Shaw Building B>
	City University of Hong Kong (CityU)	Jan 17 (M) 2:30PM to 4:00PM	83 Tat Chee Avenue, CY303, 3/F, Cheng Yick Chi Building Students of other universities can join this session
	The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)	Jan 18 (TU) 2:00PM to 5:00PM	Amenities Centre S-208
	Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST)	Jan 19 (W) 3:30PM to 5:30PM	Venue: Contact International Office
	Lingnan University	Jan 20 (TH) 4:30PM to 5:30PM	Only available to selected Lingnan students
	University of Hong Kong	Jan 21 (F) 1PM to 2:30PM	LG109, KK Leung Building Contact CEDARS for more

Application packets and user registrations will be available starting January 1, 2011. CCIP will accept student applications for the 2011 summer program from January 17 to February 25, 2011.

Students can prepare their applications in advance by having necessary documents such as passports (must be valid until December 31, 2011) and transcripts ready before submitting their applications after January 17.

For more, visit www.theccip.com or email ccip@fusia.net.

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