Creating Cultural Connections

Originally published in the Fall 2014 Issue of Villanova Business magazine.

With a bi-continental upbringing – she grew up in both Taiwan and the United States – and unique experiences that have equipped her with an amalgam of viewpoints and knowledge, Pin-Pin (Alice) Liao ’16 VSB has been trailblazing for years. Her unique global background, her commitment to diversity and her desire to share those qualities have inspired her to give other young students the international experience from which she benefited.

During the summer of 2013, Alice attended the Japan American Student Conference (JASC). Engaging with leaders taught her confidence and responsibility, and that she, too, had a voice. When the conference concluded, Alice returned to the United States, but the conversations started at JASC continued. Reflecting on the cultural divides she witnessed throughout her youth, Alice decided to create an opportunity for Taiwanese and American students to connect.

“As someone fortunate enough to grow up in two drastically different cultures, I have this insane need to want to bring the best of each of these cultures together,” said Alice. “I feel that somehow it is my responsibility to show both of my home countries that there are many more things we can learn from each other.”

Their objective was to bring together top university students from the United States and Taiwan to
collaborate and work toward solving global issues – all the while attending professional networking events, academic forums and cultural excursions.

The TASC launched in August 2014 with over 40 Taiwanese and American delegates, united by the aspiration to become international leaders. The conference covered a plethora of topics, including Taiwan-China-U.S. Relations; Modern Issues in Education; Diversity, Identity, and Discrimination; and
Government and Society. It also drew a number of prominent speakers, including Bob Margevicius, the VP of Specialized and a board member for the Federal Industry Trade Advisory Committee; William Stanton, the former director of the American Institute in Taiwan; and Anting Liu, the founder of Teach for Taiwan.

In addition to inspiring young people, Alice has also found time to shine at the Villanova School of Business (VSB). Given her background and interests, it was only natural that at VSB Alice would pursue a diversity of subjects, with majors in international business and marketing, and minors in business analytics and Japanese. She also became an intramural basketball champion, and she authored a case study on Google’s challenges in China, recently published in International Management: Culture, Strategy, and Behavior by VSB Professor Jonathan Doh.

Alice says that her life goal is to become an entrepreneur and bring together like-minded, skilled individuals to tackle modern global issues. She is well on her way.