Educational Enhancement
Through the connections I have gained due to my international experiences, I have also been able to interview multiple professionals within the international adoption industry, a process crucial to professional development that has allowed an extra edge in my knowledge of the field and the prerequisites required to obtaining the position.
Interviews
Freida Chung
I interviewed with Freida Chung on July 11, 2013 in Shanghai, China. Freida Chung is the Coordinator and Co-Founder at the Shanghai Healing Home, an orphanage in Pudong Shanghai, China that provides pre- and post-operative care for abandoned babies suffering from correctable deformities. In my interview with Freida, I was able to obtain a more in-depth understanding of the international adoption process and policies the Chinese government has set up. I learned about international agreements between countries regarding international adoption and the challenges that the orphanage faces due to the conflicting opinions about international adoption. We also discussed how the Shanghai Healing Home was started and the different obstacles she and the orphanage have faced as a newly-started international nonprofit organization. My interview with Freida Chung gave me a practical understanding of the process of starting an orphanage and the challenges that I will face as an executive director and entrepreneur.
Kelly Winquist
I interviewed Kelly Winquist on December 20, 2013. Kelly Winquist has worked at orphanages in Ethiopia, Amsterdam, and India. Winquist worked in management positions and learned the business aspects of the orphanages. My discussion with Kelly Winquist was very informative. She gave me advice for the best education path to take before entering the field and provided me with resources, such as publications, networks, conferences and articles, and other business connections within the field. She recommended that I receive an undergraduate degree that has a focus of international nonprofit management and then to work on the management side at multiple orphanages overseas (both state-run and privately owned orphanages in order to see the differences). After three to five years in the field, she recommends to return to obtain a Master of Business Administration before starting my own orphanage. Kelly also recommended that I become involved in an orphan alliance, such as the Christian Alliance for Orphans, as a source of international connections. My time spent in conversation with Kelly was very helpful in my educational planning and she will continue to be a valuable resource and connection throughout my career.