Lingdao Fellows Program

Lingdao 2017 fellows program participants travel to Beijing.

Inspired by LMU’s commitment to global imagination and innovation, the Lingdao Fellows Program is dedicated to developing global leaders who will transform the world.  In its inaugural year, 11 student leaders were selected to participate in an immersive global experience in Beijing, China and enroll in EDLA 498: Imagining Global Leadership. Through these experiences, the Lingdao Fellows have worked to cultivate a respectful global worldview and develop an intercultural approach to leadership in order to engage in dialogue around global leadership and creative change to positively impact the campus community.  

  • Through their participation in the Beijing international study tour, pre-excursion curriculum and EDLA 498: Imagining Global Leadership, the Lingdao Fellows will: 

    Engage in an Immersive Global Experience with Diverse Local Cultures

    • Students will develop a basic understanding of the varied cultural, economic and political challenges facing modern China.

    • Students will be able to contribute to LMU’s international and global initiatives by infusing new cultural, social and academic perspectives.

    Cultivate a Respectful Global Worldview

    • Students will be exposed to multiple world views and will learn how to initiate respectful and meaningful interactions with others of diverse mind and kind.

    • Students will develop the competencies and confidence to work in globally diverse environments. 

    Develop an Intercultural Approach to Leadership

    • Students will develop intercultural competencies and self-reflective approaches to diverse global ideas and practices that are different than their own.

    • Students will be able to work collectively to propose effective leadership approaches in an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world.

  • The Lingdao Fellows Program is comprised of the following experiences:

    Pre-Excursion Seminars: 

    • Students participate in two pre-excursion seminars with the Lingdao Fellows Team to learn about modern China and to prepare for the international study tour in Beijing, China. 

    International Study Tour in Beijing, China: 

    • Students engage in a week-long study tour at The Beijing Center in Beijing, China which includes:

      • Lectures on Ancient and Modern China, China’s political system, Chinese culture and Chinese language classes
      • Excursions to Beijing cultural and historical sites such as the Mutianyu Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and Olympic Park.
      • Social engagement opportunities and 1:1 language tutoring with Chinese student leaders from the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE)

    EDLA 498: Imagining Global Leadership:

    • In the fall semester, students enroll in EDLA 489: Imaging Global Leadership to re-engage and reflect on their immersive global experience in Beijing, China, further cultivate a respectful global worldview and develop an intercultural approach to leadership informed by the social change model. Students engage these tasks through course readings, special guest lectures, and course assignments which serve to inform the development of their final projects and their own unique approaches to global leadership. The final projects also serve as vehicles for students to share how they intend to create tangible change towards a more inclusive and engaging campus community for LMU’s international student body. Through these projects, students will put their evolving conceptions of leadership into practice, reflect upon the ethical and situational complexities of enacting change, and develop the competencies and confidence to engage in globally diverse environments.

    Lingdao Symposium: 

    • The Lingdao Symposium provides an opportunity for the Lingdao Fellows to share their insights from their immersion experience in Beijing, China, to showcase their final projects, and to discuss ways to actively engage our international students in the life of the university.

  • Lingdao Fellows Program Team

    Jennifer Belichesky-Larson, Ed.D – Associate Dean of Students

    Christopher Finlay, Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Communication Studies

    Patrick Furlong, Associate Director of the Center for Service and Action

    Mateo Ricci Scholars Teacher’s Assistant

    Junheng (Carl) Li

    Wenshuo (Pierce) Zheng

    2019-20 Lingdao Fellows

    Kathryn Wilson – Collegiate Panhellenic Council, President

    Thomas Bennett – Interfraternity Council, President

    Tristan Pasterick - Communication and Fine Arts Student Council 

    Kenneth Cavanaugh - ASLMU, President

    Manna Zelealem - Belles Service Organization, President

    Raleigh Burk - Crimson Circle Service Organization, President

    Tiffany Lum - Communication and Fine Arts Student Council

    Kilan McCardie - Intercultural Facilitator

    Jacob Cornblatt - The Loyolan, Editor in Chief 

    Kylie Francisco - Residence Hall Association, President

    2018-19 Lingdao Fellows

    Lauren Anderson – Collegiate Panhellenic Council, President

    Kurt Griffin Baumberger – Interfraternity Council, President

    Cierra Belvin - Communication and Fine Arts Student Council and LMU Women's Basketball, Guard

    Charles (Alo) Coleman II - ASLMU, President

    Vincent Hayward - Magis Service Organization, President

    Nina Merukh - Ignatians Service Organization, President

    John Nevill - Communication and Fine Arts Student Council

    Aaron Radulski - Intercultural Facilitator

    Emily Rawson - The Loyolan, Managing Editor

    Amada Reyes - Residence Hall Association, President

    2017-18 Lingdao Fellows

    Karis Addo-Quaye – The Loyolan, Social Justice Editor

    Mekleit Dix – Ethiopian Eritrean Students Association, Vice President

    Kayla Hampton – Student Worker and Communication and Fine Arts Student Council

    Vanessa Hernandez – Residence Hall Association, President

    Uakea Jose – Service Org Council, Co-Chair – Creare Service Organization, President

    Daniel Juarez Jr. – Communication and Fine Arts Student Council

    James Pratt – Service Org Council, Co-Chair and Magis Service Organization, President

    Kaelyn Sabal-Wilson – Intercultural Facilitator

    Katie Schembri – Campus Ministry, Student Minister of Retreats

    Megan Takemoto – Collegiate Panhellenic Council, President

    Hayden Tanabe – ASLMU, President

  • The Lingdao Symposium provides an opportunity for the Lingdao Fellows to share their insights from their immersion experience in Beijing, China, to showcase their final projects, and to discuss ways to actively engage our international students in the life of the university.

    2019-20 Lingdao Fellows Final Projects

    Kathryn Wilson & Thomas Bennett
    Creating a Cultural Competence Resource Guide for Sororities and Fraternities

    Kenneth Cavanaugh & Kilan McCardie
    Lingdao Program Endowment

    Kylie Francisco
    Housing of Multicultural Experience (H.O.M.E.) Living Learning Community

    Tiffany Lum & Tristan Pasterick
    CFA: Hear their Roar! A fact finding mission to better understand and serve CFA's international student body

    Jacob Cornblatt
    The International Experience: A Loyolan Special Edition

    Manna Zelealem & Raleigh Burk
    Engaging International Students in Service: A Three-Pronged Approach

    2018-19 Lingdao Fellows Final Projects

    Lauren Anderson ‘19 & Kurt Griffin Baumberger ‘19
    Sorority & Fraternity Life Inclusion Initiative

    Cierra Belvin ‘20
    Home for the Holidays

    Ulualo Coleman ‘19
    International Student Career Fair

    Vincent Hayward ‘19 & Nina Yustiarti ‘19
    International Communities in Service

    John Nevill ‘19
    The CFA Buddy Excursion

    Emily Rawson ‘20
    International Students and LMU Media: Addressing LMU Media's Lack of Coverage on International Issues

    Amada Reyes ‘19
    H.O.M.E Housing of Multicultural Experience

    2017-18 Lingdao Fellows Final Projects

    Karis Addo-Quaye ‘18
    Global Loyolan: Reimaging Our Home. Our Voice. Our News.

    Mekleit Dix ‘18
    International Students Abroad: Fostering the Growth and Global Engagement

    Kayla Hampton ‘18 & Hayden Tanabe ‘18
    The Global Work Program 

    Vanessa Hernandez ‘19 & Megan Takemoto ‘18
    Sorority and Fraternity Life Community and International Inclusion

    Uakea Jose ‘18 & James Pratt ‘18
    Globalizing the Service Organization Community

    Daniel Juarez Jr. ‘18
    Walking with International Innovators

    Kaelyn Sabal-Wilson ‘19
    Internationalizing the IFs

    Katie Schembri ‘18
    Making LMU Home