NYU Shanghai once again brought the summertime fun to 42 campers from 10 Chinese provinces. At the third annual College and Career Lab, campers aged 10-14 explored the New Bund campus and engaged in activities led by 15 camp counselors, all NYU Shanghai students. The camp is organized by the Community Engaged Learning Office.
Inspired by NYU’s College and Career Lab, which introduces New York City public school students to a variety of careers and academic interests, the NYU Shanghai camp supports children of migrant workers in Shanghai, who are not exposed to a variety of career paths in school.
For nearly two weeks, the campers participated in drama workshops, played sports, explored career paths, made arts and crafts, and learned how to make sweet treats. They even spent a carefree day at Shanghai Disney Resort.
For the first time, this year’s summer camp was integrated into an experiential learning course, Socio-Emotional Intervention for Migrant Youth, taught by Professor Cui Lixian. Cui, who studies children’s socio-emotional well-being, said the course was created to provide NYU Shanghai students with an academic and theoretical framework for the real-world scenarios they would encounter working with children during the camp.
The camp brings professionals from a variety of fields to campus to talk to the students about their career journeys and lives after college. This year, campers visited Shanghai Disney Resort, where employees spoke to the students about careers in marketing, entertainment, and facilities management. “College shouldn't be seen as an end goal,” said NYU New York Vice Dean for Research and Equity Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng, who is the program’s co-founder. “It should be seen as a way to fulfill your career dreams.”
The camp encourages campers to expand their horizons in other ways too. In one activity, they shared their personal stories about their upbringing and meaningful experiences in their life. 12-year-old camper Liu Wenxin from Anhui Province said he enjoyed the opportunity to express himself and get to know his peers. “It not only helps us improve our public speaking skills, but also allows others to get to know us faster, making it easier for all of us to make friends,” he said.
Drama therapy workshops also helped the campers gain confidence. Returning camp counselor and curriculum coordinator Zhang Yaqi ’23 said the workshops encouraged the children to lean into their own emotions, especially at a period of transition in their lives.
“The program aims to prepare them to be comfortable in new and different environments as they must face separation from their parents now that many of them will be boarding at school, living with their relatives or their grandparents,” said Zhang.
The camp organizers hope the skills the campers learn at camp will have a long-lasting impact, even after the camp is over. “It changes their mindset,” said Professor Cui. “After the camp, you can see their fixed mindset actually decreasing, meaning the kids start to understand that they can change. That's one of the most exciting findings.” That shift can be transformative, Cui said, giving students agency and ability to develop new skills and goals.
Even in such a short time period, campers said they gained self-confidence and skills in leadership and cooperation. 12-year-old camper Yu Siyuan from Chongqing said he gained confidence while participating in drama workshops. “On stage, (I) feel transformed, shedding those feelings of inferiority,” he said.
Counselor Yuen Ju Tong ’26, a Politics major, said he learned that one of his most important roles as a camp counselor was to provide encouragement to the campers. “We do a lot of guiding, but it’s not about telling them what to do,” he said. “It’s about showing them that there are many ways to explore and choose what works best for them, whether it’s learning methods or dealing with emotions. The experience made me see the children not as a special group needing help, but rather as equals.”
Camp co-founder and Assistant Provost for Academic Affairs Diane Geng says the College and Career Lab will return next summer. “This [camp is] something that we want to reflect on and grow each year,” she said. “We want to continue partnering with local educators and organizations that serve underprivileged youth so that we can collectively work to learn about and give back to the communities that we’re a part of.”
NYU Shanghai’s College and Career Lab is organized by Assistant Provost for Academic Affairs Diane Geng, Associate Professor of Psychology Cui Lixian, Curriculum Coordinator Kerry Yaqi Zhang ’23, Community-Engaged Learning Coordinator Susan Dai, Drama instructor Hu Gang, and NYU Vice Dean for Research and Equity and Associate Professor of International Education Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng. The camp is funded by a grant from the Cyrus Tang Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports education initiatives.