@GBLabs Fellow Introduction: Cathy Zhang
Cathy Zhang was nervous. Coming from Shanghai, China to attend early college at Bard College at Simons Rock, it was her first international study abroad experience. “All this writing and having classes in English has taken some time to get used to,” said Zhang. “I have so many grammar problems.” Despite what seemed like a mountainous challenge, Zhang’s exuberant energy and willingness to explore has led her to discover a warm family at Simon’s Rock, new hiking trails, a wide range of food, the benefits of democracy, an interest in poetry and now a fellowship for @GBLabs.
Going into tenth grade this fall semester, Zhang is studying computer science. Her interest in computer science took off after attending a summer program in sixth grade through Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY), a nonprofit dedicated to developing the talents of academically advanced pre-college students around the world. “I was so lucky to go to that summer camp because no one in my family had a background in programming,” said Zhang.
At Simon’s Rock, Zhang has taken literature classes which have ignited her interest in poetry. Last spring Zhang started formally writing poems, keeping a journal and writing daily. “It’s so interesting because I have programming, I play the flute and the piano. All these interests were built before I came to Simon’s Rock,’’ said Zhang. “I thought I would just continue into these several interests but it’s been cool to discover something, to find another great love.”
Her developing interest in the creative space of poetry along with her analytical drive towards computer science, has highlighted her experience of the two cultures that she has been immersed in. She explains that her education in China was a lot of reciting, learning from textbooks and big class environments. At Simon’s Rock, she has loved the small class sizes as well as activities and courses focusing on creativity. She also appreciates the demoractive nature of Great Barrington’s town governance, a stark contrast to her experience with governmental influence during her upbringing in China.
For her involvement with @GBLabs this summer, Zhang will be combining both of her interests of computer science and poetry. She will be working with NxtGen Politics in the field of data collection and analytics. She will be collecting data from around Great Barrington, in order to inform policy suggestions and how the town can best address the needs of its citizens. In addition, she will also be working on gathering a collection of poems from Great Barrington residents, recording their experiences throughout the pandemic.
As an international student, when the COVID-19 lockdown occurred, Zhang wasn’t able to return to Shanghai so she is staying in Great Barrington for the summer. “At Simon’s Rock we were mostly on campus, now I have time to explore more things,” said Zhang. She has been enjoying her time expanding her palet by trying new restaurants such as Bizen, Baba Louis, Aegean Breeze, Steam, and others. She has enjoyed being surrounded by nature, another contrast to her life in China as Shanghai is a major city with limited green spaces. She said that access to nature and the ability to be outside has been helpful after sitting for so long in front of her computer.
