Two international students from Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (Tsinghua SIGS) have been appointed as international student building liaisons in Taoyuan Subdistrict, supporting local social services.
They are among seven international students in Shenzhen with strong Chinese-language skills selected to form the city's first team of international building liaisons, jointly contributing to community services.
A ceremony was held in April to mark the official establishment of the international building liaisons team. Photo courtesy of Taoyuan Subdistrict
Joshua Koebe Johnson from Barbados, who speaks fluent Chinese, became the first registered international student building liaison in Nanshan District. He assists with the daily management of the SIGS dormitory building for international students.
He has participated in improving bilingual signage in the community, assisting with safety inspections, organizing cultural exchange activities, and collecting feedback from residents.
Before the winter break in January, he joined local community staff in visiting international students throughout the building to promote safety awareness, remind them of visa-related matters, and deliver “Fu” characters along with New Year greetings, bringing festive spirit of the Chinese New Year to the international student community.
Joshua Koebe Johnson (2nd L), together with local community workers, presents a “Fu” character, symbolizing blessings and good fortune, to a SIGS international student (2nd R). Photo courtesy of Taoyuan Subdistrict
“Becoming a building liaison is not something I expected when I came to SIGS, but it has become a meaningful way for me to serve the community. I feel that I can help make daily life a little smoother for others. I also think this is a very good opportunity for international students to get involved beyond the classroom. It allows us to contribute our language skills, cultural understanding, and personal experiences while building a stronger connection with the SIGS community,” he said.
Rachel Cheah, another selected building liaison from Malaysia, said that the role serves as a bridge between the community and its residents, fostering mutual understanding among people from diverse cultural backgrounds through information sharing and outreach services while strengthening residents’ sense of belonging.
Rachel Cheah (1st L) visits an expat resident's home with a local community worker to introduce relevant community policies. Photo courtesy of the interviewee
She added, “Serving as a building liaison has greatly enriched my learning journey at SIGS by strengthening my cross-cultural communication, leadership, and community engagement skills. I gained a deeper understanding of cultural exchange and the importance of building an inclusive and connected campus community.”
Tsinghua SIGS has been dedicated to providing students with a vibrant campus experience through not only diverse activities but also opportunities to engage with the wider community, fostering both academic growth and personal development.
Written by Wang Jingli
Reviewed by Chen Jundou, Lin Zhoulu
Layout by Peng Bin and Yuan Yiling
