Cart Supporting youth programs for the Chinese community
04/13
TI employee Xinfen Chen is committed to making youth programs available to the Chinese community in North Texas.
Making vibrant youth programs available to the Chinese community in North Texas is extremely important to TI employee Xinfen Chen.
As a volunteer at the Dallas Modern Chinese Language School (DMCLS) for more than a decade, Xinfen enabled several successful youth programs. As the school's treasurer, she gave 80 teachers and board members the opportunity to serve 400 students in the most effective way.
In 2011, Xinfen, an engineer working in Dallas, initiated the Dallas-Fort Worth area's first North Texas Chinese speech contest. She developed and organized the contest as a platform to advance Chinese culture, language study and multicultural exchange among the students. This contest was a resounding success and today has become one of the largest events held in the North Texas Chinese community.
"We received lots of positive feedback from the parents and students who have participated in the contest," said Dr. Xinxin Sun, a DMCLS board member.
"The contest provides an excellent platform for the students to improve their Chinese and public speech skills."
"As a citizen in the community, I believe everyone should volunteer their time. I have gained a lot through my more than a decade of volunteer service, such as project management, organizational, marketing, leadership and people skills. I also learned how to conduct a successful win-win negotiation."
— Xinfen Chen
After successfully chairing a second contest in 2012, Xinfen and several DMCLS board members, the board chair and the school's principal were so inspired by the positive feedback and results that they together formed the North Texas Chinese Culture Promotion Association (NTCCPA). Xinfen was selected to be the association's first president.
Under her direction, a volunteer team is currently organizing the newly-named TI Cup Chinese Speech Contest for 2013. This contest reaches out to more than 20 schools and colleges, where many students are learning Chinese as a second language.
"By providing a way for Chinese speakers to apply what they learned in the classroom, both Chinese, and an increasing number of non-Chinese speakers, will find the contest to be an engaging way to expand their knowledge and practice the language," Xinfen said.
"Teachers have found that students are better able to consolidate their learning by giving a speech entirely in Chinese."
Other volunteer endeavors
Xinfen also wanted to create more opportunities for students to give back to the community. As a result she, together with other DMCLS board members, founded and continues to support the Dallas Youth Volunteer Association (DYVA). Under her guidance, the student officers completed by-laws and a service manual, and the association now has hundreds of students participating in DYVA-organized activities.
Xinfen encourages these students to organize a variety of events, such as weekly service at the Collin Oaks Assistant Living Center, annual talent shows at the SunRay Senior Living Center and mentoring for a youth Toastmasters club. DYVA also participates in events sponsored by other organizations, such as the Chinese Institute of Engineers (CIE/USA-DFW) and the Asian American Citizen Council.
"Xinfen is a driving force behind DYVA," said Dr. Zhujun Li, a Richland College faculty member and current co-director of DYVA.
"The association has organized and participated in many educational events, and she has also guided the association's officers in developing by-laws, a service manual, new projects and setting up websites."
Xinfen has also served as CIE/USA DFW chapter's vice president of youth programs and is in charge of several other programs and events that will take place in 2013.
"Xinfen is not only a volunteer, but also a great leader," said Dr. Jihong Chen, a TI product engineer.
"Her enthusiasm and hard work influence people around her to serve the community."
