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Two UTampa students will travel to China this summer as part of the China-America Student Conference, an exchange program that brings together students from both countries.

For three weeks in July, Maria Mora ’29 and Tyler Smith ’28 will take part in open discussions through roundtables, guest talks and cultural activities in Washington, D.C.; Missoula, Montana; and Kunming and Beijing, China.

The China-America Student Conference has run since 2020 as one of the programs offered through the nonprofit International Student Conferences. It’s the newest program for the organization, which also offers exchange trips between American and Japanese and Korean students.

The program is led by students, who are responsible for designing programs, choosing themes, inviting speakers, coordinating logistics, managing budgets and leading conversations. Delegates from both countries will travel together as a group.

The UTampa students were encouraged to apply for the program by Liv Coleman, professor of political science and international studies, who has participated in the Japan-America Student Conference twice. They will be the first UTampa students to have done the ChASC program. One UTampa student previously participated in the Japan-America Student Conference.

Mora and Smith both expressed prior interest in East Asia.

Mora studied Chinese for seven years while growing up in Colombia, but she said she’ll spend some time relearning phrases before she goes this summer. She previously traveled to China for a two-week exchange.

“When I was there, I remember we would ask something (in Chinese), and they would get so happy when they see you’re trying to speak the language, and that’s why I want to brush up,” Mora said.

She enjoys learning about new people, new cultures, places and new food, she said.

“It was such a beautiful experience, and I learned so much when I was there before, despite it being a really short time,” she said. “I created so many meaningful connections. And it was surprising being in such a different culture to my own.”

Smith is most looking forward to the intercultural communication aspect and speaking with the students who attend Chinese universities, he said.

After graduation, Mora has a strong interest in becoming a diplomat. She plans to go to Asia or Europe to pursue a master’s degree in geopolitics.

“I’m really interested in this analytical thinking of geopolitics, like knowing what’s going on in the world and analyzing it and predicting what’s going to happen,” she said. “I’m really interested in cultures, in understanding the people and hearing their stories.

“That’s why I'm so interested in this program, because it’s the opportunity to be there to talk with the people, and that’s the only way in which you can truly understand someone and their background and their context.”

Smith said he plans to attain advanced degrees in East Asian studies, and he hopes to become a diplomat or join a think tank regarding East Asian relations with the United States.