James (Ze) Peng

“Rider is a very good place to be,” says James (Ze) Peng of Shanghai.

He felt right at home last month when the University hosted a Chinese New Year celebration in honor of the Year of the Pig in the Bart Luedeke Center Cavalla Room. Sanda students performed songs and dances, and gave Kung-Fu demonstrations. Traditional Chinese cuisine was served.

“Many people came, including President Rozanski and Vice President of Enrollment Jamie O’Hara,” said Peng, an MBA student and member of Sanda Cohort II at Rider. “The turnout was more than we had expected. Usually the New Year and other celebrations are spent with our families. We had a great time.”

Arriving on campus one year ago, Peng has been learning a lot about American culture and the wide range of cultures in America. “I am still learning the lifestyle and the differences between the cultures to prevent culture-shock,” said Peng.

Peng and his fellow Sanda students have been immersed in new learning experiences offered by the College of Business Administration. It has hosted trips for them to Ground Zero, Wall Street, Rockefeller Center and Times Square to introduce them to the American business world. Peng has also enjoyed visiting Disney World in Orlando, Atlantic City, Boston, Niagara Falls, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco on his own.

According to Joe MacAde, director of international programs at Rider, Peng has always wanted to make a difference on campus. “I am impressed by how his leadership and English skills have developed in such a short time,” said MacAde. “He, along with many other Sanda students, is making the most of his experiences at Rider.”

Peng is particularly excited about his roles as one of two Cohort II class presidents and as public relations officer for Rider’s International Student Club. The club is open to all international students and American students who are interested in various cultures. “In addition to working with others to plan the Chinese New Year’s celebration, I was also involved in planning our Christmas party. And more activities are coming,” said Peng. “One major project for me is to launch a Web site for the club.”

Academics always come first for Peng, a dean’s list student. Just as important is his devotion to his job at the Center for Innovative Instruction (CII). “It’s exciting because I am doing pretty much everything involving computers. I am designing pages, setting up blogs and conducting research on open-source applications,” he said.

All of his experiences have helped him grow as a person and as a budding professional. He plans to launch a computer company one day. “It’s one of my dreams,” said Peng.

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