Ryan Parsons

Chinese Name:

Hometown: Hattiesburg, MS

Major(s): International Studies, Chinese

Why did you choose to join the Flagship Program?

The Flagship Program really is one of Ole Miss’s best-kept secrets. I chose it because I wanted to challenge myself and get involved in a culture that is completely different from which I was exposed growing up.

Have you studied abroad? If yes, when and where? What is one of your most memorable experiences?

I’m about to finish my second summer studying abroad in Qingdao, China. Last summer we stayed with host families shortly before the start of the Olympics. I got to watch the opening ceremony with my family and really got a sense of what the 2008 Olympics meant to China.

How would you sum up your experience in Flagship?

I’ve learned an enormous amount of Chinese in only two years, and, along the way, I’ve made some great friends.

What are your post-Flagship plans?

I plan to spend the year after I graduate in China, then finding an internship in Asia for a year. After that, I plan to go to graduate school in America.