“I am deeply grateful to the Global Health program at DKU. It was my experience there that opened the door for me to join the Project HOPE.”
My name is Menglu Jiang, a graduate student in Global Health at Duke Kunshan University, Class of 2025. Just before my graduation ceremony in May 2025, I received my offer to join the China office of the Project HOPE. This is not only my first job after graduation but also the very role I had always envisioned for myself.
With a history of over 66 years, Project HOPE is a global health and humanitarian organization committed to tackling some of the world’s most pressing health crises and improving access to quality healthcare. Since beginning its work in China in 1983, the foundation has collaborated with local communities, healthcare professionals, and public health systems to address urgent global health challenges and advance sustainable health development.
The foundation’s work spans maternal and child health, chronic non-communicable disease management, capacity building for healthcare professionals, and disaster preparedness and response. I currently serve as a Project Coordinator, liaising with hospitals, donors, and government agencies, while also organizing meetings, conducting field visits, and more. This role allows me to apply my academic training while contributing to the global health field I am truly passionate about. Looking back on the past two years, every choice I made and every experience I had at DKU added another layer of certainty to my path—ultimately leading me to this opportunity.
A Diverse and Enriching Experience at DKU
I completed my undergraduate studies at Weber State University in the United States, majoring in Health Promotion. After graduating in 2022, I was once feeling lost in my future direction. My major was still relatively niche in China, and as I planned to return home to work, I wondered: how could I stand out in a competitive job market? While pursuing a second degree in Nutrition Education, I began searching for a clearer direction. I hoped to integrate my knowledge with the realities of China’s public health landscape, further deepen my expertise in the health field, and enhance my overall competitiveness. With these aspirations in mind, I was fortunate to find my way to DKU Global Health master program.
The Global Health curriculum proved to be highly practical. One of the most useful courses for my current role was Global Health Research: Design and Practice, taught by Professor Lijing Yan. In my current work, I often need to draft research and project proposals—a skill I honed in this class. Professor Yan walked us through the process of different types of research, from planning and design to the finer points of writing a compelling proposal. The final assignment was to produce a complete application document, which gave me invaluable hands-on writing experience.Another particularly impactful course was Maternal and Child Health, taught by Associate Professor Qian Long. From this class, I learned an extensive range of specialized terminology in the maternal and child health field and gained deeper insight into the sector’s health challenges and needs—which is proved extremely useful during my job interviews.
DKU offers academic public speaking course, as well as provides a structured platform to develop my presentation skills. In addition to multiple in-class presentations each semester, the instructor shared practical “insider tips” on public speaking. Thanks to this course and the dedicated guidance of the Language Center faculty, I successfully auditioned for the TEDxDKU event. My talk, The Acute Effects of Sauna Heat Therapy on Three Human Biomarkers, was based on my undergraduate laboratory research. I presented the health benefits of sauna therapy as well as its cultural significance in China to an audience of faculty and students from diverse national and cultural backgrounds. This experience not only deepen my communication and presentation skills but also laid a solid foundation for working in a multicultural, collaborative international organization.
Learning by Doing: Building My Professional Framework
During my two years in the master’s program, the projects I took part gave me a solid framework for “getting things done.” As a result, though being a freshman for my first full-time job, I was far from a blank slate .
I participated in two research projects led by Professor Lijing Yan—one focused on chronic disease management in primary healthcare institutions, and the other explored the use of digital technologies for disease interventions. Both closely relate to my current work. At the very beginning of my program, I joined Professor Yan’s Nepal project team. Driven by personal interest, I later joined her Kunshan project team in my second semester. I even gave up the opportunity to study at Durham for the Duke semester, so that I could fully dedicate myself to the Kunshan research project.
The Nepal project used digital tools such as mHealth to support hypertension management. It was only when I traveled to Nepal in person that I truly grasped the meaning of global health work—bringing practical solutions to resource-limited regions so that health, as a basic human right, becomes universally shared and equitably accessible.The Kunshan field research project focused on older adults, applying the EPIS and COM-B implementation science frameworks to understand the prevalence of multimorbidity, as well as the barriers and facilitators to effective health management. Speaking directly with elderly patients living with hypertension, I found the statistics I had seen in textbooks—prevalence rates, disability rates—become vivid, real, and heavy with more human touch.
Through these field projects, I was able to apply classroom theories to real-world contexts. Being responsible for project design, implementation, progress tracking, community research, student team management, and handling unexpected situations gave me hands-on experience in project management and stakeholder coordination. It also greatly sharpened my analysis and problem-solving skills.
In addition, I joined the Innovation Lab for Vaccine Delivery Research (VaxLab) at the Global Health Research Center. Although the immunization program topic was unrelated to my research background and thesis, this on-campus internship significantly strengthened my skills in literature review and Chinese-English translation. I also learned how to quickly self-educate on new public health topics. In fact, my eventual opportunity at the Project HOPE can be traced back to VaxLab—my mentor there, Zhangyang Pan, shared the job information with me. She believed I was an ideal fit, and encouraged me to apply.
An Optimist Keeps Moving Forward
Looking back, I realize that I once tended to focus more on gains and losses rather than on the possibilities ahead. DKU taught me that whatever you do, you must always look forward—the road beneath your feet and the path ahead matter far more.
I would suggest my underclassmen try as many new things and new paths as you can. Seek out opportunities—both on campus and on wider platforms—and don’t be afraid to step onto new stages. Discover your own strengths and let them shine; these experiences may pay off in ways you can’t yet imagine.
An optimist keeps moving forward. Don’t fear the occasional misstep—embrace the exploration, and carve out a path that is uniquely your own.
Written by Wuyue Qian
