On February 18, 2026, the Columbia School of Social Work (CSSW) community welcomed the Lunar New Year—also known as the Spring Festival—one of the most important and widely celebrated holidays across many Asian cultures around the world. According to the Chinese zodiac, 2026 marks the Year of the Fire Horse, symbolizing energy, vitality, and renewal.
“If you don’t see inequality, you can’t address it.”
“A good representation . . . can be translated into policy, into action,” acting director of Columbia’s Asian American Initiative says of the new mayor's appointees.
The Columbia China Center for Social Policy congratulates our Founding Director Qin Gao, Maurice V. Russell Professor of Social Policy and Social Work Practice and Associate Dean for Doctoral Education at the School of Social Work, on being appointed the Acting Director of the Asian American Initiative (AAI) at Columbia University! Dr. Gao brings extensive experience in researching poverty, inequality, social policy, and population well-being to her new role, strengthening the Initiative’s commitment to advancing equity and inclusion through research and public engagement.
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Key Findings:
- Nearly 40% of Chinese Americans report having limited English proficiency, based on data from nearly 6,500 respondents in the State of Chinese Americans 2022 Survey.
- Chinese Americans with lower English proficiency are significantly more likely to report poor self-rated mental health.
- Those who do not speak English "at all" report fair or poor mental health at nearly four times the rate of those who speak English "very well."
The Columbia China Center for Social Policy hosted a vibrant half-day Lightning Talks event on July 24. 2025, bringing together 35 scholars from 26 institutions across Asia and North America. Held in hybrid format at Columbia School of Social Work and via Zoom, the event served as a platform for intellectual exchange on timely topics in social policy and career development, with representation from impact evaluation, comparative research, and field-based inquiry.
The “Offer Series Workshops” returned with its highly anticipated third session, “Mock Interview BootCamp,” held on April 11, 2025, at Interchurch 320C, Columbia University. Led once again by Dr. Michael Mingming Zhu, this session shifted the focus from strategy to execution, emphasizing live practice, real-time feedback, and personalized coaching. Building on the structured approaches introduced in earlier workshops, this session was designed as a hands-on training ground for international students seeking to sharpen their interview skills under realistic conditions.
Yingqi Chen, a doctoral student at the School of Government, Nanjing University, spent a year (January to December 2024) as a visiting scholar at Columbia University School of Social Work and the Columbia China Center for Social Policy. In a recent written interview, she shared her research and experiences as a visiting scholar at Columbia University.
Shuheng Yu, a doctoral student at the School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, was a visiting scholar at the Columbia School of Social Work and the Columbia China Center for Social Policy from April to October 2024. In a recent written interview, she shared her background, research interests, and her experience at Columbia University.
The "Offer Series Workshops" continued with its second session, titled "Applying Project Management Thinking to Strengthen Interview Skills," held on November 7, 2024. Facilitated by Dr. Michael Mingming Zhu in Philosophy Hall 302, this session built on the foundational concepts introduced in the first workshop. The focus was on demonstrating how project management principles can simplify and enhance interview preparation, particularly during the fall recruitment season for international students.
On October 9th, 2024, a career development workshop titled "Career Development Coaching for College Graduates" was hosted at Columbia University, moderated by Professor Qin Gao and led by Dr. Michael Mingming Zhu. The event was tailored to address the unique challenges faced by international students transitioning from academia to the workforce. Dr. Zhu, a senior business management consultant with over 15 years of experience, shared valuable insights on career exploration, overcoming employment challenges, and effective career planning. Participants engaged in discussions about identifying strengths,…