Dr. Ralph Ford, chancellor of Penn State Behrend, talks with Yingxin “Cindy” Wu, winner of the 2023 Ralph Dorn Hetzel Memorial Award, about her experience as an international student at Behrend.
Dr. Ralph Ford, chancellor of Penn State Behrend, talks with Yingxin “Cindy” Wu, winner of the 2023 Ralph Dorn Hetzel Memorial Award, about her experience as an international student at Behrend.
Hi, I'm Dr. Ralph Ford, Chancellor of Penn State Behrend and you are listening to Behrend Talks. My guest today is Cindy Wu, a senior nursing student here at Behrend and the winner of the 2023 Ralph Dorn Hetzel Memorial Award, which recognizes scholastic achievement, good citizenship and participation, and leadership and student activities. And it's a big time award. So congratulations on receiving that, Cindy, and welcome to the show.
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:Thank you very much. Thanks for having me.
Dr. Ralph Ford:Well, it's a pleasure to have you here. And before we get into the discussion, I'm going to give a little bit more background about you. You are an international student originally from China. You serve as our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion chair for the Behrend Student Government Association. You are president of the Lion Entertainment Board, which organizes events for students and has worked with the South Asian student organization and the Global Eats program. You were a Lion Scout for our admissions office, and a member of the Multi-Cultural Council and an assistant in the International Student Service Office. You do a lot here. But there's just even a little more for me to go through. And this is all a good thing. You're always a happy face to see here on campus. You're involved in everything but you raise money. This is really significant fourth on this year, are well known time running 12 miles and biking 45 miles during the two day show. So again, welcome here to Behrend Talks. Thank you. An impressive list of accomplishments. But let's start with a little bit, you know, about your background. You're a graduate of Petawawa Franciscan High School, and that's over in Parma, Ohio. Not all that far away. But what's interesting is that before that you studied in Switzerland and Beijing. So you've moved a lot of places in the world. And, at least from my experience, and observing you and working with you. And while you're here at Behrend seem to thrive on these new experiences, so just tell us a little bit about moving around the world
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:Oh, so I started off studying abroad in and how you got here. Switzerland, the German speaking part. And it was a different experience, I have to say, than the high school that I went to back home, and it took me a little bit to adjust and to say also keeping up with grades because I don't know German at all, when I decided to study abroad. So figuring out language and getting to know the country, the culture a little bit, it took me a couple, a couple of months. However, on the other hand, I have a very supportive host family. And they helped me a lot during the process. And we had a lot of fun. So after my year of studying abroad, because I was enrolled in a public exchange student program. So the rule is like, you can stay in one country for a year, however, the next year, you have to switch countries. So originally, I was going to friends, I'm not gonna lie, but um, you wanted France. I kind of loving the culture a little bit after my year in Switzerland. And then there was an incident in I think it was like in front of the French Parliament, a bridge somewhere. And my mom's like, you are not going, like I fill out all applications. She's like, No, you're not going. And so I kind of made a last minute decision to look into the programs that still open was in the little program that I'm in. And I came here.
Dr. Ralph Ford:No. Well, you know, tell us a little bit though, did you? Did you learn German while you were in Switzerland? You said it was a struggle. But did you pick up any German? Or could you make it through with enough English?
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:I definitely had to pick up German. Well, it was it was fun, definitely studying another language because I feel like in other languages, always a different way of thinking and also blending in with different culture perspective. So like German, the sentence structure is very fixated. You have to put verb on the second place.
Dr. Ralph Ford:So it kind of gives you a little window into the culture and everybody'sthought process and their thinking behind it. And you end up with these words and sentences that are very, very long. What let's talk though, did you make friends? Were you able to build connections while
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:I did. My entire class was very flexible you were there. and very accepting. Not sure if that's the right word accepting. Absolutely. Yeah. And it was a really nice experience. I decided during my years social and I decided to take this kind of advanced level of math class, and I was we're just having fun with some spheres with some calculations, and I just really loved hanging out with my group.
Dr. Ralph Ford:And yeah, when you really act. If you're on campus, as I said earlier, a presence that we often see here, and I think, you know, presence is the right word. And you've become extremely active in extracurricular activities, student leadership, why did you gravitate towards this in such a large way here at Penn State Behrend?
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:Ah, so first thing is, I guess, after my first few years of study abroad, something I did learn is that you are your best advocate. Because you know yourself the best. You know what you need the most. So, a lot of the times I tend to, when I see something that I, where I see something different, that I feel that could be better, I tend to get into a little mode of me just trying to think of ways of improvement, of betterment. And so to begin to get involved, it's a idea of kind of socialization to begin with, because it was the year after COVID, and everyone's kind of sticking to their rooms for a while. And so I really want everyone to get back to the environment to socialize, to have fun again. Even though we're still have masks on our faces. But then, as I am getting more and more involved, I talk to everyone and I started to seeing something that could be better here on campus. So I started to get involved in more things like such as student government and trying to make a change.
Dr. Ralph Ford:I think you had great wisdom there. And we're going to remember that you are your best advocate. And that was a perfect way to say it. So you got here before COVID. Just your first year was when COVID hit? Is that correct?
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:Yes. So I was I had a perfectly normal fall semester, and then spring semester, after spring break, we got sent home.
Dr. Ralph Ford:Okay, so you've seen it now. You saw the whole cycle from leaving to the being apart for a long period of time. So would you say we recovered in terms of student activities and engagement? Or do we have further to go? And I'd be absolutely honest in this because, you know. What do we have to do to get the culture and campus back up to where it used to be?
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:So when I was a freshman, I was always I enjoy events very much a specially early night events hosted by the Lion Entertainment Board. And I had so much fun at playing and like this wonderful. And then COVID hit. And I eventually decided to take it and kind of revive the Lion Entertainment Board (LEB). And I'm there all the time that we're doing events. We're trying our best to do some creative ideas to get people to come back out and to do some more things. Like last year, we brought in bumper cars. Not too long ago, we did Dippin Dots. And so we're trying to do a lot of more human innovative things, to bring people back out into campus kind of draw people out again. I would say it's still not exactly what I saw when I was a freshman. However, I'm seeing a great increase of attendance at events of everybody having fun. So I would say we are doing pretty good and still have a little bit to go.
Dr. Ralph Ford:I think that's a fair assessment. And I would agree with that. This semester, we've got the opening of the new Erie Hall, definitely. That's just become such a big centerpiece. You see a lot of people, and I would say with our student activities, we have to teach some of the students who came here during COVID, how to run organizations and the like. And that'll take some time. But by the way, have you been able to use Erie Hall?
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:I have. I usually take my tours through there. And I won't admit that I'm not a very athletic person. However, I did have a little taste of Erie Hall and I think is fabulous.
Dr. Ralph Ford:Well, you don't have to be athletic to go, right? We've got yoga rooms and all sorts of fun activities there too. So obviously athletics, you know, fitness is part of it, but we'd find that pretty broadly.
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:So definitely.
Dr. Ralph Ford:Well, let's back up a little bit and talk about your path to the United States. How did you end up in Ohio?
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:So my program that I was in, gave me a little bit of a choice of broadly where I can be at. And lots of options are located in the East Coast and West Coast. However, I had a couple of trips into the United States to both of the coasts, and I feel like I kind of know the culture a little bit more there, and I want something different. So I just chose Midwest and Behrend was one of the schools that has a strong connections and list of programs. So they recommended me there. And I was like, Ok, sounds great. Sounds very interesting. We'll see how we deal. So I ended up there.
Dr. Ralph Ford:No good for you. And so what was your first experience like in that, quote, midwest and Ohio.
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:So, um, for my first thing that actually shocked me when I get over here, is because I feel like Switzerland is a good year off in between China and here. Because it's kind of a school style that's like, in the middle. Because back home, we don't walk to class, we stay in the same room and wait for the teachers to come to us. And we have hundreds of we're more focusing classes, we don't do a whole lot of discussions. We don't do a whole, it's more like academic work. But Switzerland is kind of like in between. And I get over here is more discussion. It's more of thinking. More like, what's your opinion, what's your thought? And especially to like to graduate, I have to take American government ata Catholic school. I was taking sociology. And I was like, this is all very interesting. And it was like, I feel like I learned a lot during that year.
Dr. Ralph Ford:What brought you to Penn State Behrend. How did you find us?
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:So before I actually came to the States, I actually wanted to be a computer engineer. And while a lot had kind of happened in between. And I'm kind of in the period of trying to find a new interest, and my high school in Ohio had this program called the Mad track. And they introduced me in a way to nursing. And I was like, This is awesome. And so I was graduating and looking for a good nursing school in the area. I don't want to go really far because I have a really nice host family. And I went online on just some searches. And I saw a video of the nursing simulation lab over here. And I was like, This looks amazing. And putting applications I eventually came here.
Dr. Ralph Ford:I will tell you something about those simulation labs. And when I watched the simulations, they scare me. They scare me and how realistic they are. There's something a little bit, you know, too real and about it. And I'm sure you've had a lot of experience in our simulation labs.
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:They are. Well, we say that what happens in simulation stays in simulation. So I kind of can't give specific examples. But I will have to say everything because before every simulation, you will get a prep sheet. So you kind of know what a scenario that you will be walking into. But sometimes it's still a surprise when you're actually there. Because it's up to a lot of us. It's either we've never, for example, seeing a patient having a seizure before or we never actually walk into the room to be actually the one in charge of doing things. It's just you always have this moment of kind of blankness in your mind. That's, it takes a moment for you to actually realize, okay, what I need to do next. And after simulation However, while you're actually see that scenario in the hospital, it does help a lot like between that to get over that reaction time that you actually need to be actually starting to do things.
Dr. Ralph Ford:Well, you've coined another term, what happens in nursing simulation stays in simulation. That's a, that's a great one. But as you know, you lead right into my next my next thought so you start in simulation, but you end up doing a significant number of clinical rotations. And in fact, you worked at Saint Vincent, UPMC Hamot, St. Mary's. So what do you do there? See all different areas?
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:Yeah, so um, I had the most amount of clinical at Saint Vincent, especially in their cardiac neuro ICU and ICU is indeed my interest of nursing that I want to go into. So starting off, it's always more like observatory because it takes a minute to build a level of trust with your preceptor and kind of for them to start latching you to get to know your ability and letting you doing things. So for me, it took a little bit to do that. So I did my externship there and I just finished my practicum over there. And I had different preceptors and every different preceptor kind of teaches you a little bit more of the industry. And meanwhile during my time, because ICU nurses does a lot of tasks, sometimes on nurses on the floor actually delegates, so I get to work on my basic nursing skills level. Like past skills. And in the meantime, assessments are also something that I get to work on a whole lot. Because we really do a good job of monitoring our patient, at least every hour, a lot of times is every 15 minutes, because we're just right there. And we're just watching our patients like a hawk, as one of my preceptor says. So it's great practice experience, and I still can't believe that I'm actually graduating in just two weeks away.
Dr. Ralph Ford:It will be out there. Well, any scary moments when you're in your clinicals that you can speak about?
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:There is actually this happened like last, well, actually two weeks ago. So usually you start your morning by getting a report from last shifts of nurses. And like this patient is struggling a little bit of oxygen, but he's doing fine. He's just his more priorities. It's like his pain in the stomach. Okay, fine. Sounds great. And I walk into the room, the patient was complaining a 10 evident pain, so extreme pain, and then his oxygen status is at 5%. I was like, Oh, no. First thing in the morning, it was like 7 a.m. And I was like, Okay, this is waking me up really well. And the entire day, me my preceptor, the nurse, the patient is actually assigned to, we're just working really hard trying to get his oxygen status up. And eventually, he has to be transferred into the ICU, because how much oxygen is that we're using trying to help him that he needs more closer monitoring. But it was a hectic morning.
Dr. Ralph Ford:Well, we know everyone appreciates what nurses do. And it's so important. And let's go back and talk a little bit about the curriculum. And, you know, one of the things that we know, and we all talk about here on campus is our nursing students are busy, and they are hard workers. It's a challenging curriculum, you have clinicals. So tell us a little bit about, you know, what did you see in your experience here and your classes and the curriculum at Behrend
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:sounds right. So freshman year, I started doing some anatomy and physiology classes, and labs, and psychology along with some kind of developmental courses, gives me an idea of I felt like psychologically when my patient is actually going through. And which helped me a lot at the beginning, when I was going into my sophomore year for my first clinical. My sophomore year, our professors got really innovative because it was COVID time. And they can't do what they usually do put us all in a skills lab and teaching us all the basic skills of nursing. So what they actually did is they sent a lot of the, it's like a little kits of like, materials that we need to buy. And to kind of make our own training model. I remember that I have this styrofoam hat that he can actually get from Walmart that I used to practice putting an NG tube into. And I remember later, during the sophomore year, I was carrying the head because I had a simulation, I was walking out on this path on campus, and I scared someone with that. Like I didn't do it intentionally, but just walk by me and you kind of just suddenly saw us had any. He's like, startled, like, sorry. But we got a really innovative and we get to practice. Well, like in normal time practice putting in an NG tube, putting in our urine catheters, urinary catheters into our patients and sophomore year, the second half of the second semester, we actually get into nursing homes to be actually doing our clinicals. And I feel like because at first is kind of a little bit not knowing what to do, because this is actually a patient not some not like words on the textbook in front of me. So it took me a while to kind of adapt into it. And you actually get to take care of your patient and making sure that they are okay with their daily living kind of activities are okay brushing their teeth to get clean in the morning, they're getting their breakfast. It was a really nice experience. And we actually did a lot of assessment skills in the course that was really helpful because in the hospital, you kind of fill it out differently. Whereas in nursing homes, you actually take the time to assess and actually put them in paper on to your records in the hospital mainly just click, click click and they automatically give you the numbers and tells you what else that you need to do. And then junior year we're doing our med surg versus like general nursing course. It was a really hard course I have to admit. And there was a period of the semester I just feels like, no matter how hard I am saying my it just there's there's has to be a piece of information there that I miss. And so it took us a little bit to adjust the way I am learning things. I'm taking notes to be actually more fitting into the course, and is actually our first real real nursing course. So it was kind of a hectic semester and it passed really fast. It along with like pharmacology and geriatrics is definitely a semester that took a lot of brain cells. Um, second semester kind of got a very interesting now, we actually get to work with pregnant moms and babies.And some of our pediatrics clientele, it was very interesting to me, because different clientele, you kind of get a different reaction. And some of the kids are having a, or they can't really tell you much about their symptoms. So you really need to rely really heavily on your assessment skills. So it was a good practice round.
Dr. Ralph Ford:you have to take something called the NCLEX exam, right? Yes. And you take that the summer, is that correct?
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:Yes. I'm hoping to take it. So the earliest usually, oh, we can take it as around middle of June.
Dr. Ralph Ford:For those who don't know that, is the National Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses. Yes, I'm sure you're going to do great.
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:I think you've Well, first of all, but I just sometimes feels a little bit nervous. And yeah, and it just a lot of information to go over. However, our program does a really good job to get like get us prepared, because all of our exams are on this software that actually mimicking the real testing scenario of NCLEX. And our questions because the NCLEX actually so far. In fact, it's getting into a new generations now called next gen NCLEX. So we have new question formats and everything. And this entire year, our professors adjusting the questions and actually giving us a lot of examples of the next gen questions. So give us an idea of what we're facing in about two months. And I, I myself was very grateful for that, because I was kind of it's kind of shocking to me that it was like, Okay, this is my year of taking NCLEX. And it's changing. Yes, we're gonna be the first year that actually facing the change, but we're doing a whole lot to be prepared for it.
Dr. Ralph Ford:And our students generally do very well. So definitely, let's switch just a little back to the work you do in student government association. You were Chair of the DEI initiatives committee in programming. And, you know, tell us how you've used your voice and influence on dei initiatives.
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:So this is actually my second year holding this position. During my first year, I focused a lot on promoting kind of a more culturally acceptive environments on campus. I did some cards that actually, I think of as like a window of how to ask some questions that may be a little bit difficult to answer because of cultural differences or because of, you're not sure of the past experience and what it actually means to the person that you're talking to. So I did some cars on that. And we did some cultural events and almost towards the end of my first year holding the position. We had this problem coming up is the disability buttons. They are a good resources for our students with disability because it makes it easier for the doors to open and for them to get through campus. And however they they have a high breakdown. So kind of failure rate. Yes, yeah. We did a investigation of kind of why they're malfunctioning and I get to witness some hostility towards the buttons during my time on campus. So I had this idea of actually doing a little sticker to put next to the buttons. However, like to find our right material. It took us a long time because Erie just weather is very it's very cold and winter and I kind of don't want it to be okay we spend so much time and money on it. And then in the wintertime it's gone because of the weather because of the cold and so we did a lot of searches initially we had this idea of doing paper but material kind of sustainability wise it's just not going to work out and I was kind of frustrated by it, but fortunately because it was the towards the end of the year. But fortunately, I was able to hold the position again my second year. So I kind of worked on the project all over again. And we were able to actually find a material. It's a 3d sticker that has multiple layers. So it kind of gives a good stack. In the meantime, it's scratch proof that it does a lot of different things. And so we started to putting them around campus and kind of testing it out some of the outside in some of the outside surfaces is still a little bit hard for it to stack. But we are seeing some improvement on the buttons conditions. So that's fantastic.
Dr. Ralph Ford:Well, we appreciate it. And so at least you're getting some feedback that what you're doing is helping people with disabilities.
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:Indeed, I didn't realize how, I would say, how much of a hassle it is to get around campus. From the perspective of student with disability until I actually did a tour with a family. The dad of the family is actually on a electric wheelchair. And I realized that I need to detour my tour for at least half an hour to just to find the additional buttons, the elevators so that everyone can get around. And at the moment, it was just a moment of me realizing, okay, I'm actually doing something useful. And it's a rewarding moment.
Dr. Ralph Ford:While our campus is built in a hill, completely, but you know, a lot of the part we sit in right now just behind us, you can see that and it presents a lot of challenges. And you saw them firsthand. And you did something to make it better.
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:Trying my best.
Dr. Ralph Ford:Let's switch gears. You work on the Lion Entertainment Board. It was defunct, and I think you brought it back to life. Is that true? I hope that was that was right. So that was a big endeavor.
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:Indeed, at first it was my junior year or the year I made the beginning of my junior year. I walk into this event, it was glow in the dark golf ball. It's like a glow-in-the-dark mini-golf. And there was only two people there. There was Ashley Kaminski, which is her first year being on campus and actually hosting events. And her night voting assistant, Sam. And I was like, Do you guys need any help? Because I just feel really bad. This is a lot of equipment. And just the two of you guys to be there. And so I kind of started off there. And I was just helping out at events. And a couple of weeks later, Ashley asked me if I would like to help her to revive the club. I was like, sure, it will be a joy to do that. Because I've been to so many Lion Entertainment Board, events when I was a freshman. I would. And I would love to see it to come back to campus. And so it just happened like that. And we are here today.
Dr. Ralph Ford:So any particular event stand out, you know, like one big accomplishment from that or some event that came out that sticks in your mind the most.
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:So the first thing always comes to my mind is pink eel, because that's my first literally big events here at Behrend, and it's my way to kind of meaningful the most to me. And we're able to bring it back. And we did it in the baseball field earlier in the year. And everyone's having a blast time. You see everyone having the T-shirts still sometimes walking on campus. So it was wonderful. And we started to do something new as well. So this past two years we are doing, we did a winter formal, so it's kind of becoming a trip new traditional or annual winter formal. And we had a lot of students from different clubs and organizations, they bring in their friends as well. And we always have a big blast. We have a theme every year, the first year I think it's it's like Alice in the winter wonderland, something like that. And the second semester, we actually did New York City so we actually use dark lights and black everything. And it was it was a really nice city-wide, sell. We try our best to create a great theme and environment for everyone to have a great time. And that's what we do.
Dr. Ralph Ford:Okay, now I'm going to hit you with a few quick questions. We'll call it the lightning round.
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:Okay, that's my favorite class nursing. If I had to pick in nursing a med surg.
Dr. Ralph Ford:Okay, favorite teacher. Let's put you on the spot. You can name a few?
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:I love Dr. Streiff. She is the director of the program and I also because of me doing my externship, I had a lot of interaction with her and I love her so much. And Dr. Raines, Dr. Raines is actually our med surg professor, junior year and senior year. And she is actually the one gotten me into ICU Nursing because she actually is a critical care nurse. And in her class, she uses her clinical experience. I see samples, what she's seeing in ICUs. And that's kind of what got me into ICU nursing.
Dr. Ralph Ford:And I, you know, that's a hard question. It's not fair because all of our nursing faculty are so caring and great. So they all deserve to be called out. So then, how about you? What's your most memorable moment on campus? Is there one thing that stands out to you?
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:Most memorable moment it will have to be MCC. Sorry? Multi-Cultural Council. I love the Multi-Cultural Council so much. And one thing that always sticks in my mind is last year when I when the superlative off most likely to get ticketed. Thank you very much. So it's a moment I remember just laughing non stop and on my way of getting it and it just a moment sticks in my mind.
Dr. Ralph Ford:Well, MCC is just tremendously active group and all of their events are high energy. So not surprising. Well, what's next for you after graduation?
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:So, before this week, I will say for sure that I am planning on staying Erie and working at UPMC Hamot as a cardiac critical care nurse. However, I did get some news this week. So there might be some changes to that. We'll see how it eventually goes.
Dr. Ralph Ford:Okay, you don't have to say so there's some what you're saying saying is you have opportunities. And that's, that's a good thing and not not surprising at all. Okay, what will you miss it about your time here at Behrend.
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:I miss the I feel like I will miss the first of all the close nets relationship that we actually have with everyone. And I love all the support and love from my advisors, my counselors, my bosses, actually, on campus, and especially my friends on the campus, I feel that's definitely something I will miss the most. Because just four years here, you're able to build such a good relationship with everyone. And it's a little bit sad to think that I'm actually believing.
Dr. Ralph Ford:We are a close-knit community. Definitely. Well, this has been a wonderful conversation and I appreciate it. I'm Dr. Ralph Ford. And thank you for joining us here on Behrend Talks today and my guest has been our nursing students, Cindy Wu, senior nursing student who's graduating and just two weeks from now. Congratulations.
Yingxin “Cindy” Wu:Thank you very much. Thank you.
Dr. Ralph Ford:You're welcome.