Alum Spotlight: Qian Liu '21
Qian Liu graduated from Barnard in 2021 with a major in comparative literature and a minor in psychology.
As a student at a public school in China, Qian says that Barnard wasn’t a college her peers were typically applying to, and that she was actually introduced to Barnard by her college counselor. She recalls realizing that Barnard fulfilled a lot of what she was looking for in a college, such as small classes, the student to faculty ratio, and her desire to live in New York. Because of the lack of alumnae in her area, Qian chose to fly across the world to visit Barnard, and ended up applying via Early Decision.
As an international student, Qian felt very supported by Barnard. “Barnard provides a very safe harbor for everyone,” she says, pointing to how approachable faculty were. “I'm very grateful for my professors. I was taking a Shakespeare class and freaking out because we moved quickly between plays, and my English wasn’t the best yet. Every week, I went to the professor, and he never said no. He’d offer help and look at my notes, correcting where I was mistaken.”
Initially, Qian wasn’t involved in comparative literature at all. “[Literature] was intimidating for me, [as] English wasn’t my first language,” she said, “but then I took this class offered by the Comp Lit department, Translation Workshop. For the first time, I felt like studying literature at college didn't have to be intimidating.” Qian also didn’t plan to minor in psychology. “My advisor realized that if I took one or two more psychology courses, I would qualify for a minor. It's a cool thing that the Foundations curriculum helps you get somewhere unexpectedly. Maybe you're a humanities person, but you can end up taking a lot of courses that will count towards other majors or minors.”
Being surrounded by New York City and Barnard students motivated Qian to pursue her passion in humanities, rather than follow a more traditional path. “My experience is very different from most international students. The thing that I studied wasn't what I was culturally familiar with, meaning I was able to expand my vision and embrace different perspectives surrounding education. Growing up in China, I'm very used to a rigid education system — at Barnard, you’re encouraged to take risks and focus on your passions.”
Outside the classroom, Qian immersed herself in the arts. She served as the vice president of Columbia China Dance, which has grown exponentially since her graduation. “I was proud to organize workshop opportunities and showcases for people interested in Chinese dance as a cultural experience.” She was also part of Columbia Blue Glaze Theatre, a student-run organization that focuses on highlighting Chinese theatre. Today, she still finds ways to engage with the arts through her hobbies in photography and modeling, but most importantly, through her writing.
Post-graduation, Qian attended the University of Chicago and received a master’s degree in comparative literature and East Asian studies. She then founded Essayer LLC, a consultancy dedicated to enhancing English and Chinese writing skills for high school students; she has also started work as a freelance writer. Now, Qian is getting ready to publish her first book in Chinese. “I'm still trying to do more bilingual writing. This book specifically is a collection of essays and stories from late high school all the way to graduating from UChicago. As I recall these stories, I find some of the writing very immature, but [at] that age, I wasn’t feeling or thinking as a mature adult. It’s a very cool experience to be able to document those moments, like a precious documentation. As a creative writer, you break the limits of what academic writing requires you to do.”
Qian currently lives in Boston, but is hoping to come back to NYC in the future. She is also considering working towards a PhD, but not without writing more first. She currently has a contract with a publisher, allowing her to publish more books in Chinese in the future. As an alum, she remains involved in the Barnard community through the Barnard Alumnae Admissions Representative (BAAR) program, which allows her to interact with prospective and admitted students. “I feel very happy that I’m able to share my own experiences. It just makes the entire thing more organic.”
The Barnard community remains Qian’s favorite part of Barnard. “Barnard women are determined and ambitious, but they’re also gentle and resilient. Virginia Woolf said, ‘I’m rooted but I flow.’ That pretty much captures it.” To prospective students, Qian says to remember, “Barnard women are very determined about what they want to do. It doesn't have to be something huge or ambitious, but we are a very bold creative community. I tell everyone to focus on what they know, no matter if it's something more traditional or interdisciplinary. I think everyone can find their place at Barnard, because at Barnard, people value the experience.”