Tar Heel takes to Taipei

Even before Mason Harkleroad knew she would become a Tar Heel, she was sure she wanted to spend part of her college experience abroad.

Harkleroad, a senior from Charlotte, originally imagined going to Singapore. But once she connected with UNC Study Abroad advisers, she realized Taiwan was a better fit for her language skills.

“I started taking Chinese in middle school and have continued learning the language in the classroom and through self-study,” said Harkleroad, who has majors in global studies and economics and a minor in Chinese. “Global studies combined my passion for the language and culture with my other academic interests.”

She became a 2023 Phillips Ambassador, a scholarship for Tar Heels studying in Asia. She also received a Boren Award, a federally sponsored scholarship for students learning “less commonly taught languages,” to continue her Mandarin studies.

To make the most of the opportunity, Harkleroad decided to spend her entire junior year away from Chapel Hill. She was excited “to truly integrate into the new environment and learn about the culture” around her, she said.

She enrolled at National Taiwan University in Taipei, where she took Mandarin language courses as well as economics and political science classes taught in English. Topics included the types of democracies in East Asia, relations and history of the United States, Taiwan and China, and women’s issues.

Both in and out of the classroom, Harkleroad felt a noticeable improvement in her already strong language skills.

“I think if you want to improve your language skills, studying abroad is definitely the way to go,” said Harkleroad, who practiced writing the traditional Chinese characters used in Taiwan. “My daily 7-Eleven coffee run, soccer practice at school, taking the train to a new city — all these situations brought so much language practice.”

Over the course of the year, one aspect of Harkleroad’s time in Taipei stood out above the others: the “kind and welcoming” people.

“I stayed with a host family for my first month, and that experience really cemented that for me,” she said. “Even after I moved to my apartment, my host mom always made sure I was doing well and invited me to family gatherings.”

Harkleroad’s classmates, soccer teammates and friends added to that welcoming feeling, she said. And, back at Carolina, she can stay connected with her program through the support of her Phillips Ambassador cohort.

“The Phillips Ambassador program really challenges you to continue to learn from your own and others’ experiences,” she said.

Along with pre- and post-departure retreats, the Phillips Ambassadors program encourages Give Back projects, which allow the students to share their experiences with others. For her Give Back project, Harkleroad hopes to return to her Charlotte middle school to show how studying Mandarin there sparked her passion for learning the language.

Harkleroad spent her junior year in Taiwan and a summer studying in Barcelona, Spain, but is back in Chapel Hill for her senior year. She’s enjoying some of her favorite Carolina experiences, like playing club field hockey (she was part of the 2022 team that won the fall national championship) and reconnecting with her sorority sisters at Pi Beta Phi.

She also hopes to encourage more Tar Heels to consider studying abroad in Asia. Her time at home and abroad has been “so amazing” that she works as a peer adviser in the UNC Study Abroad Office to help other Tar Heels find the perfect program for them.

“I have loved these experiences so much,” she said. “I think there is so much to learn even after you get back from your study abroad program.”