By Renae Brown

   TPA has been accepting foreign exchange students for a long time. One of the first was Wei Oania, an exchange student from China, who joined the 11th grade class of 1998-99.

   “My desire … was driven by the thirst for learning, the dream of getting a higher education … and the mystery of the USA,” Wei Oania wrote. 

   Oania faced many obstacles, foremost of which was the language barrier. While she had taken a few English courses previously, they proved insufficient, especially for the Humane Letters class. 

   But she was determined to learn and, with the help of many mentors, friends and hours of study, Oania, by the end of the year, could successfully converse. 

   In fact, those mentors and friends were instrumental in Oania’s life. Her Humane Letters teacher, Mr. Ellison, reached out with after school tutoring, and Oania’s Physics teacher, Ms. Kim made sure to acknowledge Oania’s achievements.

   Outside of school, an operation manager named Mrs. Boncella included Oania in U.S. traditions, and Oania’s friends helped her feel welcome and belonging by including her in activities and junior prom.

   “Those were the moments that I will remember and helped me decide to ultimately come back to the [U.S.] and [complete] my higher education,” said Oania. 

   By attending TPA, Oania was later able to return to the United States, so she could pursue her schooling. After obtaining a Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University, she moved on to an advanced General Manager Program degree from the Harvard Business School for Executive Education. 

   Oania has since become a woman leader, working in the high-tech industry, leading worldwide teams and managing businesses in both China and the U.S. Currently, she works as a Product Director for NXP, a semiconductor company.

   In the end, Wei Oania’s motivation, drive and persistence throughout her TPA and U.S. careers provide an example to all who follow.