Each November, universities across the United States celebrate International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education that highlights the value of international education and cultural exchange. This year, IEW takes place from Nov. 17–21, and Marquette University’s Graduate School is celebrating by sharing stories of international graduate students whose experiences enrich the campus community. Among them is Alex Dong, a philosophy graduate student whose journey from Shenzhen, China, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, embodies the curiosity, reflection and global learning that IEW celebrates.
Dong grew up in Bao An, a lively district in Shenzhen, surrounded by family and the hum of a rapidly expanding city. “Bao An is a humble place with all the necessities and plenty of entertainment,” she recalls. “Growing up during the 2000s, I remember the Y2K-coded architectures with bold, geometrical decorations and blue-tinted windows set against well-structured roads.” She fondly remembers walking home from school, taking in the city’s unique architecture.
Family and food anchor Dong’s memories of home. Raised by two parents who were both practicing physicians, she spent much of her childhood at the hospital where they worked. Her father’s career spanned emergency medicine, X-ray technology, internal medicine and Chinese herbal medicine. “I remember one afternoon walking to the hospital food court after riding bikes with my friends,” Dong recalls. “We ordered a plate of pan-fried dumplings filled with chives and pork. On the paved road leading to the food court park, I noticed what I now know was a bright green Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Back then, I just thought it was a super cool car like in the movies. We sat under the warm sun sharing dumplings as the tree branches swayed and the leaves rustled in the wind. Everything felt so peaceful.”
Her fondest memories, however, often return to her mother’s cooking. “My mom cooks really well,” Dong says proudly. She recalls dishes like winter melon meatball soup and minced pork stew with rice, meals she requested sparingly because they required more effort than the family’s usual stir-fries. Dong has since learned to make the soup herself, marinating pork in soy sauce and hoisin sauce with ginger and green onion and pairing the stew with steamed rice and an over-easy egg.
At 17, Dong moved to the United States, a transition that shaped her worldview and academic path. She began her studies at Seattle Community College before transferring to the University of Oregon, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. After a year at Boston College, she returned home during the pandemic, eventually finding her academic home at Marquette. “I wanted to continue studying philosophy,” she explains. “I researched programs that aligned with my interests, and I’m grateful that Marquette offered me an assistantship.”
At Marquette, Dong’s research explores what it means to be Asian in the United States through an existential-phenomenological lens, blending personal experience with philosophical inquiry. She credits the university’s supportive environment for fostering both her academic and personal growth. “The Marquette community has been incredibly helpful,” she says. “The assistance provided by the Department of Philosophy, the Trinity Fellows Program and the Graduate School has been tremendous.”
This year, Dong received a Career Diversity Assistantship from the Graduate School, placing her within the Trinity Fellows Program. In this role, she helps strengthen alumni engagement, develops assessment tools for prospective fellows, and assists Kelsey Otero, senior director of community engagement, in organizing and facilitating community engagement meetings. “Marquette has been amazing in supporting my growth as a student, scholar and person,” she adds. “The professors are extremely friendly, and the university offers easy access to valuable resources such as healthcare facilities, legal clinics and technology support. Having these resources readily available allows me to focus more fully on my academic development.”
Outside the classroom, Dong remains connected to the anchors that have shaped her life: family, food and music. “I’ve always loved Olive Garden,” she laughs. “It might sound cliché, but it was the first dine-in restaurant my host mom took me to in the U.S., so it still holds a special place in my heart.” Music, particularly punk rock, is another passion. “I love punk rock, especially Rancid,” she says. “I haven’t had the chance to visit a local live venue here in Milwaukee yet, but Summerfest 2026 is definitely on my bucket list!”
From the bustling streets of Shenzhen to the academic halls of Marquette, Alex Dong’s journey reflects the transformative power of education across cultures. International Education Week reminds us that global learning is not just about crossing borders, it’s about connecting hearts, minds and ideas to build a more understanding and inclusive world.
