The historic 40-year mission of the Caldwell Fellows to develop leaders has been stretched in recent years to meet the needs of a changing world. Along with NC State, the program has expanded its vision to include the development of global leaders. Cultural immersion and service trips have become one of the Fellows’ avenues for meeting this mission. The destination and theme for each trip (three summer and two spring break trips so far) have been initiated and planned by a team of students. This year’s trip had a new impetus for its destination: one of our alumni. Jim Arnold ’74 has been a businessman in East Asia for over 20 years. Shanghai has been his home for the past 12. Jim is retired from business and is now co-director of the China Leaders for Manufacturing Program, an MBA/Engineering dual degree program between Jiaotang University and MIT. Jim has maintained strong connections to NC State and to the Fellows program and initiated the vision for a Caldwell trip to China.
Our first week of the trip is in Shanghai and Jim has planned an agenda of seminars, service work with local charity where he is a weekly volunteer, tours to different parts of the city, and dinner with local NC State alumni.
Here are some of the things we’ll be doing:
- A walking Tour to Confucian Temple and Yuan Gardens.
- A visit to Home Sweet Home, the charity Jim volunteers with, to work with residents in the garden and in a clothes warehouse.
- A tour of Taikang Lu.
- A visit to the communist party museum.
- A dinner with Shanghai area NCSU alumni: Malone’s American Café.
- A panel discussion with Shanghai ares business leaders.
