Alumni Spotlight Q&A: Meet Nicholas Corvino ’22

The Department of Asian Languages and Cultures celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. To commemorate this celebration, the department spotlights some of its alumni.

What inspired you to pursue a major or minor in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures (ALC)?

My mother and grandparents are both from Taiwan, but I never got around to learning Chinese as a kid. When my grandfather passed away, I sat next to him in the hospital and couldn’t speak to him. That was unfortunate and made me realize that if I didn’t learn Mandarin, I would never fully know many of the people I loved.

How did your studies in the ALC department impact you personally or professionally?

As a result, I am starting the Yenching Scholars program in Beijing next year. Without ALC, I would not have had the confidence to move to a Chinese-speaking country.

Is there a specific course, event, or memory associated with the ALC department that sticks out to you from your time at Northwestern?

Freshmen year can be tough. You don’t know anyone, and your big intro classes make it hard to feel intimacy with anybody. That was why Chinese 111 was great. Every day, whether I liked it or not, I met with the same students to learn Chinese. Throughout the years, many of them became my best friends. When we were seniors, we had a final celebration party and felt like a family.

What are you working on right now that excites you the most OR are there any accomplishments you would like to share?

I am starting a master’s program in Chinese Philosophy and Religion next year at Yenching Academy in Beijing.