Pan Scholars help extend UC Berkeley’s global reach to Taiwan

October 30, 2025

by Alexander Rony

Over the summer, Kelly Ko loved taking the train to her internship in Taipei. The beautiful music that heralded its arrival was a refreshing change from BART’s jarring approach. At work, her managers would frequently take her out to lunch. Ko, who grew up speaking English and Cantonese in the Bay Area, was excited to practice her Mandarin with her coworkers.

Ko was participating in a six-person pilot program for Pan Scholars, UC Berkeley’s first summer internship program in Taiwan. As a fourth-year student majoring in environmental economics and policy and minoring in global studies, Ko gained valuable work experience at a supply chain logistics company. She hopes her internship will give her a head start on a rewarding career at the intersection of sustainable business, project management, and social impact.

“In general, everything was amazing,” said Ko. “It was such an immersive experience. As a first-generation college student, I’m always looking for opportunities that help me grow both professionally and personally — especially ones that allow me to connect more deeply with my cultural roots.”

The Pan Scholars program was made possible by Steven Pan.

“Our mission has always been to bring the best of the world to Taiwan — and the best of Taiwan to the world,” said Pan. “Having UC Berkeley students experience Taiwan’s innovation, hospitality, and cultural richness firsthand is a powerful way to build bridges of understanding between these two vibrant communities.”

Pan and his wife, Constance Chiang Pan — both proud Cal Bears — personally welcomed the inaugural cohort of Pan Scholars to Taiwan.

“What impressed me most was the students’ curiosity and openness,” Pan reflected. “They weren’t just here to work — they wanted to understand Taiwan, its people, and its spirit. Constance and I loved taking them out to meals, showing them around, and watching them connect with Taiwan in their own way. It reminded us why we started this program — to inspire global friendships and lifelong learning that extend far beyond the summer.”

Taiwan hosts a robust alumni network, the Berkeley Club of Taiwan. The club's president, Terence Chen, joined Pan and fellow alum John Keh in facilitating the placement of Pan Scholars at their companies.

Pan Scholars received curated trips to cultural destinations, such as the National Palace Museum and a tea farm. Students expressed surprise at the many Japanese influences on the island — a vestige from the early 20th century’s colonial period. Even walking around the city of Taipei was an incredible experience. Cindy Lin — an economics major minoring in Chinese — marveled that there were so many temples, she would often go for a stroll and end up in one.

“It was a great experience,” said Lin. “I’m really grateful for the opportunity.”

Robert Ashmore, the chair of the Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures, was thrilled to hear that students were immersing themselves in the thriving Taiwanese culture.

“Internship opportunities like the Pan Scholars program are a great way to bring home to students that learning a language opens new horizons, not just for their studies at Cal, but for future career options after graduation,” said Ashmore.

“This is naturally great for us, since it brings attention to our attractive options for majoring or minoring in related fields,” continued Ashmore. “At the same time, it’s not a zero-sum game. Students in unrelated majors who take language classes with us and engage with language and culture in their careers are going to be equally vital parts of this bigger community long into the future.”

Seven people smile by a sign that reads "Silks Palace at National Palace Museum"

Steven Pan and the Pan Scholars visit Silks Palace

Fourteen people mostly in Pan Summer Scholars shirts pose for a photo near an artistically wrecked car on display

Pan Scholars visited museums and art exhibits on sponsored trips

A man and two female students pose next to a sign that reads "THL Taiwan Hsin Lin Enterprises Co."

Kelly Ko (middle) and Cindy Lin (right) at Taiwan Hsin Enterprises Co. (THL)

Fourteen UC Berkeley staff, faculty, students, and alums pose by a Berkeley Study Abroad welcome sign

Pan Scholars meet with Steven Pan, Robert Ashmore, and others

Tea farm and THL photos by Asia Internship Program. Final photo by Berkeley Study Abroad. All other photos provided by Constance Chiang Pan.

As Asia plays an increasingly central role on the global stage, the humanities prepare students to navigate a changing world that relies on multilingualism, diverse perspectives, critical thinking, and cross-cultural competencies.

The Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures teaches one out of every six language classes at Berkeley. Many Pan Scholars take East Asian language courses at UC Berkeley, but they don’t need to be fluent to go to Taiwan.

Melanie Miu, a cognitive science major, said her Cantonese class prepared her for what to expect in terms of culture and etiquette. It also strengthened her ability to converse with workers originally from Hong Kong. Taiwan has a diverse linguistic ecosystem: Hokkien is the most prevalent native language, and Mandarin is the official language and the primary one spoken in Taipei.

“I learned words from marketing that I never knew,” said Miu, who interned at Saiens and the Regent Taipei. “I went from about 10 percent fluency in Mandarin to 30 percent in three weeks.”

The Pan Scholars program is expanding following a successful pilot phase. Partnering with Berkeley Global Internships will allow the program to quadruple its capacity next summer. Ashmore and the Pans are evaluating student interest and post-internship feedback to improve the program. Students interested in gaining profound cultural and professional experiences in Taiwan should visit the Global Internships website for more information.

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