Chen’s participation in the institute will begin with an intensive course this January, where she will take lessons from various international relations and public policy experts, including former U.S. Secretary of State Albright, a member of the Wellesley College class of 1959, who will serve as the institute’s distinguished visiting professor.

“I am thrilled about the prospect of participating in heated debates with classmates from a wide range of academic backgrounds and experiences,” she said. “This collaborative and diverse group of people will help me gain a new perspective on the issues that I feel most strongly about.”

This summer, Chen will participate in a Wellesley-funded internship in the United States or abroad, applying what she has learned in a real-life setting.

Chen, an economics major, has worked as an intern at the China Market Research Group and the European Union Chamber of Commerce, both in Shanghai. At Wellesley, she participates in the Model United Nations, residential life, the consulting club and is on the MIT ballroom dance team. She also works as an aerobics instructor.

In January 2010, Wellesley College launched the Albright Institute to educate women to fulfill leadership positions, to strengthen the role of women in international relations and to inform policy discussions and academic thought in global affairs.

"The Wellesley women of the future have to understand how today’s global challenges are connected," Albright said. "The institute will adopt an interdisciplinary approach to give these women leaders the tools they need to deal with the most pressing issues."

The institute combines the academic resources of Wellesley, the research capabilities of the Wellesley Centers for Women and the insights of global leaders. It draws on faculty from across the liberal-arts disciplines and alumnae in fields ranging from government to conservation to social entrepreneurship. By combining academic theory with real-life perspectives, the program cultivates a new understanding of global issues.

This year's crop of Albright Fellows hail from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Ghana, Israel, Hungary, Japan, Nepal, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, United States and Zimbabwe.

"I can imagine one day, you will be sitting across the table from each other, negotiating on opposite sides, for your governments, for your organizations, for your causes," Albright told the inaugural class. "But you will know how to talk to each other. Most importantly, how to listen to each other."

Since 1875, Wellesley College has been a leader in providing an excellent liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world. Its 500-acre campus near Boston is home to 2,300 undergraduate students from all 50 states and 75 countries."

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