The streets of Shanghai are always busy — cars honk impatiently, bikes weave through traffic, and neon lights flicker as dusk settles over the city. But Annie Zhu’s focus was on a different kind of chaos: the chorus of barks, meows and claws scratching against metal fences.
The animal shelter wasn’t a place of comfort. It smelled of fur, damp corners and the anxious scent of creatures who had known hunger and abandonment. More than 2,000 stray dogs and cats waited there for a second chance. But Annie didn’t see despair.
She saw purpose.
“I watched heartbreaking videos of how street animals are treated,” she recalls. “So when I had the chance to protect even one life, I couldn’t say no.”
What began as a school project — just another box to tick for her International Baccalaureate service requirement — quickly became a personal mission. Annie raised 5,000 yuan for vaccines and spent long hours helping at the shelter. But the most profound transformation happened within. Surrounded by vulnerable animals, she realized compassion isn’t just a feeling — it’s a force for change.
That realization stayed with her, following her to Duke Kunshan University, where a new chapter began.
Building bridges in a time of distance
Canadian by passport, raised in China and shaped by a global mindset, Annie came to DKU with a mission: to become a bridge between cultures. But arriving during the pandemic made that vision more urgent — and more difficult. Only eight international students were on campus. Her friends were scattered across the globe.
“I just wanted to create a space where everyone could feel seen.”
And she did, quite literally, by reshaping the room. As president of the Psychology Club, Annie replaced lecture-style seating with circles. That subtle shift turned being surrounded by others into truly being with them. Conversations flowed more naturally. Connections deepened. And students who once stayed silent began to share their stories.
Exploring the mind — and the brain
Outside the classroom, Annie fostered community. Inside, she sought understanding.
In one of her earliest research projects, she joined Professor Minjoo Joe’s cross-cultural study on forgiveness, bridging her own experience with Chinese and Western values. The project revealed something powerful: psychology wasn’t just about understanding people — it could build empathy across cultures.
“DKU has been incredibly supportive,” she says. “I’ve valued the resources here from the very beginning.”
But Annie didn’t stop there. She began asking deeper questions: What happens beneath the surface — inside the brain?
That curiosity led her to the neuroscience lab, where she joined a study on sleep deprivation and motor learning under the mentorship of Professor Chia-Chien Chen. It was unfamiliar terrain — long hours, new techniques and a mountain of data. But Annie embraced the challenge.
“I didn’t pursue something just because it matched my career path,” she says. “I did it because it gave purpose to my journey.”
Leading with vision, failing with grace
That purpose fueled another big endeavor: founding the Psychology Garage, a social media initiative aimed at making mental health resources more accessible in China. Annie pitched models, built a team and even received national funding — all without any formal entrepreneurship background.
But the project didn’t unfold as planned.
“Failure taught me more than success ever could,” she reflects.
Through that experience, Annie discovered not just her strengths — but where her compassion was most needed.
She trained as a peer mentor, learning to offer quiet, nonjudgmental support. Whether guiding new students or comforting peers facing burnout, Annie became a steady presence — someone who didn’t rush to solve problems, but instead created space for others to find their voice.
As an orientation captain, she welcomed first-years with warmth, designing team-building activities that mirrored the experience she once longed for herself.
“There’s something magical about watching people make their first college friends,” she says. “It feels like witnessing the very beginning of their journey — and getting to walk alongside them.”
When research meets rhythm
While her time at DKU was full of science and service, Annie also nurtured her creative side. As a member of the a cappella club, she sang with students from around the world, performing songs that celebrated diverse cultures and lifted campus spirits.
“A cappella demands the same focus as research,” she laughs. “Precision, teamwork and the secret ingredient — creativity.”
Art has always been part of Annie’s life — from practicing Chinese calligraphy at age five to photography classes and onstage performances at DKU. These creative expressions didn’t distract her from psychology; they deepened her understanding of it.
“Studying human behavior extends far beyond theoretical frameworks,” she says. “It requires a nuanced understanding of the context—personal, emotional, cultural and beyond.”
Returning to where it all began
Now preparing to graduate, Annie has finalized her senior signature work on stray animal protection under the guidance of Professor Claudia Nisa. Next stop: graduate studies at Duke University. She envisions a future in global health — one where science meets empathy, and culturally informed interventions make a real difference.
But no matter how far she goes, Annie knows where her path began — and where it leads back.
To the stray animal shelters.
To the vulnerable.
To the places where empathy still has work to do.
“If I had to relive my DKU journey,” she says, “maybe I’d explore more from the beginning. But honestly, every year felt like its own season — and not a single one was wasted.”
Her words linger, like a quiet truth echoing through every space she’s touched — from the streets of Shanghai to research labs, student circles and beyond. Wherever she’s been, Annie has walked with an open heart, a curious mind and the courage to turn empathy into action.
“If someone can smile because of my effort,” she says, “that’s how I know I’m on the right path.”
By Anastasia Titarova, Class of 2027
