For Chinese language minors Layla Johnson and Sarah Downs, Christmas Eve brought more anticipation than usual.
The next day, Johnson and her family watched YouTube, with Johnson translating little by little, as the winners of the 2023 Chinese Grandmaster Language Competition were announced. That morning, Johnson learned she was the Gold Prize winner in the college category, and Downs received email recognition for her exceptional efforts and contributions to the competition.
A senior double major in psychology and a self-designed major in Chinese studies, Johnson has taken the language off and on for nine years. Her interest began when she traveled to China with her family in 2014. Since coming to TU, Johnson has embraced her love of travel, studying abroad in the United Kingdom and Thailand. Following her return from Thailand, she began working for The University of Tulsa’s Center for Global Engagement.
“I started working with CGE because I loved my experiences so much,” she said. “I was like, I need to be a part of this, too.”
Johnson’s travels were a foundational part of her Chinese Grandmaster entry, where she discussed her 2014 trip and reasons for studying Chinese at TU. To compete, participants needed to write and produce a creative video that illustrated their fluency with the language. Utilizing her skills as a photographer and the facilities available through the TU Media Lab, Johnson was able to bring her vision to life.
Downs, an electrical engineering senior, used an ancient Chinese tale about two star-crossed lovers who turned into butterflies to relate her language journey. “I sort of loop that into my experience learning Chinese in Oklahoma. There aren’t many resources here for people to learn Chinese,” Downs said. “Learning the language helped me open my wings and flutter away, and I hope to teach others about Chinese culture, too.
“It’s allowed me to see another culture and a different part of Tulsa and the TU community that I wouldn’t have otherwise.”
With Johnson and Downs already having a background in Chinese, it was important for both to find a school with opportunities to continue their studies.
“I was trying to find somewhere where I could take Chinese as a major or a minor and take it for four consecutive years,” Johnson said. “I haven’t had the chance to stay on the same path at the same place for so long. It was a great opportunity to come to The University of Tulsa.”
Johnson and Downs’ efforts have garnered enormous support from the community in the School of Language & Literature in Kendall College of Arts & Sciences.
“Layla’s and Sarah’s journeys to mastery in Chinese serves as inspiration to us all, showcasing the limitless possibilities that come with dedication and hard work. I believe more and more students in TU will fulfill their remarkable achievement through perseverance, discipline, and a thirst for knowledge,” said Applied Assistant Professor of Chinese Alpha Edens, who mentored the two through this process. “This momentous occasion marks not only their unwavering dedication for the Chinese language but also a tremendous success for the Chinese programs at TU.”
Following their graduation in the spring, Downs and Johnson have plans to attend graduate school. One day, Downs hopes to work for NASA, while Johnson has goals of attending a Chinese university in the fall, eventually getting a graduate degree in international relations.
The next step, in the meantime, is fluency. “I really have this urge to be fluent,” said Johnson, who was recently named a semifinalist for a Fulbright Award in Taiwan. “I feel like that’s the next logical step for me, and I need to hurry up and make it happen.”
No matter what the future holds, the pair will carry what they learned at TU with them.