The ELI Student Spotlight series is designed to highlight students who demonstrate outstanding commitment and enthusiasm in ELI courses.

Yuchen Sun is a true ELI superstar!  He was nominated for this spotlight by  ELI Associate Director, Angela Garner.

As a Ph.D. student, Yuchen has taken 4 ELI classes and has participated in numerous Conversation Circles.  Angela commended Yuchen for his commitment to seeking opportunities to learn from and with others, and for acting on his desire to enrich his understanding about different cultures and people.

Name: Yuchen Sun

Hometown: Xi'an

Country: China

Degree Program: Ph.D. in Clinical Pharmacy Translational Science

Area of Research: Leveraging pharmacometrics approach to develop personalized dosing strategies for chemotherapy to improve the treatment outcomes

What inspired you to take a class at the English Language Institute? I want to further improve my English communication skills. I hope to become more comfortable interacting with local students and colleagues, while also strengthening my English for professional development and future career opportunities.

What have you enjoyed the most about your experience with ELI's resources? Why? What I have enjoyed most about ELI is its inclusive and diverse learning environment. What I especially appreciate is that the diversity in ELI goes beyond nationality. People come from different academic backgrounds, professional fields, and stages of life, which creates many opportunities to learn from one another and see different perspectives. I have really enjoyed connecting with people through our shared experience of learning English.

What do you hope to do after graduating from Michigan? I hope to join the pharmaceutical industry and contribute to the clinical development of innovative therapies that address unmet medical needs and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

What advice would you give to other international students at U-M? Make the most of the many resources and opportunities available across campus. Don’t limit yourself—step outside your comfort zone, meet new people, and take the opportunity to connect with others. 

Yuchen's personal website can be found Here