From Music Education to Multicultural Support

Name:  Li-Chen Chin

Position:  Director of Intercultural Programs

Years at Duke:  5

What I do at Duke: I provide leadership for Duke's International House and for the Center for Multicultural Affairs. Duke has approximately 3,000 international students, staff and faculty from at least 80 different countries. International House supports this population, while the Center for Multicultural Affairs works with undergraduates to build community and expose them to different cultures.

My first job: Teaching piano students in college and then teaching music in a Catholic junior high school in Taiwan.

How I got to Duke: I came to the U.S. from Taiwan to do graduate work in music education at the University of Oregon but decided I enjoyed running programs more than teaching music. Since then, I've worked with international students at several colleges, but I was attracted to Duke because it is a large, comprehensive research university.

The best advice I ever received: In graduate school, my professor told me to `say what you mean and mean what you say.' That was very different from the way I grew up, where there was a strong expectation of saving face. It has been a challenge to learn to be authentic - it's not a concept that is even in the Chinese vocabulary.

What I do when I'm not at work: I love to make music. I play clarinet in a woodwind quintet at the First Presbyterian Church in Durham and in a trio called Suite Harmony with two colleagues.

If I had $5 million I would: Donate to breast cancer research. I'm a breast cancer survivor.

What I love about Duke:  Its innovation. It is one thing to hear about it and another to really be in it. Duke attracts faculty and students who think outside the box.

If someone wants to start a conversation with me they should ask me about: Food. I love cooking and I love eating. If I see a recipe that is interesting, I'll try it. Luckily my husband and two young children have diverse tastes.

A book I am reading: I went to a lecture at Duke by Harvard Professor Mahzarin Banaji about hidden bias. I bought her book "Blindspot" and got it autographed.

A memorable day at work: In February, I received a Sammie Award. It was humbling to be recognized by the Samuel DuBois Cook Society for working on diversity, especially with this being the 50th anniversary of black undergraduate students at Duke. As a first generation Asian-American woman, I know I wouldn't be here if it hadn't been for all the African-American students, faculty and staff who came before me.

Something unique in my office: I have a ceremonial key to the city of Shanghai. It belonged to my father, who is a retired supreme court justice in Taiwan.

Something most people don't know about me: I've never eaten a hotdog. I eat all sorts of other food, but I've just never had a desire to try a hotdog.