When Cong Chen (MEd ’21) first walked the grounds of Mount Saint Vincent University on a beautiful summer day in 2017, something clicked. After years of working in international education and visiting more than 20 Canadian universities from coast to coast while chaperoning prospective Chinese students, he felt an immediate sense of belonging at MSVU.
“It sounds like a cliché, but to me, it was truly a feeling of belonging,” Cong says. “When I stepped onto campus—from the welcoming staff and ambassadors to the person who greeted me from the Admissions office—the whole experience was beautiful.”
That campus tour on his first visit to Halifax marked a turning point in Cong’s life. With a BA in English and three years of experience at Nova Scotia International High School in China, he made the bold decision to leave his comfort zone behind. He quit his job and embarked on a new chapter in Canada, drawn by the small classroom sizes and student-centered learning MSVU and the university’s Faculty of Education are known for.
From Small-Town Roots to Global Perspective
Originally from a small county in northeastern China with a population of just 70,000, Cong describes himself as “a country boy, not a city boy.” This small-town background helped him adjust to Halifax’s scale, but he says that, like many international students, he initially struggled with cultural adjustment.
“There are several layers of barriers in front of international students—the education systems are different and they’re far from family and friends. It’s normal to sometimes feel lost or have imposter syndrome,” he says. “But I want to tell current students: you are brave for stepping outside your comfort zone already. Give yourself some compassion and time. There is sufficient support from the campus, the staff, the faculty. What you feel now is just for now—moving forward, you will see how amazing you can be.”
Cong, who now holds a Master of Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from MSVU, credits the university’s support systems—the academic advisors, the Writing Centre, and especially the International Education Centre—for helping him build the confidence to venture beyond campus borders.
Living MSVU’s Values Through Community Engagement
Today, Cong serves as Community Safety Education Coordinator for the Halifax Regional Municipality, leading a new initiative on community safety training programs that create a culture shift away from relying heavily on emergency response teams to a preventative approach to when appropriate.
Cong has earned international teaching certifications in non-violent crisis intervention, applied suicide intervention skills training, and Mental Health First Aid. He’s also working with Nova Scotia’s provincial government to create bystander intervention training specifically aimed at combatting public harassment in city spaces.
Cong’s professional achievements reflect MSVU’s values of social responsibility and community engagement, but perhaps nowhere is his commitment to these values more evident than in his extraordinary volunteer work. Since moving to Canada seven years ago, Cong has volunteered with more than 14 organizations, including EduNova, TESL NS (Teachers of English as a Second Language in Nova Scotia), Halifax Partnership, JUNOS, the North American Indigenous Games, Halifax Jazz Festival, Community Mobilization Team, Make-A-Wish and the Chinese Society of Nova Scotia. He also volunteers as a member of the MSVU Alumni Association Board and is always happy to connect with other MSVU alumni members.
Cong describes volunteering as a journey that evolves over time. Through his experiences, he’s built meaningful connections with mentors, including MSVU alumni members Christine Qin Yang (BBA ‘14) and Jill McKenzie (BPR ‘07) who have guided his path and inspired him to become a mentor himself.
Cong’s personal philosophy of “when you give, you will receive” is evident in the awards and recognition he is receiving. Over the past year, he has been honoured with the 2024 Most Inspiring Immigrant in Atlantic Canada, the 2024 Provincial Volunteer Award, the 2024 Young Impact Leaders Award and the 2024 Halifax Volunteer Award. He is also the recipient of an MSVU Senate Award of Distinction.
Cong’s dedication to fostering inclusivity and supporting newcomer integration continues to make a profound impact in the community and clearly represents the values he shares with MSVU.