BCNC Portrait: Xiaobin

Xiaobin (L) and His mentor, jeanelle Tsai (r)

BCNC supported Xiaobin when he was in high school, and now he is serving immigrant youth like him.

At the age of 17, Xiaobin was a recent immigrant and highly motivated junior at North Quincy High School. He was encouraged by his English teacher to join BCNC’s CAPS (College Access and Post-Secondary Success) Program to help him navigate the college application process. Xiaobin shares that as a first generation immigrant, he had very little understanding of the U.S. education system and how to prepare for college.

After joining BCNC, staff worked closely with Xiaobin to understand his interests, goals, and preferences in order to match him with a volunteer mentor. He was paired with Jeanelle Tsai, who also could speak Mandarin Chinese. Jeanelle guided him through every step of the college application process, from refining his personal essay, to selecting colleges, and applying for financial aid.

Xiaobin discovered that several of his classmates were also BCNC participants, allowing him to build connections with peers from Quincy. He actively participated in regular BCNC activities including workshops on preparing for college and college tours, including a visit to the college where he would eventually attend after graduating high school.

Financial aid was especially critical for Xiaobin as he came from a low-income family and was the first in his family to attend college. Xiaobin is now at Northeastern University pursuing a combined major in computer science and mathematics.

Even after graduating from high school, Xiaobin remained connected to BCNC. This past summer, he worked at BCNC and assisted with the summer youth programs. This fall, he serves as a SAT tutor for youth in the CAPS program. When asked why he chose to return to BCNC, Xiaobin explained it was important to him to give back to the community that provided him with a safe and supportive environment during a crucial time in his life. By helping other immigrant students like himself, Xiaobin continues to embody the values and mission of BCNC.