Growing Into Leadership: Tzu Chi Academy Alumni Stories
Written by Jiali Liu
Translated by H.B. Qin
Edited by Ida Eva Zielinska
Published #80 | Spring 2026 Issue
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“I
was born a Tzu Chi volunteer,” Chloe Chen said, with a hint of pride in her voice. The year she was born, 2007, marked her mother IJung Lin and father Chienhui Chen’s fifth year with Tzu Chi. In 2011, when she was four, Chen’s parents enrolled her in the Pre-K class at Tzu Chi Academy, New York, in Queens, which serves students from Pre-K through grade 12. From then on, the family of three crossed the bridge from New Jersey every weekend, driving Chen to class rain or shine.
Fifteen years later, the little girl who once had to be woken at 6 AM and ate breakfast in the car is a freshman in the School of Nursing at Stony Brook University. Now an adult, Chloe Chen remembers her years at Tzu Chi Academy in detail, including the teachers and volunteers who cared for her like family, and the friends she grew up with.
But Chen’s connection to Tzu Chi did not end when she graduated from the Academy. “If Tzu Chi weren’t in my life, I would feel like something was missing,” she said.
A Family Rooted in Tzu Chi
IJung Lin and Chienhui Chen arrived in the United States in 2002, at a time when New York City was still recovering from the trauma of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. As recent arrivals, the couple soon learned about Tzu Chi USA’s Northeast Region chapter. “Friends knew my husband was skilled with computers, so they invited us to join,” Lin said. “After coming to Tzu Chi, we both started helping in the media team. Since I studied design in high school, I began handling the branch’s posters and event designs.”
Lin still remembers those early mornings. “Everyone shared the same aspirations, so we looked forward to going to the office every Sunday. We would all go out early to clean up the streets and then recite sutras. I always arrived early to help with showing videos and stayed for meals afterward,” she recounted. Tzu Chi gave Lin and her husband a sense of “home” in a foreign land, and they became increasingly involved. “From that point on, we became quite active in volunteering with Tzu Chi.”
Chloe Chen was born on March 17, 2007, St. Patrick’s Day. From the moment she arrived, she naturally became part of the world of Tzu Chi through her parents.
Growing up in a community that was deeply committed to social service, Chen was inspired from an early age. “Seeing my parents volunteer at Tzu Chi with such passion, I said, ‘I want to do that too.’ Instead of sitting idle at home, I would rather spend that time doing something meaningful that helps others,” she shared.
Since both my parents volunteer at Tzu Chi, it felt only natural for me to be a volunteer as well.
Crossing Bridge After Bridge
In 2011, Chloe Chen began attending Tzu Chi Academy, New York, and her mother also started volunteering there. At the time, the family lived in New Jersey and drove for more than an hour each weekend to reach the school in Queens, a routine they maintained for seven years. “Going to Chinese school was never a painful experience for me. I might be different from others because my parents were by my side,” Chen shared.
To manage this weekly commute, the family developed a route and a schedule. The drive meant crossing multiple bridges and navigating New York City traffic. “To get to the school, we had to cross two bridges. First, the George Washington Bridge, and then, to save money, we took a toll-free bridge, the Queensboro Bridge,” IJung Lin recalled. As she spoke about those years, her tone carried no complaint, only appreciation for the time they spent together.
“Every time we went to class, we would wake her up around 6 AM, make breakfast at home, and leave. We would always arrive at school by 7:30. Then, for the half hour before class started at 8 o’clock, she would eat breakfast and review Chinese in the car.” Faced with such a tight schedule, Lin said she felt grateful that Chen actually enjoyed it.
Rehearsing Until They Knew It by Heart
In 2014, as Chloe Chen entered third grade, she met IFang Miao, a teacher who would profoundly influence her and accompany her through graduation from Tzu Chi Academy.
Miao first learned about Tzu Chi while residing in Taiwan. “There was a Tzu Chi hospital right in Xindian, where I lived,” she said. After moving to the United States, she became involved with Tzu Chi through her son. “My child attended Tzu Chi’s Pre-K program. After I volunteered a few times as a class parent, a teacher I got along with asked if I would be interested in teaching at the Academy. Later, with a recommendation from our class teacher, I enrolled in the Seed Teacher training program.”
Miao worked in banking and had no teaching experience when she joined the staff at Tzu Chi Academy. To guide herself, she held on to one simple, sincere belief. “I knew only one thing: I wanted to teach my students as if they were my own children,” she said. “My son was in second grade at the time, and Chloe was in third grade, so I taught them with love and patience and shared everything I knew.”
According to Chen, Miao made a song take root in her heart. “For two consecutive years, Ms. Miao had us participate in the Academy’s singing contest with the song ‘Give Love.’ We rehearsed it so much we were utterly fed up, and some of us didn’t want to do it anymore.” But Miao’s patience and encouragement kept them going. Looking back, Chen smiled. “Despite our frustration, we ended up winning first place both years.”
Beyond the sense of achievement that came with winning the competition, the song’s lyrics and melody also helped shape Chen’s outlook on life.
Give Love’ resonates with me just as its title suggests. This song constantly reminds me to give love anytime, anywhere, and to give it to those in need. It prevents me from questioning, ‘Why am I doing this?’ when engaging in Tzu Chi activities. Instead, it makes me more grateful for the opportunity to help others.
Miao still remembers the details of that period. “Actually, it was my first year teaching when I taught Chloe. At that time, I wasn’t very familiar with Tzu Chi songs. For the song selection, I listened to every song. When I heard this song, I felt the melody was warm, and the lyrics aligned with the spirit of Tzu Chi, which is to share love.”
Once the song was chosen, serious rehearsals began. Miao learned the song, choreographed a dance to go with it, and taught the students to sing at the same time. “It was actually quite stressful. I listened to the song repeatedly at home every day. I listened to it so constantly that my husband said the melody must have been stuck in my head. By the end, even without the music, the melody would naturally play in our minds,” she recalled. “So I understand why the kids got frustrated during rehearsal. But we weren’t just rehearsing a song. We learned perseverance, teamwork, and striving toward a shared goal during the process.”
Miao’s sincere dedication earned her students’ affection in return. Years later, Chen and Miao still meet for meals, and Miao listens as Chen shares what’s on her mind. “We’re not just teacher and student. We’re friends now,” Chen said.
This teacher-student relationship, blending mentor and friend, is rare and precious in education. Miao has witnessed Chen’s growth. “Chloe is considerate and mature,” she observed. “I often feel that her consideration for others is not only the result of humanistic education. It is also largely shaped by her childhood experiences helping at Tzu Chi events with her mother. Seeing her mother serve others every day naturally taught her to care about others. I believe her compassion isn’t forced. It flows naturally from within.”
Chloe’s initial intention has never changed. She knows gratitude, is willing to give, and takes initiative in serving. Even after graduating from the Academy, she returned to my class for three years as a volunteer helper. That is truly rare, and it shows her enduring commitment to Tzu Chi.
Wisdom Carried Into Daily Life
Tzu Chi Academy’s varied humanities curriculum enriched Chloe Chen’s childhood. She loved diabolo (Chinese yo-yo) class, and calligraphy was another favorite. “When learning calligraphy, you have to calm yourself down. Otherwise, the characters won’t have that humanistic touch and won’t look beautiful,” she explained. “I learned a lot from calligraphy class, including the importance of patience.”
Chen also applies the wisdom she gained at the Academy in her daily life. “During school exams, our teachers incorporated passages from Jing Si Aphorisms, so we memorized a lot of them almost every year,” she shared. One phrase, in particular, left a deep impression on her: “Getting angry is actually punishing ourselves for the mistakes of others.”
“When my mom gets angry, I’ll quote this Jing Si Aphorism to her, and she will calm down quickly,” Chen noted. For mother and daughter, the aphorism has become a kind of shorthand at home. IJung Lin remembers one instance of when it came up after she had lost her temper.
“She suddenly blurted out, ‘Mom, why are you angry? Getting angry is actually punishing ourselves for the mistakes of others,’” Lin recounted. “I was completely stunned. I immediately thought adults really should control their emotions. I’m so happy my child brought what she learned at school back into our family life.”
Service in Practice
Chloe Chen began volunteering at a hospital during her senior year of high school, where she encountered a situation that stayed with her. “There was a veteran volunteer named Mengchu Li,” Chen remembered. “She was perfectly fine, but one day, she started coughing. After seeing a doctor, she was diagnosed with cancer. Within a week, she was lying in a hospital bed, and a few days later, she passed away.”
The experience deepened Chen’s understanding of what it means to be accompanied on the Tzu Chi path. “On the day she passed, I happened to be volunteering at the hospital. It was a deeply moving scene, seeing Tzu Chi volunteers rush to the hospital to recite prayers for her, with her family by her side,” she described. “I stayed there too, helping them with whatever they needed. I felt the principles I learned at Tzu Chi gave me strength and inner resilience in moments like this, allowing me to comfort her family.”
Chen began volunteering in other settings, too. IJung Lin remembers a Tzu Chi blood drive she attended with her daughter, where Chen helped donors review the registration forms and confirm their eligibility. “Watching her chat with donors, you could feel her genuine care and patience in her tone,” Lin said. Chen’s volunteer service has continued to this day, reflecting the humanistic education she received at Tzu Chi Academy.
Education at the Academy is not only about learning the Chinese language. It is also about fostering kindness and warmth.
As her daughter’s involvement in volunteering expanded, Lin’s own path of service continued alongside, even through unexpected challenges. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, Lin assumed the role of principal at Tzu Chi Academy, New York. Around the same time, she was diagnosed with a rare disease, yet she still chose to take on the responsibility.
“During my treatment, people from Tzu Chi offered me tremendous support like a family, especially emotional comfort,” she said. Master Cheng Yen’s teachings also sustained her through this arduous period. “Master gave me immense strength. Her guidance empowered me to accept this responsibility with courage and helped me understand that taking on this role is a way to repay the school for years of nurturing children.”
As she watches her daughter grow through Tzu Chi, Lin feels deeply grateful. “I never imagined she would join Tzu Ching [Tzu Chi Collegiate Association] so spontaneously, pursuing Tzu Chi from her heart. Looking back, I realized that it all stems from her years at Tzu Chi Academy. The influence is subtle yet enduring.”
A Place That Feels Like Home
Fifteen years at Tzu Chi Academy, New York, made the school feel like home to Chloe Chen. As a Chinese American who grew up in the United States, Chen said she received family-like care from teachers and volunteers there. “At the Academy, nearly everyone besides the teachers is a volunteer. They give up their weekends to help at school and look after students,” she emphasized.
As principal of Tzu Chi Academy, New York, IJung Lin added context about what sustains the school’s culture of care. She said many volunteers serve out of heartfelt commitment, without expecting anything in return. She also pointed out that the teachers aren’t motivated by pay. “Honestly, the teachers aren’t here for the money. They have a loving heart,” Lin said. “If you actually run the numbers, what teachers receive is modest because they invest so much time outside of class grading assignments, answering parents’ questions, and so on.”
One of those teachers, IFang Miao, exemplifies that spirit of commitment at Tzu Chi Academy, New York. “Teaching all these years, I truly feel that what I do isn’t just teaching the Chinese language. It’s genuinely caring for each child. Because of that, I’ve become close friends with many parents, which I find incredibly precious,” she said. “It started as a teacher-parent relationship, but because of the children, we met every Saturday at school. We would chat and share about their children’s lives, and over time it grew into a close bond.”
Even after Miao stepped down from teaching in 2025 due to health reasons, she and her family remain active volunteers. Her husband continues to serve as a class dad at the school every Saturday. “My husband joked, ‘My son has graduated, does that mean I can graduate too?’” Miao said with amusement, adding that she always encourages him to keep going.
Our children graduated, but our compassion never graduates. That’s why my husband continues to devote himself as a class dad at the school.
Where Values Take Root
Currently, more than 430 students are enrolled at Tzu Chi Academy, New York. During the registration period each year, parents even queue overnight to secure a spot for their child. As a former parent and current principal of the Academy, IJung Lin understands their dedication. “Many parents say they come here because we don’t just teach Chinese, we teach humanities.”
Like Lin’s daughter, Chloe Chen, former teacher IFang Miao’s son grew up in Tzu Chi as well. “After graduating from the Academy, my son returned as a volunteer helper. He then continued participating in Tzu Shao [Tzu Chi Youth] activities, volunteering at nursing homes… Children learn many good virtues at Tzu Chi, such as gratitude, respect, and love.”
After 24 years with Tzu Chi, Lin said, “Tzu Chi has become part of my life.” For graduates of the Academy, she hopes Tzu Chi will continue guiding their path in life. “I always tell them, ‘After graduating, wherever life takes you, whether traveling or studying or working in different cities, if you see people in the blue-sky-white-cloud uniform, you will know this is an organization you can trust.’”
For Chen, Tzu Chi Academy, New York, still holds special significance. “What makes me happiest is seeing my friends every week at the school. We have a group chat where classmates who grew up together share updates about our lives. Sometimes we arrange to meet for meals and catch up.”
Because we grew up together from childhood at Tzu Chi Academy and share the same background and common experiences, we became lifelong friends. I feel friendships like this are truly rare.
Although university studies keep Chloe Chen increasingly busy, she said that “Tzu Chi has become completely integrated into my life.” The love and compassion she learned at the Academy continue to guide her future plans. After graduating from Tzu Chi Academy at 16, she later joined the Tzu Chi Collegiate Association at 18 and chose to pursue nursing in college. Her mother, IJung Lin, sees her daughter’s path as a reflection of the values she learned through Tzu Chi. “Choosing nursing is not just about making a living in the future; it is meaningful work that puts care into action, caring for others and giving back to society.”
Some children stay involved with Tzu Chi as volunteers after graduating, while others don’t return. But I believe the values they learned at the Academy have already taken root in their hearts and will surely sprout at some point in the future.
