BY KARI FOSSUM ’20
For sophomore Ching-Ching Huang ‘20, tennis has been instrumental in easing the transition to the United States. Huang began playing tennis at age 12, and it quickly became one of the most important parts of her life.
“I always enjoyed tennis because it gave me a healthy balance between focusing on school and being able to exercise and take my mind off work,” she said. “Playing tennis has taught me time management and how to negotiate all the different activities in my life.”
Originally from Taiwan, Huang always planned on going abroad for college. She also knew that she wanted to continue her sport. To achieve these goals, she came to the United States to play in several showcases during the college application process. At one of these showcases, she was introduced to her current coach at Mount Holyoke, Aldo Santiago.
“Ching Ching’s hard work and on-court competitive persona make her one of our best players. She understands the concept of hard work and is willing to put the extra time and effort to give herself and our team the best chance to succeed,” said Santiago.
Tennis was one of the only familiar experiences awaiting Huang at Mount Holyoke. “Through my teammates, I was able to have a solid group of people I could go to and it made the transition to a new country much easier for me,” said Huang.
Outside of her time on the tennis court, Huang is pursing a major in computer science. Originally intending to study economics, she switched her focus to computer science after dabbling in the field during her first semester at Mount Holyoke. As a Giga Education Mentor (GEM), Huang serves as a peer mentor for students taking introductory computer science. Huang is also considering a psychology double major; Huang says having the support of her team helps her manage her busy schedule.