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ALIEEP Strengthens Awareness at AUM’s Service Learning Expo
Three ALIEEP staff members standing behind an information table with Chinese language learning materials and program brochures at a community outreach event.
On October 23, 2025, ALIEEP participated in the AUM Service Learning Expo at Goodwyn Hall, connecting directly with nonprofit organizations and fostering community engagement. This event promoted positive social and economic impact, aligning with ALIEEP’s values and beliefs.
 
Our Bridge Builder and trainees engaged students, faculty, and staff in insightful conversations about our programs and mission. The majority of the students in attendance were freshman students pursuing majors in exercise, kinesiology, or social work.
 
Our team provided students with various involvement options, including volunteerism, internships, and work-study. Also, they offer a customizable internship experience to help overcome hesitation about the career field or limited experience.
 
Several professors attended the event to learn about the participating organizations. Nikki Smith, PR Specialist at ALIEEP, conversed with four professors interested in informing their classes about volunteer opportunities. One communications professor stated, “I appreciate you guys putting the ‘A’ back into S.T.E.A.M. The arts are where the innovation and creativity come from, which many companies are desiring in terms of critical thinking and interpersonal skills.”
 
Another professor informed Nikki about AUM’s new teaching program, which allows students to minor in education and receive an Alabama teaching certificate upon graduation. Each professor promised to discuss ALIEEP’s involvement opportunities with their classes and send students to us.
Beyond language structure, the game highlighted the achievement of engaging with a new language. Our main goal was to show that language is a pathway to connection. Learning new languages can be challenging. However, taking a small step to explore leads to unexpected gains and new cultural understandings.” Pan Yiling, ALIEEP Trainee
To further enrich our presence at the event, our trainees, Yiling and Miffy, developed a matching game to teach interested volunteers Chinese. The game showed the evolution of Chinese characters from pictographs to written language.
 
Each participant was tasked with matching the animal image, pictograph, and character into a correct pair. The game was challenging for the participants, sparking genuine laughter. Many did not know they were learning, but by engaging in gameplay, they gained a deeper appreciation and understanding of the origins and structure of Chinese characters.
 
Miffy provided assistance to those struggling with matching the Chinese characters to the pictographs. The team expressed that “everyone is a winner.” If a student got one or all six matches correctly, a prize was given. Many students stopped by the table to participate in the game and learn more. The prizes were: a tote bag, a reusable bottle, a wrist USB, and a lapel pin.
 
To eliminate confusion, Joyce would show students the evolution of Chinese characters on her phone. The game deliberately skipped a step in the evolution process to increase its difficulty.
Flashcards showing animals with corresponding Chinese characters, used for Chinese language learning.
The matching game is a form of cultural exchange that underscores the importance of written language and cultural exposure.
 
Participants developed the ability to associate certain strokes with details in the pictograph and animals.
 
ALIEEP poses this question: “Would you have guessed the three sets displayed correctly?”

Our Mandarin animal-matching game caught the attention of AUM students and sparked their curiosity about Mandarin! Through this fun activity, we introduced ALIEEP’s mission to provide multilingual and multicultural education, and clearly explained that we offer customized international volunteer and internship opportunities open to students from any background.” Tsai Miffy, ALIEEP Trainee

After observing the missing step, many students understood the jump from animal image to character. Many laughed and said, “Oh, you guys left this option out!”
 
Our team was surprised at the strong interest in learning the Chinese language amongst the attendees. Currently, ALIEEP mainly offers Korean as a Second Language (KSL) classes for community members. The potential of adding more languages is intriguing.
 

During my university years, I joined multiple volunteer and internship programs with nonprofits, gaining significant experience.

Promoting ALIEEP’s mission to AUM students, representing the organization, and encouraging involvement has been a unique and rewarding experience.

Furthermore, I was happy to see these young people learn more about Chinese through fun games. Many of them asked whether ALIEEP offers language courses, which shows that local youth are eager for multicultural learning opportunities.”

 Zhang Joyce, ALIEEP Trainee

Overall, our team made valuable connections with students and faculty, and we look forward to receiving emails and inquiries. We thank the Experiential Education and Engagement Center (EEEC) for the invitation and the opportunity to engage the AUM community.

Author

Nikki Smith, PR Specialist | LinkedIn
Nikki Smith is an innovative marketing professional passionate about articulating compelling brand stories that promote connection and community through inspirational rhetoric. Currently, the PR Specialist at the Alabama International Education and Economic Partnership, she leads the internal communication initiatives, develops marketing strategies, and creates multi-platform content. Nikki’s experience spans insurance, publishing, retail, and technology, bringing a versatile perspective to every project.
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