Brief Biography:

‍Kenneth was born in Hong Kong, and his childhood years were spent in the former British colony. He was sent to boarding school in the UK before completing his B.A. and M.A. in East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Pennsylvania. Other highlights included singing a cappella and studying abroad in Kyoto, Japan. During college, he would also become a Christian––a formative moment in his life––and shortly after graduating, Kenneth spent close to two years as a full-time missionary in Nagoya, Japan, after which he moved to Shanghai, where he now resides. Kenneth’s career has taken many twists and turns - from missions to hospitality, to real estate, and to education. He is married to his lovely wife, Blessing, and they have three children: Josephine, Elizabeth, and Nathanael. Kenneth enjoys music, cooking, reading, and the great outdoors.

 

Post-Graduation Plans:

‍I would ask your prayers for my future, as well as for China and the future of education there. If I am able to even playa small part in bringing more love for the good, true, and beautiful things through education, then the time spent here in the MCEL program will have played its part. I am grateful for the chance to learn, to grow, and hopefully to put what I have gleaned to good use after leaving the college.

 

What brought you to Hillsdale?‍

It’s somewhat of a providential story, but I heard about Hillsdale through an alumnus living in Shanghai and owe my initiation into classical education to him. In 2020, I applied to the Van Andel School of Statesmanship, and though graciously accepted, was prevented from coming due to the COVID-19 pandemic and extenuating circumstances. I continued however, familiarizing myself with Hillsdale through their free online courses. Naturally, one of my favorites was Dr. Coupland’s Classical Children’s Literature course. After COVID, our family decided to stay in China, and I meanwhile pursued a U.S. state’s license in education, in order to be able to teach locally. I had heard it mentioned that the college was preparing to launch a hybrid version of its MACE program in the fall of 2025; suffice to say, it caught my attention. I’m honored and grateful for the opportunity to learn and attend the college from Shanghai while teaching online at a Christian Classical school. I am also a substitute teacher at an international school in the city.

 

What has been your greatest academic challenge thus far?‍

The Liberal Arts, Pedagogy, Humane Letters, and thePhilosophy of Education to name just a few are all deep topics with steep learning curves; I feel as though I’m playing a lot of catch up! Distance learning from where I am also poses its unique challenges. I am grateful, however, to have been surrounded by gracious, open, and warm classmates, instructors, and other Hillsdale staff like librarians, IT support, and program coordinators.

 

What is distinctive about Hillsdale’s Graduate School of Classical Education?‍

The fact that people here are “serious.” They’re serious in Aristotle’s sense of the word: they’re serious about getting it right; they’re serious about being good; they’re serious about learning; serious about impacting the lives of others; serious about God. There’s no flippancy about it. That can be intimidating, by the way, because it challenges me to reflect and to be more serious, but I would be hard-pressed to find another group of graduate students who would pursue truth and the highest good more seriously.

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