2015

STUDENT AMBASSADOR
COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT
Strategies for Effective Outreach

TABLE OF CONTENTS

100K Strong Messaging Guide

100K Strong Background
Pitching the Mission
Student Ambassador Role
Noteworthy Quotes

5
6
7
8

Writing an Op-Ed Piece

How to Write an Op-ed Piece 10

Getting it Published
10
Sample Op-Ed Pieces
11
Planning an Event

Coming in April

Utilizing Social Media

Coming in May

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

DEAR STUDENT AMBASSADORS
As you work to promote the benefits and importance of learning
Mandarin and studying in China, please use this Student Ambassador
Toolkit. I encourage you to incorporate the following messages into
your conversations, presentations, speeches, written commentary,
social media posts and other communications methods described in this
package
These messages are broken into categories from describing the
Foundations mission and its success to date, to why becoming China
literate is a valuable pursuit personally and professionally to who
should get engaged and how. They are designed to help you make a
compelling case that encourages:
1) American students to learn Mandarin and study in China
2) Policymakers and other stakeholders to support students in doing so
Messages should be personalized, of course, and told in your own voice.
After all, you are the expert here and have been chosen to promote the
Foundation by sharing your own compelling story and unique
perspective. We are so delighted to have you as part of the 100K Strong
team and thank you for representing the organization through your own
outreach.
Warm regards,

Carola McGiffert
President, 100,000 Strong Foundation

100K STRONG
MESSAGING
GUIDE
This messaging guide provides
tools to effectively describe your
role as a Student Ambassador and
confidently communicate the
purpose and direction of the
100,000 Strong Foundation.

100K STRONG....WHAT'S THAT?

WHAT IS THE 100,000 STRONG FOUNDATION?
The 100,000 Strong Foundation is a bi-partisan non-profit organization whose mission
is to strengthen U.S.-China relations through Mandarin language learning and study
abroad in China. Launched in 2013, the Foundation is an offshoot of an official US-China
initiative and has been endorsed by Republican and Democratic Members of Congress.

HOW DOES THE FOUNDATION APPROACH ITS MISSION?

LEVERAGE high-level support from the government, business, academic, and
philanthropic communities in both countries to deepen bilateral ties. We are recognized as
an organization of excellence and enjoy the strong support of U.S. and Chinese public and
private sector partners.
EDUCATE the American public about the strategic importance of the U.S.-China
relationship. We work with 20 Signature Partners to leverage the 100K Strong brand to
help them expand their programs. And, on the grassroots level, we recruit and deploy
hundreds of Student Ambassadors to share stories about their China experience.
DRIVE a national grassroots movement to generate greater demand for study abroad in
China among a diverse group of studentsour future workforce. We also partner with
states to develop tailored strategies to increase Mandarin language learning and study
abroad opportunities for local students.
FUND opportunities for American students to study in China and collaborate with Chinese
counterparts on joint projects. We provide aid to students with financial need through our
100K Strong Fellows program.

HAS THE FOUNDATION ACHIEVED ITS GOAL?

Yes! More than 100,000 students have studied in China since 2010, surpassing the goal set
by the US & Chinese Presidents. This is just the beginning, though. The Foundation is
leading change at the national, state and local levelacross private and public sectorsto
to expand and diversify the number of Americans studying in China to ensure the next
generation of Americans is equipped to engage effectively with China .

WHY IS THE 100K STRONG

MISSION IMPORTANT?
100K Strong Student Ambassadors should be prepared to explain the importance of the
Foundation's mission from multiple perspectives. Tailor your pitch based on the following
talking points when addressing different audiences.

The PERSONAL Perspective:

Today, countries and economies across the globe have become increasingly interconnected, making
studying abroad and learning a foreign language more valuable than ever. Seizing the opportunity when
you're young nurtures global citizenship and intercultural development.
Learning Mandarin empowers you to communicate with over 20% of the world's population.
Additionally, exposing yourself to a different culture deepens your understanding of another country and
can provide you with a new perspective on the United States. The Institute of International Education's
(IIE) 2002 study abroad study found that more than 97 percent of respondents felt that their study
abroad experience enabled them to learn something new about themselves and served as a catalyst for
increased maturity.

The PROFESSIONAL Perspective:

China is a global economic engine critical to the American economy and job creation. In addition to being
the world's second largest economy, China is our fastest growing trade partner. Becoming China-literate
is an incredibly valuable pursuit, whatever your interests: finance, the arts, communications, journalism,
science, trade, technology, international affairs, etc.
IES Abroad, one of the oldest and most developed study abroad networks, conducted an alumni survey in
2012. 84% of their alumni said that the experience helped them build valuable job skills, such as language
proficiency, cultural training, tolerance for ambiguity, adaptability, and communication. Study abroad
students were twice as likely to find a job within the first 12 months of college graduation and earned
25% more than their peers that did not study abroad. This international expertise will enable students to
thrive in today's global workplace.

The GEO-POLITICAL Perspective

International education exchange is one of the most powerful public diplomacy tools. Becoming Chinaliterate helps bridge the gap between our two cultures, strengthen bilateral ties and enhance global
stability.
Having our cultures interact at all levels not just at the highest levels of business and government is
core to cultivating and maintaining this relationship. Virtually every future global challengewhether it
is climate change, economic and political instability, or global security will require China and the U.S. to
work together.

WHO ARE THE 100K STRONG

STUDENT AMBASSADORS?
WHAT IS A STUDENT
AMBASSADOR?

WHAT DO STUDENT
AMBASSADORS DO?

Student Ambassadors are selected by the 100,000

Strong Foundation. They are currently or have
recently studied Mandarin or have studied in
China. They embody the 100K Strong mission and
have a profound appreciation for Chinese culture,
come from a variety of backgrounds across the
country, and have demonstrated a commitment to
promoting exchange between the US and China.

Student Ambassadors support the 100K Strong

mission to expand and diversify the number of
Americans studying in China and learning Mandarin.
They encourage their peers to follow in their
footsteps. They act as a bridge between the
Foundation's grassroots movement and key
stakeholders, such as elected officials, media,
business and academic leaders.

STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROJECTS

Student Ambassadors complete projects that further the Foundation's mission.

Benjamin Guggenheim created a video to promote collaboration between the U.S. and China on
climate change.
University of Iowa students started a 100K Strong twitter account.
Cole Pergament launched his very own blog called The Daily China.
Pauline Lai Heng wrote a reflection for One World Now! on her experience meeting U.S. Ambassador
to China Max Baucus.
Anya Dunaif published an article in KidSpirit magazine about architecture in Suzhou
Travonya Kelly organized a China scholarship information session for college students.

PERSONALIZE YOUR PITCH

Why did you start studying Mandarin? What

sparked your interest in China?

How have you changed as a person as a result of

studying Mandarin or studying in China?

How do you plan to use your China experience?

How did you hear about the 100,000

Strong Foundation?
Why are you personally invested in the
100K Strong mission?
Why do you think other people should
invest in the 100K Strong mission?

NOTABLE QUOTABLES

Check out what our two nation's leaders are saying about the 100,000 Strong Foundation.
Integrate these quotes into your pitches to increase your effectiveness and build legitimacy.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

The United States will dramatically expand the number of our students who study in China to
100,000these exchanges mark a clear commitment to build ties among our people, as they surely will
help determine the destiny of the 21st century.

CHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING

The 100,000 Strong Initiative made tremendous contributions to promoting exchange between our
countries especially among the young people. This is a key force in solidifying and furthering our
bilateral relations.

CHINESE VICE PREMIER LIU YANDONG

The establishment of the 100,000 Strong Foundation has provided not only a new pathway but also
fresh drive for deepening people-to-people exchanges. I would like to express my admiration for the
visionary and creative people driving this initiative.

IOWA GOVERNOR TERRY BRANSTAD

"We must proactively work to nurture the capacity of young Americans to build future US-China
relationships. That is why I am encouraged by the efforts of organizations--like the 100,000 Strong
Foundation--that are working to strengthen US-China relations by increasing the number, and diversity,
of American students learning Mandarin and studying in China."

SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY

We have to continue to deepen our people-to-people tiesI hope youre all aware of President
Obamas 100,000 Strong Initiative, (through which) we are actively investing in ways to expand study
abroad opportunities for American students in China, because we recognize that nothing brings about a
common understanding more than effectively getting the chance to live in another country, see the
world through another lens, and forge friendships that can last for decades.

FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON

We are working to build greater understanding and trust between our citizens and to foster stronger
ties between our students, our businesses, and our communitiesthat includes the 100,000 Strong
program.

FORMER US AMBASSADOR TO CHINA JON HUNTSMAN

The 100,000 Strong Foundation is the most important vehicle for ensuring a long-term, stable US-China
relationship that exists today.

GUIDE TO WRITING
AN OP-ED

Writing an op-ed is a powerful way to

draw attention to the urgent need for
Mandarin language learning and study
abroad in China. This guide contains tips
on how to write a compelling op-ed and
and how to actually get it published.

WRITING A STRONG OP-ED

1. MAKE ONE (YES, ONE) SPECIFIC POINT AND MAKE IT FAST!
Identify one specific, personal point you want your readers to walk away with. You have a small window of
time to invest your reader before they move on to the next article, so open strong in the first paragraph.
2. IDENTIFY YOUR AUDIENCE AND END WITH A CALL TO ACTION
Who do you want to reach with the piece (college students, business professionals, etc.)? What do you want
them to do after reading it (donate, participate, etc.)? Identify that audience and write to them. Clearly state
how they can help.
3. CHOOSE A STRATEGIC TIME
Be aware of timing. For example, writing an op-ed piece about study abroad to China might be particularly
useful during the university study abroad application period. This is when students are looking for
guidance. Or perhaps, it could be preceding/following a China-related policy announcement or event.
4. SOLICIT FEEDBACK
Feedback is SO IMPORTANT. It is a foolproof way to improve your writing. Within reason, the more eyes on
your work the better. Err on the side of over-editing.
5. LIMIT THE WORD COUNT
Writing a wordy article is the easy way out and the surest way NOT to get published. It's challenging to part
ways with our own writing, but effectively communicating a message requires cutting the fat. Most
publishers' limit op-ed pieces to 600-800 words.

GETTING IT PUBLISHED
1

Choose your outlet.

Tailor your piece to
your chosen
publisher's
requirements. Each
publisher has
different word limit
and submission
requirements.

Identify who
is in charge.
If the information
for how to submit
your op-ed are not
not on the website,
call the office
number and ask for
an e-mail address.

Submit your
op-ed piece.
To draw more
attention to your
piece, attach it AND
paste it in the body of
the e-mail. Include
your phone number
and address.

Call to follow up.

This is a very
important step! Call
your point of contact
and pitch your idea.
Explain why your
stance is important for
that specific publisher
to print.

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SAMPLE OP-ED

The Coming Climate Crash:

Lessons for Climate Change in the 2008 Recession
By: Henry R, Paulson Jr., Chairman of the Paulson Institute
and Former Secretary of the Treasury
Posted: 06/21/2014

THERE is a time for weighing evidence and a time for acting. And if theres one thing Ive learned
throughout my work in finance, government and conservation, it is to act before problems become too big
to manage.
For too many years, we failed to rein in the excesses building up in the nations financial markets. When
the credit bubble burst in 2008, the damage was devastating. Millions suffered. Many still do.
Were making the same mistake today with climate change. Were staring down a climate bubble that
poses enormous risks to both our environment and economy. The warning signs are clear and growing
more urgent as the risks go unchecked.
This is a crisis we cant afford to ignore. I feel as if Im watching as we fly in slow motion on a collision
course toward a giant mountain. We can see the crash coming, and yet were sitting on our hands rather
than altering course.
We need to act now, even though there is much disagreement, including from members of my own
Republican Party, on how to address this issue while remaining economically competitive. Theyre right
to consider the economic implications. But we must not lose sight of the profound economic risks of doing
nothing.
The solution can be a fundamentally conservative one that will empower the marketplace to find the most
efficient response. We can do this by putting a price on emissions of carbon dioxide a carbon tax. Few
in the United States now pay to emit this potent greenhouse gas into the atmosphere we all share. Putting
a price on emissions will create incentives to develop new, cleaner energy technologies.
Its true that the United States cant solve this problem alone. But were not going to be able to persuade
other big carbon polluters to take the urgent action thats needed if were not doing everything we can do
to slow our carbon emissions and mitigate our risks.
I was secretary of the Treasury when the credit bubble burst, so I think its fair to say that I know a little
bit about risk, assessing outcomes and problem- solving. Looking back at the dark days of the financial
crisis in 2008, it is easy to see the similarities between the financial crisis and the climate challenge we
now face.
(Continued on next page)

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SAMPLE OP-ED
We are building up excesses (debt in 2008, greenhouse gas emissions that are trapping heat now). Our
government policies are flawed (incentivizing us to borrow too much to finance homes then, and
encouraging the overuse of carbon-based fuels now). Our experts (financial experts then, climate
scientists now) try to understand what they see and to model possible futures. And the outsize risks have
the potential to be tremendously damaging (to a globalized economy then, and the global climate now).
Back then, we narrowly avoided an economic catastrophe at the last minute by rescuing a collapsing
financial system through government action. But climate change is a more intractable problem. The
carbon dioxide were sending into the atmosphere remains there for centuries, heating up the planet.
That means the decisions were making today to continue along a path thats almost entirely carbondependent are locking us in for long-term consequences that we will not be able to change but only
adapt to, at enormous cost. To protect New York City from rising seas and storm surges is expected to
cost at least $20 billion initially, and eventually far more. And thats just one coastal city.
New York can reasonably predict those obvious risks. When I worry about risks, I worry about the biggest
ones, particularly those that are difficult to predict the ones I call small but deep holes. While odds are
you will avoid
them, if you do fall in one, its a long way down and nearly impossible to claw your way out. Scientists
have identified a number of these holes potential thresholds that, once crossed, could cause sweeping,
irreversible changes. They dont know exactly when we would reach them. But they know we should do
everything we can to avoid them.
Already, observations are catching up with years of scientific models, and the trends are not in our favor.
Fewer than 10 years ago, the best analysis projected that melting Arctic sea ice would mean nearly icefree summers by the end of the 21st century. Now the ice is melting so rapidly that virtually ice-free
Arctic summers could be here in the next decade or two. The lack of reflective ice will mean that more of
the suns heat will be absorbed by the oceans, accelerating warming of both the oceans and the
atmosphere, and ultimately raising sea levels.
Even worse, in May, two separate studies discovered that one of the biggest thresholds has already been
reached. The West Antarctic ice sheet has begun to melt, a process that scientists estimate may take
centuries but that could eventually raise sea levels by as much as 14 feet. Now that this process has
begun, there is nothing we can do to undo the underlying dynamics, which scientists say are baked in.
And 10 years from now, will other thresholds be crossed that scientists are only now contemplating?
It is true that there is uncertainty about the timing and magnitude of these risks and many others. But
those who claim the science is unsettled or action is too costly are simply trying to ignore the problem.
We must see the bigger picture.
The nature of a crisis is its unpredictability. And as we all witnessed during the financial crisis, a chain
reaction of cascading failures ensued from one intertwined part of the system to the next. Its easy to see a
single part in motion. Its not so easy to calculate the resulting domino effect. That sort of contagion
nearly took down the global financial system.

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SAMPLE OP-ED
With that experience indelibly affecting my perspective, viewing climate change in terms of risk
assessment and risk management makes clear to me that taking a cautiously conservative stance that
is, waiting for more information before acting is actually taking a very radical risk. Well never know
enough to resolve all of the uncertainties. But we know enough to recognize that we must act now.
Im a businessman, not a climatologist. But Ive spent a considerable amount of time with climate
scientists and economists who have devoted their careers to this issue. There is virtually no debate
among them that the planet is warming and that the burning of fossil fuels is largely responsible.
Farseeing business leaders are already involved in this issue. Its time for more to weigh in. To add
reliable financial data to the science, Ive joined with the former mayor of New York City, Michael R.
Bloomberg, and the retired hedge fund manager Tom Steyer on an economic analysis of the costs of
inaction across key regions and economic sectors. Our goal for the Risky Business project starting with
a new study that will be released this week is to influence business and investor decision making
worldwide.
We need to craft national policy that uses market forces to provide incentives for the technological
advances required to address climate change. As Ive said, we can do this by placing a tax on carbon
dioxide emissions. Many respected economists, of all ideological persuasions, support this approach. We
can debate the appropriate pricing and policy design and how to use the money generated. But a price on
carbon would change the behavior of both individuals and businesses. At the same time, all fossil fuel
and renewable energy subsidies should be phased out. Renewable energy can outcompete dirty fuels
once pollution costs are accounted for.
Some members of my political party worry that pricing carbon is a big government intervention. In fact,
it will reduce the role of government, which, on our present course, increasingly will be called on to help
communities and regions affected by climate-related disasters like floods, drought-related crop failures
and extreme weather like tornadoes, hurricanes and other violent storms. Well all be paying those costs.
Not once, but many times over.
This is already happening, with taxpayer dollars rebuilding homes damaged by Hurricane Sandy and the
deadly Oklahoma tornadoes. This is a proper role of government. But our failure to act on the underlying
problem is deeply misguided, financially and logically.
In a future with more severe storms, deeper droughts, longer fire seasons and rising seas that imperil
coastal cities, public funding to pay for adaptations and disaster relief will add significantly to our fiscal
deficit and threaten our long-term economic security. So it is perverse that those who want limited
government and rail against bailouts would put the economy at risk by ignoring climate change.
This is short-termism. There is a tendency, particularly in government and politics, to avoid focusing on
difficult problems until they balloon into crisis. We would be fools to wait for that to happen to our
climate.
When you run a company, you want to hand it off in better shape than you found it. In the same way, just
as we shouldnt leave our children or grandchildren with mountains of national debt and unsustainable
entitlement programs, we shouldnt leave them with the economic and environmental costs of climate
change.

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SAMPLE OP-ED
Republicans must not shrink from this issue. Risk management is a conservative principle, as is
preserving our natural environment for future generations. We are, after all, the party of Teddy
Roosevelt.
THIS problem cant be solved without strong leadership from the developing world. The key is
cooperation between the United States and China the two biggest economies, the two biggest emitters
of carbon dioxide and the two biggest consumers of energy.
When it comes to developing new technologies, no country can innovate like America. And no country can
test new technologies and roll them out at scale quicker than China.
The two nations must come together on climate. The Paulson Institute at the University of Chicago, a
think-and-do tank I founded to help strengthen the economic and environmental relationship between
these two countries, is focused on bridging this gap.
We already have a head start on the technologies we need. The costs of the policies necessary to make the
transition to an economy powered by clean energy are real, but modest relative to the risks.
A tax on carbon emissions will unleash a wave of innovation to develop technologies, lower the costs of
clean energy and create jobs as we and other nations develop new energy products and infrastructure.
This would strengthen national security by reducing the worlds dependence on governments like Russia
and Iran.
Climate change is the challenge of our time. Each of us must recognize that the risks are personal. Weve
seen and felt the costs of underestimating the financial bubble. Lets not ignore the climate bubble.

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SAMPLE OP-ED
Building a Diverse Workforce:
Minorities Studying in China
By: Carola McGiffert, President of the 100,000 Strong Foundation
Posted: 09/16/2014

As president of the 100,000 Strong Foundation, my job is to increase the number of Americans who
study Mandarin and study abroad in China. Why? Because the US-China relationship is the most
consequential in the world. The state of global security -- whether in terms of climate change or global
economic stability; nuclear weapons or public health -- depends on how well the US and China
collaborate. We must do everything we can to get it right.
Getting this critical relationship right means investing in our next generation of leaders and workers to
ensure that they are China-savvy, that they have a meaningful understanding of China and are prepared
to compete and collaborate with Chinese counterparts. And we need ALL our young people involved.
According to the Institute for International Education (IIE), the typical American study abroad student is
female, Caucasian, enrolled in a four-year college or university, and from the upper socio-economic
class. We encourage those students to go to China in greater and greater numbers. Full disclosure: I fit
that profile when I studied in China many years ago.
But with a population that is approximately 40 percent non-white and with 45 percent of our
undergraduates enrolled in two-year community colleges -- almost half our future workforce! -- clearly
this paradigm must shift. In fact, the Pew Foundation predicts that non-white Americans will become
the majority by 2050, if not earlier.
Minority students typically do not have the opportunity to study a language much less study abroad.
They face financial barriers, to be sure, but also cultural ones. For a young person who has never left his
or her zip code, much less flown on a plane, going overseas is a daunting consideration. Going to China is
beyond consideration.
This puts US government and business at a disadvantage. The US Foreign Service, our diplomatic core,
struggles to recruit minorities in part because so few study international affairs in college. Today,
African Americans and Latinos comprise only five percent each of the Foreign Service (compared to 13
percent and 17 percent of the US population, respectively).
American companies genuinely committed to diversifying their workforce find it difficult to identify
minorities with the language skills to manage their growing international operations. In 2013, only six
Fortune 500 CEOs were black, eight Latino and eight Asian, accounting for just 1.6 percent each.
Every profession is affected. From boardrooms to editorial boards, from the Ivory Tower of academia to
the campaign trail, the dearth of minorities in leadership positions across the United States is glaring.
(Continued on next page)

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SAMPLE OP-ED
When minority students do study abroad, it is typically to regions where they have a cultural affinity.
Latino students study in Latin America or Spain, according to the Hispanic Association of Colleges and
Universities. The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) reports that African-American students are
typically drawn to Africa or countries with significant black populations, like Brazil. These experiences
are invaluable, to be sure. But with China now the second largest economy in the world (soon to overtake
the US as the largest) and our fastest growing trade partner, understanding China may soon become a
requirement for students entering the workforce.
Diversifying study abroad to China is a major priority for the 100,000 Strong Foundation. That is why we
are proud to include organizations like Thurgood Marshall the Hispanic Association of Colleges and
Universities (HACU) and Community Colleges for International Development (CCID) among our strategic
partners.
I had the pleasure of traveling with Johnny Taylor and Dr. Joyce Payne, president and founder of TMCF,
respectively, to China last week. Our goal was to start to develop ties between the 47 public Historically
Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) represented by TMCF so that more African Americans,
particularly those from underserved communities, can come to China to learn Mandarin and better
understand Chinese culture. The response from our Chinese friends and partners was overwhelmingly
positive, and TMCF hopes to have its first contingent of students in China on full scholarships in the
summer of 2015.
This is not about charity to low-income minority students. This is not even philanthropy. It is, in the new
vocabulary, impact investing. It is an investment in America's future. As a nation, we cannot afford having
only a small slice of the population understand China. We must make a strategic investment in our young
people if we are going to get the US-China relationship right both now and in the future.

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