Molly Zhou | Her Story

Presented by the service club ForHer

An eagle since 2016, Ms. Molly Zhou has been an avid leader of the PTSA and Boosters. From the annual Relay for Life to the much-awaited PTSA Carnival, her efforts enrich the lives of students and teachers — providing food and fun at nearly every schoolwide activity.

Together with her husband Mark and her two daughters, the Zhou family’s engagement in the SAS community is truly remarkable, and their educational journey is an inspiration to see. In this interview, Ms. Zhou walks us through her multicultural upbringing, the balance between motherhood and leadership responsibilities, and how her background has led her to be who she is today.

Let’s hear her story…

Q1: Before we begin, can you speak about your educational experiences so far, whether as a student or as a mentor in the process of educating others?

A: I have to begin with my childhood. So, I was born in China, and I went to elementary school in Shanghai as a little girl. As a teenager, I had the opportunity to go to Japan with my family. I was in a public institution from middle school to high school in Japan, in a city near Tokyo. After which, I decided to move on to the United States to pursue my bachelor’s degree. I studied business and economics at the University of California Los Angeles, UCLA. After graduating, I went to work for a couple of years. Today, I am a master’s degree student abroad in happiness studies at Centenary University in New Jersey.

Q2: Your position in the SAS community is complimented by your role as a mother. From the perspectives of a woman in leadership, a mother, and a PTSA head, how did these responsibilities influence who you are today?

A: Being a mother definitely made me a better learner. I had to learn new skills to be a mom. I had to learn how to teach my children. I had to learn how to be a role model to my children. So, being a mother was definitely an opportunity for me to personally grow and learn as a woman. Being in the PTSA leadership role gave me the opportunity to work with teachers, work with other parents, and work with students. So, over the years, I had all these great opportunities to learn from each of them and learn about each of them. It gave me the ability to go deep into our community.

Q3: The PTSA and the boosters club have a quite unique role in the SAS community. For those who may not be familiar with this organization, can you explain the roles that you’ve played or are playing in it right now, and how these positions impact the functioning of the school?

A: Sure! Ever since we as a family joined SAS, my husband and I have been volunteering in the community. I joined the PTSA and last year I was the EVP (Executive Vice President) on the exec team. This year, I am heading the boosters’ club as the boosters’ chair. These roles are quite essential in the PTSA body. As a parent leader, I am involved in enriching students’ experiences in school, making their school life more fun and more interesting, and hopefully, contributing to making the teachers feel cared for and loved by the parents’ community. 

In sum, I think we play the role of synchronizing the teachers, the parents, and the student body to really cohesively make a better community.

Q4: Considering your successful leadership experiences, how would you encourage students, particularly girls, to pursue their goal and to overcome social barriers or stereotypes?

A: I think, whether as a woman in our community or somewhere else in the world, unfortunately there are still quite many social stereotypes or prejudice on women. So, being a girl, we can really become a better person through education. Education for women is extremely important. When we get educated, we get to know about ourselves; we get to know about this world; we get to know about others; and we get to have these critical thinking abilities. And then, we can make the community around ourselves more inclusive and more constructive. So, I would really encourage all the girls around the world to pursue a better education not only for themselves and their own personal development but to also enrich the people around them and to really make the world a better place.

Q5: How has education made you successful in your occupation today?

A: Without the education I have received, I would not have been me today. So, I am really thankful to my parents for giving me the education that I have today. The educational process really gave me the opportunity to learn about people, about the world, and about myself. Today, in my world, I am able to communicate with parents, teachers, and students who have different backgrounds, different thinking, and different ideas. I am able to be flexible and be able to connect better with each of them. I think that’s thanks to the education I have received.

Q6: When explaining your upbringing, you’ve mentioned the privilege of studying abroad in numerous countries. How has such a diverse cultural experience shaped your identity?

A: Being born in China, I learned Mandarin, and I understood the Chinese culture. Studying in Japan gave me the opportunity to learn Japanese and Japanese culture. Then, being in the US, I was fortunate enough to learn about the American culture and receive an American education. So those things combined make me who I am. That [experience is] very, very unique to me. It mostly helps me to be able to connect better with other people. In our international community, we have people from all over the world and people with different experiences and different backgrounds. I feel that I am able to better connect with each of them with the education that I have received in my own life.

Q7: Finally, to wrap up today’s interview, what role do you believe education plays in empowering girls and women, and why is it important to promote gender equality in education?

A: Needless to say, higher quality education is essential for boys and girls. However, in today’s world, we still have social prejudice and stereotypes on women. So, having a better education for a girl means that the girl is able to understand her own values better. This girl is then less likely to be influenced by those social stereotypes so that they can understand their own ambitions and embrace their own dreams. Besides, a girl with a higher education is more likely to become a leader in her community or in society which means she will be able to be an influencer to influence those around her and a role model to others. Therefore, I definitely believe that a better education should be promoted for girls.

Ms. Zhou’s enthusiasm is evident in not only her achievements, but a constant dedication to bringing out the best in her community. Walking around the SAS hallways, one can see her dropping off her daughters on a sunny morning, preparing mugs of hot chocolate for a wintry day, or simply sitting around campus with an infectious smile on her face!

Today, Ms. Zhou and her family continue to navigate the SAS community, going above and beyond to support the PTSA organization and its mission. Her vibrant education and skilled leadership mark her as not only a crucial presence in SAS Pudong, but a strong female figure students alike can look up to.

**“Her Story” is a PD Press collaboration series with the service club EducationForHer. We strive to highlight outstanding female members of our community, uncover their story, and address the greater issue of female empowerment in our community and beyond. More articles to come in the future!

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