Have you ever felt like you don’t fully belong anywhere?
"Culture crossing, for starters, is about relishing the food we can't pronounce, connecting with people who don't speak our language, and seeing the world through their eyes." - Author Cheng Wang
About Cheng Wang
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Growing up and being indoctrinated by Maoism during China’s 10-year Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) in a re-education camp.
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Cheng Wang later crossed the Pacific at 27 and trained as a Western economist at the University of Cincinnati's graduate school for five years.
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However, he pivoted to a tech career for 20 years, becoming a Principal Member of Tech Staff.
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In the end, Cheng became an award-winning author and essayist by staying true to his passion.
"If Living is a journey, writing it is the ultimate adventure." Cheng Wang
"Start Your Novel Experience." -- Michelle Robinson, editor, writer, and a long-time personal friend
How do we know who we really are?
The best way is to hear what others say about you.
As a mentor for the MBA students at Notre Dame University, here is what one student wrote about me for his presentation to his class:
Good afternoon everyone,
It’s an honor to introduce someone whose life truly redefines what it means to grow, adapt, and lead.
At just 17 years old, Cheng Wang left his home during the Cultural Revolution, not for opportunity, but for forced “re-education” in rural China. From working in the fields as part of Mao’s “Educated Youth,” his journey eventually took him across the world to study economics at the University of Cincinnati. What makes this even more remarkable is that he didn’t begin learning English until his twenties.
He then went on to build a 20-year career in the tech industry, becoming a Principal Member of Technical Staff, despite not having a formal background in computer science. And just when most people would settle into stability, Cheng chose to reinvent himself once again.
He became a writer.
Today, he is the author of From Tea to Coffee: The Journey of an Educated Youth, where he reflects on his journey across cultures, careers, and identities, and explores a deeper question of how we truly come to understand who we are.
When I spoke with Cheng, what stood out most was not just what he has achieved, but how he thinks about leadership communication.
He believes leadership is not about titles or authority. It is about character. The most effective leaders are not the ones who speak the most, but the ones whose presence is understood even when they are not in the room. People act not because they are told to, but because they understand the leader’s values and expectations.
He also shared something that really stayed with me. Communication is not about listing achievements or repeating a resume. It is about telling stories. Stories about where you come from, what shaped you, and what you care about. Because that is what people remember. That is what makes you real.
Another powerful lesson from Cheng’s journey is the importance of adaptation. He moved from one culture to another, from economics to engineering, and from technology to writing. Each time, he stepped into something completely new and found a way to grow through it.
His life shows us that success is not about having a straight path or a perfect plan. It is about being willing to evolve, to learn, and to embrace change even when it feels uncomfortable.
And perhaps most importantly, he reminds us not to lose our individuality in the process. Our backgrounds, our cultures, and our unique experiences are not weaknesses. They are strengths that shape how we think, how we communicate, and how we lead.
So as you listen to Cheng today, I invite you to reflect on your own story. What experiences have shaped your character, and how are you communicating that to the people around you?
Because as his journey shows, your story is not just your past. It is one of your greatest tools for leadership.
Please join me in welcoming Cheng Wang.
Best,
Rishabh Gupta
2026 MBA Candidate
University of Notre Dame
xxx3151808 (Mobile)
Here is my boring version:
Cheng Wang was born and raised in China during the ten-year Cultural Revolution, a period when intellectual freedom was severely constrained. As a member of the 17 million Mao-era “educated youth,” he firsthand experienced the social and intellectual upheavals of that time. These early experiences shaped his lifelong curiosity about culture, history, and the forces that shape societies.
Later, moving to the United States, Wang studied economics as a Ph.D. candidate for five years but built a 20-year career in the tech industry, eventually becoming a Principal Member of the Technical Staff. Living and working in two vastly different cultures and transitioning from a technical career to humanitarian writing gave him a unique perspective on the contrasts—and unexpected connections—between Eastern and Western traditions.
Wang’s writing examines culture, traditions, and philosophy, as well as the evolving relationship between technology and society. He is the author of the memoir From Tea to Coffee: The Journey of an “Educated Youth” (2021), which details his personal transition from Maoist China to a life of endless possibilities in the United States.
Adding to that mix, Wang was chosen as an ILI Fellow at the University of Notre Dame (2022-2023), a one-year experience that further deepened his involvement in global dialogue and cross-cultural understanding. His essays have appeared in Notre Dame Magazine, the South Bend Tribune, and other outlets, where he examines themes of cultural identity, historical change, and the contrasts and commonalities between Eastern and Western traditions.
【旅美英文作家王成】以笔为桥跨越东西——开设英文专栏《中美文化交汇之旅 A Culture Crossing Journey》
(Wang's Column for the global platform for oversea Chinese reader)
“如果过生活是一场旅程，那么写生活就是一趟终极探险。”——这正是作家王成人生的真实写照。从毛泽东时代的战士和当年的“知识青年”，到二十七岁移民美国后转型为经济学家和科技高管，他的人生充满了戏剧性的转折。但他内心始终燃烧着对文学与写作的赤诚。2021年，他出版了获奖英文回忆录《From Tea to Coffee: A Journey of an “Educated Youth”》并在中，美知名杂志上发表了众多文章，记录了这一非凡的心路历程，并激励了众多读者勇敢追梦。
《中美文化交汇之旅》不仅是一个专栏，更是一位文化行者邀请您同行的探索之旅, 为我们揭开中美文化交汇处的无限风景与深刻哲理。