Devon Ling-Efird graduated from the University of Washington in June 2025 with a triple major in International Studies, Political Science, and Asian Languages & Cultures. He studied abroad multiple times in Taiwan by participating in language programs such as the National Taiwan University’s International Chinese Language Program and the Chinese Language Flagship. In addition to his academic and professional focus, he has a cultural connection to Taiwan as his mother was born in Taipei and many of his relatives still reside there.
Could you begin by sharing more about your internship at the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation? What were some of the projects you contributed to?
At TAEF, one of my main assignments was to help write a daily news brief that aggregated Chinese-language news articles on current events concerning cultural exchange and international relationships, and was subsequently sent out to Taiwanese governmental institutions, partner organizations, and scholars. I helped with translation duties, wrote English-language news briefs as well, and contributed to TAEF’s October 2024 issue of their biannual journal. However, my most valuable experiences at TAEF were the events I helped facilitate, such as a workshop for TAEF’s 2024 Asian Artists Exchange Program and representing TAEF during the “Taiwan Can Help” exhibition at the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. After the conclusion of my internship I continued to stay involved, and later participated in TAEF’s 2025 Yushan Forum. The forum is an annual event where Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and TAEF collaborate to provide a platform for regional dialogue and is an opportunity to showcase international cooperation.
What were the most meaningful lessons and skills you gained from your time at the foundation, and how have they influenced your academic or professional growth?
My internship at TAEF was part of a broader language program called the Chinese Language Flagship program, and as a final capstone experience, program participants had the opportunity to travel to Taiwan for a year and engage in a variety of experiences in order to perfect our language skills. As such, my internship at TAEF was crucial to establishing my Chinese language fluency, especially in terms of speaking, reading, and researching. My internship at TAEF also contributed significantly to my overall knowledge of the Asian political landscape. My involvement with TAEF let me see first-hand the political, organizational, and cultural relationships between Taiwan and other ASEAN countries, specifically those involved in Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy+. My undergraduate studies have always revolved around topics related to the international politics of East Asia, and the events I participated in at TAEF and the research I conducted with them enhanced my interaction with subsequent coursework of relevant classes, as well as gave me valuable personal experiences to write about and draw from in my research and essays.
In what ways has Professor James Lin’s JSIS 498 course on capitalism in Taiwan and Asia shaped your understanding of Taiwan’s socio-economic identity?
Professor Lin’s class built upon my preexisting knowledge of Taiwan in a nuanced and engaging way, notably by connecting various economic, social, and political themes in Asia to broader, more global concepts and ideologies such as capitalism, neocolonialism, and imperialism. The readings and discussions in this class provided a wide range of compelling anecdotes and original opinions that opened my eyes to a multitude of different explanations for Taiwan’s current socio-economic structures and political institutions. Some of the concepts I found particularly enjoyable and beneficial to analyze included the argument for de-imperializing Asian social and cultural thought presented in readings from Asia as Method by Kuan-Hsing Chen, which prompted me to rethink how I view the research and literature on Taiwan I frequently engage with. Professor Lin’s class expanded my understanding of Taiwan’s socio-economic identity by highlighting historical and ideological linkages in ways I hadn’t previously considered or researched in such depth.
What are your long-term career goals, and how have your experiences with the UW Taiwan Studies Program and your internship helped you work toward these aspirations?
When engaging myself in opportunities such as my internship at TAEF, my goal is that these experiences will be valuable anecdotes for my applications to graduate or doctoral studies, and the additional insight into the Asian region’s international affairs would be relevant and useful in a future career in the field of either East Asian policy analysis or contemporary cultural studies. In this regard, my internship and resulting relationship with TAEF met and surpassed this goal, as this experience also strengthened my personal network, a connection that I see as valuable not just because of TAEF’s great influence in Taiwan and its relevance to my studies, but also because I like the researchers, supervisors, and other interns who work there. The courses I’ve taken in the Taiwan Studies Program have also contributed substantially to my career aspirations. The knowledge and insights I have gained from my instructors and peers are invaluable, and have enhanced my research and writings as well as served as motivation to continue my studies within this field. In addition to the insightful and beneficial experience I had in Professor Lin’s course on capitalism in Taiwan and Asia, Ellen Chang’s class “Made in Taiwan” on Taiwanese cinema, media, and culture was influential earlier on in my academic journey in developing my later focus on Taiwan and East Asian politics and culture.