ian Keyuan, a fourth-year student of Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), won the Honorable Mention in the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) in 2021 as the only Chinese contestant.

JASNA, a nonprofit organization, invites hundreds of high school and college students globally to write an English article on Jane Austen's works every year. The topic for 2021 is “Jane Austen in the Arts.”

Three judges firstly score each article anonymously, the minority of which then are reviewed by each judge of the jury again. The top three winners receive scholarships provided by JASNA, award certificates, Jane Austen's collection of novels, and JASNA one-year membership.

Having been listed in the collection of excellent works, Tian’s paper “Transformed Mirrors: Portraits in Jane Austen's Novels” was published on the JASNA official website. As the only China’s student on the list of the Honorable Mention, Tian said she was fortunate to get the unexpected gift. 

“The competition is challenging because the 2021 JASNA starting in late April only reserved me one month to prepare everything,” she said, “but luckily, what I have done previously backed me a lot to stand out in May.”

Tian had read four out of six published long novels written by Jane Austen, which inspired her to choose a writing theme—portraits can helping heroines’ self-development. Moreover, “My teacher, Wang Labao, also advised me to add a foreword in the paper,” said Tian.

As one of students of SISU English Experimental Class of Humanities launched in 2019, she joined many lectures and the first session of SISU "Xin Miao" Undergraduate Academic Forum. “I felt the charm of literature and reading with rich academic resources at SISU, ” she said.

To put what she has learned into practice, Tian served as the deputy director of the SISU English writing workshop, sharing her writing experience and organizing an annual English writing competition on campus. She, on behalf of SISU, also got first place in the 5th Shanghai Intercultural Communication Contest. 

“I always believe that man who travels far knows more,” said Tian who will head for Peking University for further study of English literature in the next year. 

Learn more: JASNA: Essay Contest Winning Entries - Honorable Mention Essays