On the afternoon of April 27, Duke Kunshan University (DKU) Library, in collaboration with the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, hosted a momentous session of the Library Author Talk Series / Distinguished Speaker Series (DSS), welcoming back a pivotal figure in the university’s history: Dr. Mary Brown Bullock, DKU’s inaugural Executive Vice Chancellor (EVC). The event, held in the Library Lecture Hall, drew a diverse audience of students, faculty, and staff eager to hear her reflections from her recently published memoir, China on My Mind.
The session commenced with opening remarks from Dr. Scott MacEachern, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs at DKU. Dr. MacEachern highlighted Dr. Bullock’s foundational role as an “architect” of DKU during her tenure from 2012 to 2015, emphasizing her key contributions to the university’s early development and the formative decisions that shaped its identity.
Following the introduction, the event transitioned into an engaging conversation moderated by University Librarian Mengjie Zou. The discussion delved into the deeply personal and historically rich narratives, as Dr. Bullock shared her family’s century-long engagement with China. Her paternal grandparents, Frank and Charlotte Brown, arrived in China as missionaries around 1910 and spent nearly four decades in Xuzhou, Jiangsu—a city just a few hundred kilometers from where DKU stands today. A particularly moving moment focused on what has come to be known as the “Xuzhou’s Rabe” legacy. During the Japanese invasion of China in World War II, her grandparents helped shelter and protect approximately 4,300 Chinese refugees in schools and church compounds.
Reflecting on her experiences as DKU’s founding EVC, Dr. Bullock offered thoughtful insights on leadership. She emphasized that while a leader may have a clear vision, they should not impose a personal “agenda,” which instead must emerge from the community. “A good leader takes people where they do not yet know they want to go,” she said.
Dr. Bullock also underscored the enduring value of a liberal arts education in cultivating global citizens who can navigate the complexities of identity and history in a rapidly changing world. Reflecting on changes she has observed over decades of engagement with China, she noted that “one difference today is that Chinese scholars are more confident of themselves and of their country and its role in the world”. While acknowledging the complex dynamics currently, Dr. Bullock remained steadfastly optimistic. She noted that having weathered both the global pandemic and the recent headwinds in international diplomacy, she has “great hope for the future”.
In a lively Q&A session, participants sought advice on cross-cultural exchange, teaching, and educational leadership. The talk offered a rare opportunity to connect the university’s present achievements with the visionary goals of its founding leadership.
The event concluded in a thoughtful and engaging atmosphere. Through her reflections on family history, scholarship, and leadership, Dr. Bullock offered a compelling reminder that cross-cultural exchange is sustained through long-term commitment and genuine human connection. Her reflections reminded participants that U.S.–China exchange is grounded not only in institutions and policies, but also in the choices, commitments, and relationships of individuals across generations. As a university rooted in China and connected to the world, Duke Kunshan University continues to provide a meaningful platform for such exchange, advancing its mission of fostering global perspectives through education and engagement.
Dr. Mary Bullock: A Biographical Profile
Dr. Mary Bullock’s lifelong engagement with China is deeply rooted in her early life and academic journey. Growing up across Korea, Japan, and the United States, she was exposed to different cultures from an early age, developing a strong sense of global citizenship. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Agnes Scott College in 1966, she earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in Chinese History from Stanford University, transforming her early cultural immersion into deep intellectual expertise.
As one of the earliest American scholars deeply engaged with China since the mid-1970s, Dr. Bullock witnessed the reopening of academic exchange firsthand. In the 1970s and 1980s, she played a leading role in rebuilding scholarly ties as Director of the Committee on Scholarly Communication with the People’s Republic of China (CSCPRC) at the National Academy of Sciences. She later served as Director of the Asia Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, where she continued to shape intellectual discourse on U.S.–China relations.
Dr. Bullock has held significant roles in higher education as both an educator and an academic leader. After becoming a policy fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the fall of 2006, she joined the faculty of Emory University in the fall of 2007 as Visiting Distinguished Professor of Chinese Studies. She was President of Agnes Scott College from 1995 to 2006 and later served as the inaugural Executive Vice Chancellor of Duke Kunshan University (2012–2015), contributing to the university’s academic vision and institutional foundations. She has also chaired the China Medical Board and continues to serve on the boards of major philanthropic and educational organizations.
Content: Cai Yan, Sari Xu
Photo: Piper Wang, Kaiqi Wu
