Ping Liu’s Story

By Alumna Ping Liu ‘99

I was born and raised in Hangzhou, which is the capital of the Zhejiang Province and a famous tourist attraction. I was an academic librarian in China. During the semester break, I found a part-time job as an English-speaking tour guide. I never imagined my life would totally change after getting assigned to show Richard (MBA 67) and Gilley Griffith around in 1996. Before they left Hangzhou, Richard and Gilley asked to visit a local family and learn about their daily life. They had a chance to meet my parents and grandmother.

Before they departed, Richard and Gilley asked me if I was interested in studying in America. As a young girl, I was very curious about the outside world so, of course, I said yes. Richard recommended ENMU. On July 3, 1997, I acquired a student visa from the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai. I was nervous because Portales was listed as a desert on the map. I remember my dad trying to comfort me, telling me that Portales must have a population if there was a university. My family helped me to pack everything you could imagine into just two pieces of luggage. With my father’s blessing and my family’s support, I started my new adventure, away from my family for the first time.

Ping Liu and daughter Annie Li

After flying into Lubbock, Richard drove me to Portales. I did not know there were fellow Chinese students on campus until I arrived. A couple of days later, I had a new roommate named Liting. I was an MBA major and with the small class sizes and rigorous academic expectations, there were a lot of homework assignments. My favorite places on campus were my little cubicle in the library and the computer lab in the College of Business.

Finally, I learned that my husband got his visa in Guangzhou when Former President Clinton visited China. After I reunited with my husband Fred in October of 1998, we decided to learn how to drive. Richard and Gilley let me borrow their old VW Beetle.

After I graduated in 1999, we moved to Dallas, and I decided to pursue another master’s degree. Working full-time during the day and going to school in the evenings, sometimes I felt the numbers floating in front of my eyes. In August of 2001, I graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a master’s degree in accounting. A few months later, I passed all four parts of CPA exam on the first try.

Due to several layoffs from accounting firms, my only option was to go back to school to maintain legal status. Therefore, I started my third master’s degree, this time in management and information science. Education is a top priority in Asian family.

In July 2007 we welcomed our baby girl. In June 2011, we received green card approval notice. Finally, I had a feeling of home. Now my husband Fred is a senior software developer for Alliance Data Systems, and I work for Worth Ross Management Co. Inc.

Even though we moved out of Portales 15 years ago, those who once gave us a helping hand and helped us achieve our dreams will always be in our heart. They are Richard and Gilley Griffith, Pat and Howard Overby, Charlie and Martha Crane, Rodger Rehder, and many Portales residents kind enough to give us rides. They were all role models for me and inspired me to be a better person. Someday, I want to be a miracle maker for someone in need.